CMF and Brand Design Manager

Job Description

This role is a local hire position and not an International Service Program (ISP) assignment; only candidates who are eligible to be hired locally in the job location will be considered.

Work Arrangement

This role is categorized as on-site. This means the successful candidate is expected to report to Advanced Technical Center ​in Shanghai, China full time.

The Role -

The CMF and Brand Design Manager leads the development and delivery of color, material and finish (CMF) strategies for interior and exterior vehicle programs for the China market. This role balances premium brand expression, China customer expectations, and technical feasibility, ensuring vehicles in China achieve outstanding perceived quality and a distinctive luxury identity.

This role also encompasses brand strategy, look and feel and an interface with Global Design, marketing and communication.

What You’ll Do -

• Brand & CMF Strategy – China Market
• Translate brand values into clear CMF strategies and stories tailored to China customers, competitive set, and trends.
• Develop interior and exterior color and trim palettes, materials, grains, patterns and finishes that elevate perceived luxury and support trim walk strategies.
• Monitor luxury/EV/China market trends and bring relevant CMF innovation into assigned programs.
• Brand Strategy – China Market
• Translate brand values into clear strategies and stories tailored to China customers, competitive set, and trends.
• Work with Global Design brand team and China based Marketing and Communication teams to ensure aspirational and consistent brand messaging.
• Input China luxury trends and learnings to Global Design and Brand teams.
• Monitor luxury/EV/China market trends and bring relevant brand innovation into assigned programs.
• Program Ownership & Delivery
• Own CMF deliverables for assigned programs across all phases, from advanced exploration through production.
• Ensure CMF proposals meet design intent, craftsmanship and perceived quality targets, and are robust for series production.
• Prepare and manage CMF specifications and documentation (e.g., CTDAR / appearance data, color & trim charts) required for downstream functions.
• Cross‑Functional Collaboration
• Work closely with Creative Design, Brand, UX, Engineering, Materials Engineering, Manufacturing, Purchasing, and Quality to balance design ambition with feasibility, timing and cost.
• Represent CMF in program forums, design reviews and gateway assessments, clearly articulating CMF rationale, risks and trade‑offs.
• Coordinate with global brand and other regional studios to align on global CMF direction while addressing China‑specific needs.
• Change Management & Governance
• Serve as CMF Design contact in program / change‑management processes when CMF content is impacted.
• Support updates to CMF documentation and data in line with approved change content, ensuring accuracy and traceability.
• Contribute to continuous improvement of CMF workflows, standards and appearance quality guidelines within GM China Design.
• Team Leadership & Mentoring
• Lead day‑to‑day work planning and reviews for a small team of CMF designers and/or coordinators on China programs.
• Provide clear feedback and coaching to elevate creative quality, storytelling, and execution detail.
• Help build CMF capability in the studio by sharing best practices, references, trends, and new material opportunities.

Your Skills & Abilities (Required Qualifications) 

• Bachelor’s degree in Transportation Design, Industrial/Product Design, Textile/Surface Design, or related field.
• Solid experience in CMF design, preferably within automotive, premium, or luxury consumer products.
• Strong portfolio demonstrating CMF work for interiors and/or exteriors, with clear storytelling, material sensibility and perceived quality.
• Good understanding of automotive materials and processes (plastics, coatings, textiles, leather, metal, decorative trim, etc.) and their constraints.
• Proven experience working within structured program environments, with exposure to gateways, timing, and cross‑functional reviews.
• Strong communication and presentation skills; able to clearly explain CMF concepts and decisions to both design and non‑design stakeholders.
• Proficiency in relevant design tools (e.g., Adobe Creative Suite, KeyShot or similar visualization tools).

What Will Give You a Competitive Edge (Preferred Qualifications)

• Experience with premium or luxury automotive CMF, ideally including EV programs.
• Experience working in or with China market, with good understanding of local customer preferences and competitive CMF landscape.
• Experience working with Global leadership teams.
• Demonstrated ability to build teams, guide and mentor junior designers.
• Business‑level English; Mandarin strongly preferred for cross‑functional collaboration within China.

This role is categorized as onsite. This means the selected candidate is expected to report to a specific location on a full-time basis.

About GM

Our vision is a world with Zero Crashes, Zero Emissions and Zero Congestion and we embrace the responsibility to lead the change that will make our world better, safer and more equitable for all.

Why Join Us 

We believe we all must make a choice every day – individually and collectively – to drive meaningful change through our words, our deeds and our culture. Every day, we want every employee to feel they belong to one General Motors team.

Non-Discrimination and Equal Employment Opportunities

General Motors is committed to being a workplace that is not only free of unlawful discrimination, but one that genuinely fosters inclusion and belonging. We strongly believe that providing an inclusive workplace creates an environment in which our employees can thrive and develop better products for our customers.

We encourage interested candidates to review the key responsibilities and qualifications for each role and apply for any positions that match their skills and capabilities. Applicants in the recruitment process may be required, where applicable, to successfully complete a role-related assessment(s) and/or a pre-employment screening prior to beginning employment. To learn more, visit How we Hire.

Accommodations

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