Aaron Mcdonald Email & Phone Number

Melbourne, Vic, Au

Responsibilities:- Product and lifecycle management of the Sprinter Large Van portfolio for Australia - The Sprinter portfolio is the largest and most complex vehicle portfolio in the MBAuP line up.- Steer New Zealand Sprinter Large Van product strategy through leading and mentoring NZ Sprinter Product Specialist.- Manage and lead the strategic MB Vans Connectivity project for the Australian and New Zealand markets.- Strategically plan, develop and manage the Sprinter product portfolio and lifecycle from planning stage through to the implementation of product launches within the Australian market.- Perform ongoing competitive and market analysis and reporting to better understand the market and seek growth opportunities required to drive sales volume and an improved market share position.- Primary contact for all product related queries for Market Management, DAG & Product Management – Stuttgart.- Responsible for coordinating business cases across the organisation to achieve positive outcomes that include introduction of new products, specifications or limited edition product lines.- Work collaboratively with Marketing and PR Managers to ensure positive, targeted and effective marketing and PR activities are carried out in relation to all product lines.- Drive the growth of the MBV product lines through skilled category management and range optimisation.Achievements:- Sprinter best selling model in for MB Vans, and the highest selling model in the broader MB range in Australia.- Model complexity reduced by 20%.- Successfully negotiated with head office to deviate from global strategy to maintain and enrich product specifications to reinforce positioning as a technology and safety leader in the large van segments. - Created product proposals that were shared other regions by head office as a benchmark for product proposals.- Members of other markets sat in on product proposal workshops to learn from my positioning work.

Mulgrave, Victoria, Australia

Responsibilities:- Coordinate the Bodybuilder and Customer Services work package as part of the Retail Of The Future project to implement an agency (direct) sales model for Mercedes Benz Vans (Passenger and Commercial Vans and Cab Chassis).- Review Single-Invoice vs Two-Invoice up-fit and Bodybuild business under and agency model, and develop strategies to minimise legal and engineering risks whist maximising commercial opportunities by engaging with all stakeholders in Australia and globally. - Determine changes required to current Mercedes Benz business processes and IT systems.- Develop detailed implementation plans, including risk mitigation measures- Provide regular updates to relevant stakeholders across the business both locally and globally.- Work with Business Units and global IT to implement approved strategy and required changes to business processes and IT systems.- Work with retailers to understand common customer 3rd party Up-fit and Bodybuilds on Mercedes Benz Vans & Cab Chassis.- Coordinate the development a range of standardized approved third Party Up-Fits and body builds available at set pricing transacted on a Single invoice covering common up-fits and body builds.Achievements:- Up-fitter and Body Builder strategy developed in white space due to body build business not part of cars model and differences to other vans markets. Workable strategy for project go-live defined within the available limited IT change scope.- Creation of new and globally unique approval pathway for 3rd party Up-fit and Bodybuilds transacted on a single invoice managing commercial, legal and engineering risks.- Mercedes Benz Head Office in Germany looking closely at the Up-fitter and Body Builder strategy developed locally for implementation into other global markets.- Creation, agreement, retailer feedback and finalisation of Body Build Solution wish list based on retailer data including delivery pathway and projected volumes.

Responsibilities:- Ensure that all vehicles (Cars and Vans) are homologated for the Australian and New Zealand markets.- Engineering sign off and certification of all genuine after-market parts and accessories for MB Cars.- Specialist technical advice regarding Australian and New Zealand Vehicle regulations, including ADRs, UN-ECE, MVSA & RVSA.- Monitoring and assessment of new and changing regulations and standards.- Provide certification, engineering and technical support to all business units, customers and others as required.- Collaborate with head office and ANCAP to manage ANCAP assessments.- Development and Management of Mercedes Benz Germany and Australian collaboration to assess ADAS and other emerging technology against local regulations and integrate into Australian-specific environment.- Manage the writing, revision and supply of the Australian Supplement to the Owner’s Manual and vehicle specific towing supplements.- Provide Safety System Approval for Military vehicle and second-stage body builder modifications.- Representation at industry technical associations.Achievements:- All new models and variants homologated in time for market launch and/or start of sales.- All Euro NCAP ratings successfully transferred across to ANCAP.- Resolved axle mass issues on two vehicle platforms through. Identified and recommended technical solutions to Germany that were implemented.- Identified and successfully implemented alternative certification approach with the ADR framework to enable key active safety features to be maintained on Australian & New Zealand modes when a change in regulation in Europe resulted in these features not be able to be offered on our cars.- Identified future regulatory risks and proactively working with program managers and Mercedes Benz Germany product engineering to mitigate these risks.- Established reputation with Mercedes Benz engineers in Germany as “go to” point for advice regarding ADRs.

Melbourne, Australia

As a partner in the $1.1 billion Rail System Alliance, Bombardier Transportation, in a consortium with CPB Contractors and Metro Trains Melbourne, is delivering the design, supply, installation, testing, integration and commissioning of train and power control systems, operational control systems and signalling systems for the $11 billion Melbourne Metro Tunnel Project.Responsibilities:- Leading the requirements management team (3 direct reports + 2 indirect reports) in requirements set up, management and traceability for the Melbourne Metro Tunnel Rail Systems Alliance Project.- Establishing and maintaining the Requirement Management Plan (process) for the Melbourne Metro Tunnel Rail Systems Alliance, complying with all customer governance requirements and internal requirements and process of the three alliance partner organisations. - Ensuring that all relevant project requirements and evidence are captured, identified and managed throughout the project lifecycle in DOORS Requirements management tool - Engaging with internal and external stakeholders at both the commercial and government levels locally and internationally.- Weekly and monthly reporting to all stakeholders.- Preparation and presentation of gate review materials.- Creating and providing Requirement Management training to engineering and design teams.- DOORS project administrator.Achievements:- Successful establishment, rollout and government approval of the Requirement Management Plan (process) for the $1.1 billion Melbourne Metro Tunnel Rail Systems Alliance.- Ramp up of the requirements management team from 1 to 6 including recruitment and training.- Fostered relationships with external stakeholders at both the commercial and government levels.- Successfully managed delivery of Requirements Baselines for System Requirements Review and System Definition Review gates despite late delivery of input artefacts from other functions.

Responsibilities:- Technical leadership of vehicle programs in the defining of vehicle performance.- Competitive benchmarking.- Technical leadership of vehicle programs in development and measuring of vehicle performance.- Lead complex problem solving and negotiation of compromises/trade-offs to achieve targets, escalating to appropriate forums as necessary. - Develop, manage and maintain effective global GM and joint venture partner relationships to facilitate program development and issue resolution.- Ensure the timely and effective completion of product development targets through the engagement, coordination and leadership of cross functional teams across all areas of the business including shop floor, local engineering teams, marketing, planning and manufacturing departments through to the senior leadership team. - Organisation and participation in global vehicle evaluation rides both locally and internationally to support target setting and vehicle performance sign off.- Ensure accuracy of corporate communications and marketing functions through the provision and ongoing support of accurate technical product information. - Act as the engineering representative for product launches, delivering product launch engineering presentations and supporting media and marketing events. - Support dealer and fleet customer technical enquiries and field issue resolution.Achievements:- Fostered relationship with non GM joint venture partner through collaborative process.- Identified and successively negotiated market driven content into joint venture program.- Achieved a ‘better than expected’ successful outcome for a product, where product would not meet local customer market expectations.- Achieved significant improvement to a program by influencing an international team to change program content.- Provided technical assistance to major fleet customer, including site visits to understand operational requirements, to secure a 1500+ vehicle contract.

Prior to transition to a National Sales organisation in 2017, Holden was one of only seven fully-integrated global General Motors operations that designed, built and sold vehicles for Australia and the world. With design and manufacturing operations located in both Victoria and South Australia is represented by more than 230 dealerships nationally.Responsibilities:- Lead Noise and Vibration Performance Integration Engineer for 10 major GM programs for Australian and international markets (including USA, China, Middle East, Korea, Europe, Thailand and South America) including high profile programs such as Camaro and Chev SS.- Technical leadership of vehicle programs in the development and measuring of noise and vibration performance.- Timely and effective delivery of engineering projects from initial development of targets to final sign off.- Lead complex problem solving and negotiation of compromises/trade-offs to achieve targets, escalating to appropriate forums as necessary.- Exterior pass by noise (ADR 83/ ECE R51) development and certification – All Holden programs domestic and export.- Wind Noise technical specialist and functional lead.- V8 Sound quality subject matter expert.- Instruction and (non-reporting) supervision of technicians and trades in the execution of benchmarking, vehicle development and validation test activities.Achievements:- Achieved significant noise and vibration improvements on Holden LCV by influencing an international team to change program content at a mid cycle enhancement.- VF Commodore wind noise performance significantly improvement to predecessor and over performs compared to content.- Delivered class leading noise and vibration performance for Camaro exceeding program expectations. - Successfully managed workload reorganisation and priories during significant illness of colleague.

- Leading of cross functional vehicle integration team to balance vehicle performance requirements and tradeoffs. - Coordinate vehicle development and validation activities.- Coordinate vehicle sign off rides.- Tracking of performance to targets and regular reporting to local and global program teams.

The Monash University Accident Research Centre (MUARC) was established in 1987 and is Australia's largest and most respected transport safety research centre. Our research, consultancy and training include safety across all modes of transport-Research assistant, investigation of vehicle involved in real world crashes.

Intensive full-time training in Unigraphics and automotive design

Home maintenance and handy man service (Part Time)

Undergraduate student placement as N&V test/development engineer.Holden sponsored thesis project completed comparing wind noise in RMIT wind tunnel to Lang Lang PG on road.

Provision of television rentals service at a major Melbourne public hospital (Part Time)

Supervision of a work team performing, maintenance and operation of irrigation system at large commercial orchard (Seasonal, full time).

Bachelor Of Engineering (B.Eng.) - Honors 1St Class, Mechanical Engineering, Honors 1St Class

Activities and Societies: RMIT MotorCycle ClubRMIT is a global university of technology with 120+ years of excellence backed by industry..

Design For Six Sigma (Dfss) Black Belt

Advanced Diploma In Automotive Design And Development.

Certificate In Automotive

Vce