WARREN, MI – General Motors announced it has removed 20 executive positions globally in order to eliminate redundancy and complexity in its Global Product Development organization. The automaker said its goal was to consolidate current vehicle development executive roles and streamline global vehicle development.

According to GM, in the previous team structure, a vehicle line executive, line director, and chief engineer would oversee development of a product program. In the new structure, the chief engineer will oversee each program and its vehicles from “inception through production,” according to GM. The changes will be effective Aug. 1, according to the automaker. Each chief engineer will report to Doug L. Parks, who has the newly created role of vice president, Product Programs.

GM said Parks was the executive director and group vehicle line executive for electric cars since March, 2012, and that he had served as global vehicle line executive and global vehicle chief executive for electric cars, including the Chevrolet Volt.

“The realignment reduces complexity and drives single-point accountability for the execution of our vehicle programs,” said Mary Barra, GM senior vice president, Global Product Development.