Sr. Design Director
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Job Location:
Dearborn, MI - USA
Monthly Salary:
Not Disclosed
Posted on:
16-10-2025
Vacancies:
1 Vacancy
Job Summary
About Ford
Do you want to change the world The Ford Motor Company had endured and thrived for 118 years througheveryimaginablechallengebecausewehavethevisiontoimaginethefutureandthecourage to is redefining how it will build a better world for the future by creating a culture and opportunities where employees will capitalize on Fords excellence in designing and building the most iconic products while also helping develop the future of world-class connected is transformingourglobalautomotivebusinesstoscaleEVs strengthenoperations andunlockvalue. We will deliver the speed of a startup with the deep expertise of high-volume is the opportunity of a lifetime.
We are excited to lay the foundation for Fords push towards a new automotive future. We aim to create digital products that improve over time amplify mobility for all and create a thrilling driving experience for our customers.
The Opportunity
Our organization Digital Product Design is re-founding Fords digital experience evolving to experience-based product development that embraces vehicle exterior/interior software and service design and implementation.
As a leader on Fords Digital Product Design Team youll be at the heart of designing products that drive this revolution - inspiring your peers and pushing the industry. Youll also be creating/working at scale. Every day Fords vehicles and services support millions of people worldwide. So at Ford were not just inventing the future; were operationalizing it to help everyone improve their lives.
The Position
Were looking for an inspiring Sr. Director of Product Design to lead mentor and grow our talented team of product designers in our Digital Product Design organization. This isnt just a management role; youll be a key strategic partner working closely with product management engineering research and other leaders across the company to define the future of our vehicles and services.
Youll champion user-centered design principles elevate the craft of design within the team and foster a collaborative and innovative design culture. If youre passionate about building and leading high-performing teams setting design strategy and ensuring we consistently deliver beautiful intuitive and impactful experiences wed love to talk to you!
Responsibilities
What youll do
Lead and Mentor the Team: Directly manage mentor and coach a team of product designers at various levels. Help them grow their skills navigate challenges and achieve their career goals. Foster a culture of feedback learning and psychological safety.
Set Design Vision & Strategy: Partner with product leadership to define the long-term vision and strategy for the product design function. Align design efforts with overall business objectives and product roadmaps.
Elevate Design Craft & Quality: Establish and maintain high standards for design quality usability and consistency across all products and platforms. Oversee the design process from concept to execution ensuring thoughtful solutions that meet user needs and business goals.
Drive User-Centered Practices: Champion user research and testing throughout the product development lifecycle. Ensure the team deeply understands our users their needs and pain points and that these insights inform design decisions.
Cross-Functional Collaboration: Build strong collaborative relationships with partners in Product Management Engineering User Research Marketing Data Science and other departments. Be a strong advocate for design and user experience within the company.
Resource Planning & Allocation: Plan and allocate design resources effectively across multiple projects and initiatives. Anticipate hiring needs and actively participate in recruiting to build a diverse and high-performing team.
Define & Optimize Processes: Continuously evaluate and improve design processes tools and workflows to increase efficiency collaboration and the overall impact of the design team.
Champion Design Systems: Oversee the development and evolution of our design system to ensure consistency efficiency and scalability across our products.
Contribute to Product Strategy: Actively participate in high-level product strategy discussions bringing a strong design perspective and advocating for innovative solutions that solve real user problems.
Qualifications
The minimum requirements we seek:
- 15 years of experience in product design with a significant portion in a leadership or management role overseeing teams of product designers.
Our Preferred Requirements:
- Proven track record of defining and executing design strategy for successful products.
- Deep understanding of user-centered design principles methodologies and best practices (UX UI Interaction Design User Research).
- Experience building mentoring and leading high-performing design teams.
- Strong portfolio showcasing leadership experience strategic thinking and the ability to deliver impactful design solutions through a team. Examples of your teams work and how you guided them are highly valuable.
- Excellent communication presentation and interpersonal skills. Ability to articulate design decisions and strategy clearly to both design and non-design audiences.
- Experience collaborating closely with Product Management and Engineering leadership throughout the product development lifecycle.
- Ability to thrive in a fast-paced dynamic environment and manage multiple priorities effectively.
What Youll Receive in Return
As part of the Ford family youll enjoy excellent compensation and a comprehensive benefits package that includes generous PTO retirement savings and stock investment plans incentive compensation and much more. Youll also experience exciting opportunities for professional and personal growth and recognition. Candidates for positions with Ford Motor Company must be legally authorized to work in the United States on a permanent basis. Verification of employment eligibility will be required at time of hire. Visa sponsorship is not available for this position. Ford Motor Company is an equal opportunity employer committed to a culturally diverse workforce. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race religion color age sex national origin sexual orientation gender identity disability status or protected veteran status.
Required Experience:
Director
Key Skills
- Rhinoceros 3D
- Information Architecture
- Ux
- Usability
- Adobe Creative Suite
- Adobe Photoshop
- Adobe Illustrator
- Experience Design
- Grasshopper
- Sketch
- Sign Manufacturing
- Adobe Indesign
About Company
Ford® is Built for America. Discover the latest lineup in new Ford vehicles! Explore hybrid & electric vehicle options, see photos, build & price, search inventory, view pricing & incentives & see the latest technology & news happening at Ford.
