Vehicle Launch Manager

The New Model Launch Manager holds a pivotal role in strategically overseeing and directing the successful launch of multiple new vehicle or powertrain models within manufacturing plants. The primary goal is to ensure these launches consistently meet or exceed targets for on-time delivery budget adherence and quality levels across multiple programs.

What youll do...

This leadership role is paramount to achieving launch excellence for new vehicle and powertrain models across Fords North America Manufacturing Plants. The Manager willdrive success by leading mentoring and empowering a high-performing team of launch supervisors and engineers fostering a high-performing organization. This leader will collaborate extensively and strategically with diverse cross-functional teams and executive leadership including Vice Presidents to implement launch processes and standards ensuring robust execution and alignment with overall business objectives. This role involves proactive engagement and communication with senior executive leadership on critical launch risks opportunities and strategic initiatives.

• Budget Oversight:Accountable for driving and ensuring overall budget adherence across multiple new model launches identifying opportunities for cost optimization and efficiency.
• Pre-Production Oversight:Providing oversight and guidance on all activities leading up to the initial prototype and pre-production vehicle builds ensuring these early builds are cost-effective and meet quality standards.
• Design Change Approval:Reviewing and approving design changes throughout the product development lifecycle making sure these changes are supported in pre-production builds and thoroughly tested (proven out) before the official launch.
• Organizational Support:Ensure that all necessary facilities resources and support infrastructure are in place and optimized to enable efficient operation for multiple on-site launch teams.
• Systemic Issue Resolution:Oversee the implementation and continuous improvement of issue management systems to proactively track resolve and prevent systemic issues that could impact launch success focusing on cross-program challenges and long-term resolutions.
• Customer Feedback Integration:Driving the process of addressing concerns raised by early customer feedback vehicles (often called Voice of the Customer Fleet) and ensuring these issues are resolved before launch.
• Change Control Management:Managing the new model programs (NMP) involvement in the overall change control process (which may involve electronic approvals) ensuring that any proposed changes are necessary and implemented at the correct time.
• Risk Mitigation:Leading the development of strategies to reduce risks associated with parts that are not yet at full production quality including plans to test and validate them for a high-quality launch.
• Production Readiness Approval:Leading the Open to Go process which includes verifying the origin and quality of parts (part pedigree) and providing final approval for any deviations or alerts needed for parts not fully approved for production (PPAP) before critical build events.
• Plant Issue Tracking:Supporting the manufacturing issue management (often a whiteboard process) to ensure issues are resolved promptly.
• Executive Reporting & Risk Management:Proactively identify analyze and dimension complex launch risks across multiple programs developing comprehensive mitigation plans and clearly articulating strategic status risks and opportunities to executive leadership.
• Meeting Cadence & Coordination:Establish and manage the meeting cadence for on-site launches and provide high-level coordination for ongoing launch activities across programs.
• Launch Review Presentations:Preparing and presenting comprehensive launch reviews from early stages through to the OK to Buy decision point.
• Production Readiness Scorecards: Lead the strategic approval process for OK to Build/Ship/Buy scorecards at critical project milestones and beyond ensuring robust scorecard preparation and review at all senior management meetings.
• On-Site Modifications:Leading the process for any modifications needed on-site tracking these changes and working with the plant and suppliers to manage part updates and inventory reduction plans.
• Lessons Learned:Drive the capture analysis and dissemination of lessons learned from launch programs leveraging these insights to implement best practices and continuous improvement across the entire launch organization.
• Executive Collaboration & Stakeholder Management:Collaborate extensively and strategically with Launch Specialists diverse skill teams and executive leadership (including VPs) to drive integrated solutions resolve complex challenges and ensure seamless project execution across all managed programs.
• Standardization:Promoting consistent practices by adhering to established Launch Quality Standards (LQOS) and driving continuous improvement through Lessons Learned.
• Talent Development & Organizational Leadership:Accountable for balancing direct report resources across programs based on workload and skill sets ensuring successful launches. Responsible for talent development succession planning and performance management for the launch team.

Minimum Qualifications:

• BSc Mechanical Engineering or a related field (Industrial Electrical etc)

• 6 Years of experience in Powertrain/Vehicle Operations manufacturing design and/or program management with Project management or launch experience.

• 6 years of experience demonstrating a strong understanding of the processes and methodologies involved in bringing new vehicle models from development into full-scale production.

• Skilled in Word Excel PowerPoint and Microsoft Project.

• Project management and/or launch experience.

• Experience with Engineering Change Management and Issue Management

• Experience with problem solving disciplines using statistical mindsets.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master of Science degree in Engineering or related field.

• 8 Years of experience in Powertrain/Vehicle Operations manufacturing design and/or program management with Project management or launch experience.

• 8 years of experience demonstrating a strong understanding of the processes and methodologies involved in bringing new vehicle models from development into full-scale production.

• 5 Years of Leadership/Supervisory level experience.

• Skilled in Word Excel PowerPoint and Microsoft Project.

• Project management and/or launch experience.

• Experience with Engineering Change Management and Issue Management

• Experience with problem solving disciplines using statistical mindsets.

Travel Requirement:This position requires frequent and extensive travel including long-term assignments (up to 9-12 months at a time) to support vehicle and powertrain assembly plants during new model launches.

You may not check every box or your experience may look a little different from what weve outlined but if you think you can bring value to Ford Motor Company we encourage you to apply!

As an established global company we offer the benefit of choice. You can choose what your Ford future will look like: will your story span the globe or keep you close to home Will your career be a deep dive into what you love or a series of new teams and new skills Will you be a leader a changemaker a technical expert a culture builderor all of the above No matter what you choose we offer a work life that works for you including:

Immediate medical dental vision and prescription drug coverage

Flexible family care days paid parental leave new parent ramp-up programs subsidized back-up childcare and more

Family building benefits including adoption and surrogacy expense reimbursement fertility treatments and more

Vehicle discount program for employees and family members and management leases

Tuition assistance

Established and active employee resource groups

Paid time off for individual and team community service

A generous schedule of paid holidays including the week between Christmas and New Years Day

Paid time off and the option to purchase additional vacation time.

This position is aleadership level 5.
For more information on salary and benefits click here: sponsorship is not available for this position.

Domestic relocation assistance is not available for this position.

Candidates for positions with Ford Motor Company must be legally authorized to work in the United States. Verification of employment eligibility will be required at the time of hire.

We are 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 the United States if you need a reasonable accommodation for the online application process due to a disability please call 1-.

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