Director, Technical Program Management - Connected Vehicle & Digital Services

Ford

  • Dearborn, MI
  • Permanent
  • Full-time
  • 2 months ago
Job Category: Ford Next BusinessesJob Description:Come help build a better world, where every person is free to move and pursue their dreams. Ford Motor Company was built on the belief that freedom of movement drives human progress. It's a belief that has fueled our passion to create great cars and trucks. And today, it drives our commitment to become the world's most trusted mobility company, designing vehicles for a smart world that helps people move more safely, confidently, and freely. Ford is experiencing significant business transformation in an ever-changing digital world. We are dedicated to delivering distinctive products and solutions, having an “always on” relationship with customers and continuously improving our user experience.Product Management is part of the Integrated Services organization and works cross functionally and closely with our partners in Design and Engineering in Model e. Integrated Services launched during the summer 2023, to create and market new customer experiences by integrating hardware, software and services across Ford Blue, Model e and Ford Pro. These products and services will allow Ford's retail and commercial customers to customize their vehicle like never before, with OTA (over the air)-driven experiences that grow better over time. Ford is developing leadership at the forefront of connected, digital platforms that will revolutionize every aspect of how vehicles function, the way people interact with them, and the value those vehicles provide.The product team is passionate about solving hard problems. We create with passion, delivering extraordinary solutions to change the world. We challenge competitors, bureaucracy, obstacles and even our own assumptions. We have zero tolerance for bias or personal agendas. We are swift and decisive, trusting the experts, believing the data, seeking out and listening to bold intuition - regardless of the source. We are insurgents, never satisfied, averse to complexity, suspicious of habits and open to risk. We constantly learn. We focus on the mission and deliver with urgency and speed. We are a nimble team, leveraging rapidly evolving technology to innovate, fail fast and pivot. We trust each other, surface issues openly and solve problems collaboratively. Most importantly we raise the talent bar with every hire.In this position…We are seeking a visionary and operationally excellent Director, Program Management - Connected Vehicle & Digital Services to drive the evolution of Ford's future through both robust in-vehicle system development and seamless digital subscription and transaction experiences. This pivotal role is responsible for shaping the entire technical lifecycle, from the core in-vehicle systems to the digital infrastructure that powers elegant customer journeys across B2B and B2C ecosystems.You will lead strategic technical program management functions, optimizing team operations, enhancing cross-functional communication, and delivering scalable, integrated solutions that encompass the physical product's software lifecycle and its associated digital services, e-commerce, and mobile-first experiences. You will be instrumental in building the culture and processes that ensure continuity, speed, and excellence in product development and delivery across these interconnected domains.Responsibilities:What you'll do…Strategic Program & Ecosystem Leadership:
  • Lead and scale technical program management practices across both in-vehicle systems and digital subscription services, focusing on operational excellence, stakeholder alignment, and delivery of high-impact programs.
  • Partner with senior leadership to define and agree upon technology roadmaps that span the entire systems lifecycle for in-vehicle content and the digital ecosystem for subscription services.
  • Drive large organizational, operational, and cultural transformations that lead to improved business outcomes across integrated product and service offerings.
Integrated Systems & Digital Platform Enablement:
  • Accountable for the successful delivery of requirements and system design for entire in-vehicle systems, core architecture design, and future system evolution, ensuring safety-certifiable systems where applicable.
  • Architect and manage end-to-end programs for digital services that span billing (Zuora), payments (Stripe), customer master data, account management, and entitlement systems, ensuring seamless integration with Salesforce and other enterprise platforms.
  • Lead integration efforts across first-party and third-party systems (both in-vehicle and digital), ensuring robust cloud-based and on-premise interoperability.
Lifecycle Optimization & Customer Journey Focus:
  • Drive initiatives that streamline the full quote-to-cash lifecycle (pricing, configuration, order management, fulfillment) for digital services, ensuring a frictionless customer experience.
  • Champion the development of wicked-fast, resilient, and intuitive digital experiences that delight users and support scalable subscription models, directly informed by insights from in-vehicle system capabilities.
  • Focus on developer efficiency, including requirement linkage, code, build, and scanning, to accelerate the continuous integration and delivery (CI/CD) for both in-vehicle and digital service platforms.
Cross-Functional Collaboration & Governance:
  • Collaborate extensively with design, engineering, product, and business teams to translate complex business needs into executable technical roadmaps and architectural solutions across both vehicle and digital service domains.
  • Partner with TPMs, software development organizations, external supplier management teams, Verification & Validation, and DevSecOps to ensure planned, on-time delivery of functionality against agreed system designs.
  • Oversee data modeling and system architecture for both in-vehicle and digital platforms, ensuring alignment with enterprise standards and long-term scalability.
Risk, Quality & Communication:
  • Identify technical risks early and implement mitigation strategies across the integrated systems. Establish and enforce quality assurance standards for all program deliverables.
  • Define and agree upon KPIs for both Systems Lifecycle organizations (e.g., feature systems, architecture, network communications, integration) and digital service platforms.
  • Maintain clear, comprehensive documentation and ensure transparent communication across all levels of the organization, including executive-level presentations on progress, forecasting, risk identification, and mitigation plans.
  • Lead communication planning to ensure customers and users of the systems and services are always informed.
Qualifications:You'll have…
  • 10+ years of extensive experience in technical program management, with a proven track record leading large-scale, cross-functional programs in a fast-paced, matrixed environment.
  • Demonstrated experience across both in-vehicle software/systems lifecycle management (including CI/CD and safety-certifiable systems) and digital platforms (subscription services, e-commerce, mobile-first experiences).
  • Deep expertise in tools and platforms such as Salesforce, Zuora, Stripe, and cloud-native architectures, coupled with proficiency in project/program tracking tools like JIRA.
  • A strong understanding of end-to-end system of systems, with the ability to rapidly comprehend concerns and provide a way forward for complex, interconnected technical challenges.
  • 5+ years in people management, with proven ability to lead and develop high-performing technical program management teams.
  • Exceptional communication, leadership, and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to articulate complex technical concepts to diverse audiences, from engineers to executive leadership.
  • Comfort with ambiguity and a demonstrated ability to structure an approach to complex problems and drive clarity on solutions.
  • Bachelor's degree in engineering, computer science, or business; or equivalent industry experience at tech and/or automotive companies.
What you'll receive in return…As part of the Ford family, you'll enjoy excellent compensation, and a comprehensive benefits package that includes generous PTO, retirement, savings and stock investment plans, incentive compensation, and much more. You'll also experience exciting opportunities for professional and personal growth and recognition. Our benefits summary can be .You may not check every box, or your experience may look a little different from what we've 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 builder…or 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 Year's Day
  • Paid time off and the option to purchase additional vacation time.
This position is a leadership level 4.For more information on salary and benefits, click here: https://go.ford/LL4BenefitsVisa sponsorship 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. 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. In the United States, if you need a reasonable accommodation for the online application process due to a disability, please call 1-888-336-0660.Dearborn, MI preferredOnsite work of up to four days per week may be required for candidates within commuting distance of a Ford hub location.#LI-Onsite

Ford