Ford Motor Company

Design Program Manager

Ford Motor Company$115K — $232K *
US-AnywhereRemote in Spokane Valley, WA
Manufacturing & Automotive
8 - 10 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's Degree in Engineering, Design or related field or equivalent experience
  • 8+ years of successful experience as a Project or Program Manager in a creative environment
  • 2+ years leading large projects through their full life-cycle in a cross-functional team
  • Experience working with global teams

Responsibilities

  • Collaborate with team leads to provide strategic counsel during project interactions
  • Document and implement repeatable processes for effective project management
  • Identify team needs and educate leadership on necessary process changes
  • Act as a bridge across teams to facilitate communication and understanding
  • Advocate for design team quality with stakeholders
  • Communicate project status regularly with visuals and data
  • Anticipate bottlenecks and articulate risks and recommended solutions

Benefits

  • Immediate medical, dental, vision, and prescription drug coverage
  • Flexible family care days and paid parental leave
  • Family building benefits including adoption reimbursement and fertility treatments
  • Vehicle discount program for employees and family
  • Tuition assistance and paid time off for community service
  • Generous holiday schedule including the week between Christmas and New Year
  • Options for paid time off and purchasing additional vacation time
Full Job Description
Job Description

In this position...

You are a master planner and a flexible program manager who balances multiple projects in an innovative design environment.

You provide program management and operational support throughout our team and across partner teams by increasing communication and connection points and streamlining processes. You'll work cross-functionally and collaborate with managers, designers, product, and engineering teams to plan projects, define milestones, assess risks, manage data, and help projects meet deadlines and deliverables. You will also manage project-related communications to team members, executives, and other stakeholders.

This is a hybrid (onsite 4 days per week) role in Palo Alto, CA or Dearborn, MI

Responsibilities

As a Design Program Manager you will...
  • Collaborate with and support team leads in delivering the highest level of trust-building and strategic counsel through all project interactions
  • Document and implement end-to-end repeatable processes that help the team plan, manage, and deliver
  • Identify team needs with regards to process, tools, documentation, capacity, data and asset management, and educate leadership in order to bring changes to ensure designers and developers are working efficiently
  • Act as a bridge across cross functional teams, connecting them and facilitating clear communication, ensuring interdependencies are understood and planned for
  • Act as a design team advocate, working with Design Systems, Quality Assurance, and enterprise stakeholders to hold quality to the highest bar
  • Communicate project status with team, stakeholders and senior management regularly (with visuals and data)
  • Work with management and across teams to understand, coordinate, and prioritize initiatives
  • Anticipate bottlenecks, provide escalation management, and articulate risks, trade-offs, and recommend prioritization based on a balance of business needs and constraints, capacity, and customer impact
  • Guide design projects from pitch to completion by facilitating team productivity, advising on deadlines, managing expectations, and providing communication between teams and stakeholders
  • Support design teams to scope new product initiatives, identify priorities, and deliver key projects, that have multiple stakeholders and moving parts
  • Facilitate meetings to drive progress against goals and objectives, establishing clear next steps and owners, and resolving blocks that impede progress
  • Proactively assess risk and resolve issues before they become problems for the larger teams
  • Measure impact and operational efficiency of programs and initiatives both qualitatively and quantitatively
  • Support the management team with effective team communication, proactive problem solving, data driven insights and information distribution


Qualifications

You'll have...
  • Bachelors Degree in Engineering, Design or related field or equivalent combination of relevant education and experience
  • 8+ years of successful experience as a Project or Program Manager, or similar role, in a creative environment
  • 2+ years of experience leading large projects through their full life-cycle in a large, cross-functional team
  • Experience working with global teams


Even better you'll have...
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills and ability to present in a clear and concise manner to all levels within the enterprise
  • Results oriented person with a proven track record of on-time project/program delivery for large, cross-functional projects with global stakeholders
  • Experience working and contributing to project playbooks, building schedules, managing issues/risks, establishing communication plans and stakeholder management
  • Experience with Agile and Lean methodologies, and with Jira
  • Understanding of design and development processes. Experience working with design systems
  • Ability to translate complex ideas and express them in concise, simple to understand ways
  • Effectively using digital tools and platforms
  • Experience working on multiple projects simultaneously while meeting deadlines with changing priorities


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 child care 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 salary grade 8 and ranges from $115,000-$232,700.

Final determination of salary grade will be based on candidate's skills and experience, and base salary will be set within the applicable range according to job scope, responsibility and competitive market value.

For more information on salary and benefits, click here: https://fordcareers.co/GSR

Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

This position is hybrid. Candidates who are in commuting distance to a Ford hub location may be required to be onsite four or more days per week. #LI-Hybrid

#DesignTeam #LI-LS1

About Ford Motor Company

Ford Motor Company manufactures or distributes automobiles in addition to offering financial services. The company sells to dealerships for retail sales, and for sale to fleet customers, including commercial fleet customers, daily rental car companies, and governments. Ford’s vehicle portfolio includes automobiles, buses, tractors, and trucks. Retail financing includes retail installment sale contracts for new and used vehicles, and direct financing leases for new vehicles to retail customers, government entities, daily rental car companies, and fleet customers. Finance receivables in the non-consumer portfolio include products offered to automotive dealers. Ford’s environmental initiatives include compressed natural gas, flexible fuel vehicles, electric drive vehicles, Hydrogen, PC power management, and so on. Ford Motor Company was founded by Henry Ford in 1903 and is headquartered in Dearborn, Michigan.

Ford Motor Company Careers

Join the dynamic team at Ford Motor Company, a global leader in automotive innovation and manufacturing. At Ford, we are committed to driving human progress by providing outstanding vehicles and mobility solutions. This is an exciting time to become part of our inclusive team, where job opportunities abound and growth is not just a possibility, but a promise.

Work You’ll Do

At Ford Motor Company, you will collaborate with some of the brightest minds in the industry. Our professionals are at the forefront of automotive technology, leading projects that redefine transportation and sustainability. With a culture rooted in continuous improvement and respect for all, Ford offers a workplace where leadership, diversity training, and innovation are part of everyday life.

Join Our Market-Leading Team

Ford’s commitment to excellence is why we are a leader in the automotive sector. We offer a variety of career paths, from engineering to marketing, all designed to foster professional and personal growth. Our team benefits from Ford’s commitment to professional development and networking opportunities, ensuring that every team member can reach their full potential.

Innovative Work

Engage in work that makes a difference. Ford Motor Company is pioneering developments in electrification, autonomous vehicles, and smart mobility solutions. Our team of over 190,000 employees worldwide is dedicated to crafting experiences that improve the way the world moves.

Be Part of a Great Team

Working at Ford means more than just having a job; it means being part of a global family. Our culture promotes teamwork, integrity, and respect—values that underpin everything we do. We believe in nurturing a diverse and inclusive environment where every employee can thrive.

Future-Proof Your Career

Ford Motor Company is not just a great place to work; it’s a place to build a lasting career. Our employees enjoy competitive benefits, comprehensive health care, and retirement plans that rank among the best in the industry. We support career advancement through extensive training programs and hands-on experience in the latest automotive technologies.

Explore Job Opportunities and Internships

Whether you’re a seasoned professional looking for your next challenge or a student interested in an internship, Ford has opportunities that will harness your skills and ignite your ambition. Our hiring process is straightforward and respectful, designed to match your skills and passions with the right position.

Stay Connected

Join Our Team Search open positions that match your skills and interests. We look for passionate, curious, creative, and solution-driven team players. Ready to start your journey with Ford? Prepare your resume, sharpen your interview skills, and become part of a company that’s building the future of transportation.

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Learn more about Ford Motor Company
Size
183,000 employees
Market Cap
$44.8 billion
Industry
Net Income
-$1.2 billion
Founded
1903
5 Year Trend
-2.1%
Revenue
$127.1 billion
NASDAQ

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