Exterior Design Manager

We made history and now we work to transform the future – for our customers, our communities and our families. You'll see your work on the road every day, helping people move freely and pursue their dreams. At Ford, you can build more than vehicles. Come build what matters.

Join us in shaping the future of Ford Motor Company, as part of a global organization with exceptional colleagues in world-class facilities. As part of Ford Design, you’ll be at the cutting edge of Ford’s most strategically critical work, designing people and society’s needs into the heart of our next generation of products, services, and experiences.

The purpose of the Design Manager is to lead the Design team in understanding and designing for current and future customers of the Ford brands product line up, including Battery Electric Vehicle, Commercial vehicles, Trucks, Compact trucks, Icons, Passenger vehicle/utilities, Luxury, and Emerging Markets.

The Design Manager reports to a Chief Designer and is responsible for creating and developing future model exterior/interior vehicle design proposals from concept to production release in both two-dimensional and three-dimensional form.  Recommend and implement training and development plans for subordinates. Assist the Design Chief in the proper and effective implementation of personnel programs, including performance reviews, salary planning and employee counseling.

What you'll do...

• Partner with the Marketing and Strategy team members, to define and prioritize the strategic portfolio.
• Translate customer insights into vehicle design. Global Trends awareness is necessary and expected.
• Take responsibility for the creative vision and the standard of output across team members who work under them.
• Influence decisions about Vehicle Architecture, Value to the Customer, Customer Research, User Experience, Cycle Plan development.
• Pitch ideas confidently and present the creative vision clearly to partners, as well as communicate in the same manner to members of the creative team.
• Be comfortable with complexity—finding opportunities and clear paths in ambiguous environments. You’re comfortable facilitating senior stakeholder discussions
• Have strong people management and leadership skills to hire, develop, and inspire the creative team.
• Lead multiple Ford design projects from conception to completion in accordance with deadlines.
• Ensure that sketch interpretation, design quality, and model progress are in keeping with established schedules and program deliverables.
• Collaborate with other Ford team members and stakeholders.
• Work with other disciplines in the development of scale and full-size clay models ultimately interfacing with program engineering teams in the development of feasible high quality products based on designs.
• Ensure that all the organization’s creative output/visuals are consistent with the overall Ford brand.
• Lead market research model builds through the shops.
• Plan and organize the workload and job assignments of subordinate personnel.
• Ensure exterior/interior appearances are in harmony with all Ford Global Design, aligning with the One Ford product direction while working within cost and program constraints.              
• Communicate and conduct program reviews and presentations for design leadership. Daily interfaces and areas of influence include Corporate Senior Management, Product Planning, Strategy, Marketing, Engineering, Digital Media team, and Program teams.
• Cultivate employee engagement and improve morale. Embody our culture and steward others in the direction of our shared values and ways of working inside the studio and with Ford. You have patience to mentor and coach others through difficult challenges and can serve as a trusted advisor to senior stakeholders
• You will report to the Chief Designer

You'll have...

• Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Design, Transportation Design, or equivalent
• 7+ years’ Automotive or Transportation Design experience; including experience with final design product execution.
• Ability to work independently and provide strong technical aesthetic judgment to lead team members.
• Awareness of global automotive and consumer electronics to ensure Ford competes with the ability to lead.
• Demonstrated creative exterior design perceptions and capability. A design portfolio (pdf) must be provided upon application.
• Must have exceptional design intuition, strong problem-solving skills and a superior ability to visually communicate through sketches, and renderings.
• Ability to think three-dimensionally with a strong emphasis on proportions and a refined sense of form also required.
• Familiarizes self and maintains interest with design trends within and across design professions and global cultures (automotive, fashion, architectural, etc.)
• Outstanding teamwork, leadership, visual, written, and verbal communication skills

Even better, you may have...

• Global exterior design experience.
• Good understanding of exterior manufacturing process and materials.
• Passionate about automotive and mobility industry, global trends, and innovation
• Experience of working in or with creative cultures
• Experience of working in large, corporate environments
• Experience of managing multiple stakeholders across complex projects
• Experience of presenting to executive audiences

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 leadership level 6 and ranges from $127,100-$239,900.    
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/LL6

Visa 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.

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

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