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.
Product Development uses design thinking & user experience methods to deliver breakthrough products and services that delight our customers. We bring innovative, exciting, and sustainable ideas to life. We have opportunities around the world for you to contribute to advancements in autonomy, electrification, smart mobility technologies, and more!
The Business Operations Supervisor for Vehicle Hardware Engineering (VHE) is instrumental in driving our vision of being a Trusted Strategic Partner and Pioneer in Operational Efficiency. This role supports a Director within VHE, acting as a key operational integrator and strategic advisor. You will be responsible for optimizing the department’s operational health by managing financial resources, workforce planning, and strategic initiatives, while serving as a tactical proxy to ensure the organization’s engineering discipline and business operations are aligned.
In this position...
Engineering Releasing & Process Transformation:
- Releasing Excellence: Provide oversight and guidance on engineering releasing elements, ensuring the organization maintains a deep understanding of the release cycle, Bill of Materials (BoM) management, and technical delivery milestones.
- Operational Transformation: Act as a change agent to identify and implement "new ways of working." Drive the modernization of business and engineering processes to reduce friction and improve speed-to-market.
- System Navigation: Find creative, efficient ways to achieve results within the Ford framework, balancing the need for innovation with the requirements of corporate governance.
- Technical Governance: Support the Director in ensuring engineering discipline across GPDS (Global Product Development System) and FEDE (Ford Engineering Design Environment) milestones.
Strategic Operations & Director Support:
- Operational Proxy: Support the Director by facilitating cross-functional collaboration between engineering teams, Finance, HR, and Supply Chain to ensure rapid decision-making.
- Strategic Communication: Manage and coordinate high-level communications for the Director level, including the design and execution of All Hands events, leadership presentations, and organizational updates.
- Leadership Alignment: Lead the Objectives Setting and Cascade process, ensuring departmental goals are aligned with broader VHE and corporate objectives.
- Stakeholder Engagement: Maintain and update critical operational infrastructure, including SharePoint sites and internal dashboards, ensuring a culture of transparency and accountability.
What you'll do...
Spend & Expense Management:
- Budget Oversight: Manage and forecast the Engineering Budget, including detailed oversight of personnel, purchasing services, materials, EDT (Engineering, Design, and Test), and travel expenses.
- Financial Discipline: Monitor and control overtime, indirect budget allocations, and capital projects to ensure adherence to budgetary targets.
Workforce Planning & Management:
- Resource Allocation: Provide Functional PADT (Product Attribute Definition Team) input for the NGIE Model and manage sub-functional splits.
- Talent Pipeline: Oversee the management of FCG (Ford College Graduate), Intern, and Co-Op programs, and coordinate backfill strategies and recruiting execution.
- Cycle Planning: Conduct regular inventory assessments and manage position allocations to ensure optimal staffing levels.
Business Process & Operational Excellence:
- KPI Management: Manage, track, and report on Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to monitor performance, identify areas for improvement, and drive accountability.
- Process Improvement: Identify and implement process efficiencies and automation opportunities across VHE Business Operations to streamline engineering delivery cycles.
- Governance: Support the Director in MAR/SAR/TDR meeting management and maintain a foundation of Robust Governance and Standard Operating Procedures.
Legal & Compliance:
- Audit Support: Facilitate and support ISO (International Organization for Standardization) Audits and Objectives Audits, ensuring all documentation is compliant.
- Risk Mitigation: Support control testing activities to ensure operational integrity and compliance with internal policies and external regulations.
