Director of Manufacturing for Plant Management

THE OPPORTUNITY

The Director of Manufacturing (DOM) for Battery Pack Operations translates Ford's enterprise electrification strategy into a winning operating plan for the battery pack network, reporting to the Executive Director of Manufacturing for Powertrain Operations and Passion Products. This leader owns the network-level strategy and execution across BlueOval Battery Park Michigan — America's first automaker-backed LFP battery facility — and the Indiana Battery Pack facility, with close coordination into Rawsonville Components Plant on shared component supply. You're not inheriting a mature operation — you're standing up new sites and building the organization and culture from the ground up, while connecting Ford's electrification vision to the tangible work of scaling from launch to steady-state, high-volume production. You'll lead performance in the order that matters most: Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost (SQDC). 

Please take a moment to review the responsibilities and required and desired skills of this Plant Manager. If you feel you have the manufacturing experience and servant leadership philosophies to be successful, we encourage you to apply. 

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WHAT A SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE

This is one of the most impactful operating roles in Ford's manufacturing network — a chance to lead at scale, shape a high-performing organization, and leave a lasting mark on how Ford builds electrification capabilities. We're looking for a leader who combines deep technical expertise with a high-performance mindset, someone who executes with precision against the network's strategic plan while inspiring their team to reach for more every single day. You'll model the Ford Operating System Behaviors and drive performance in the order that matters most: Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost (SQDC). 

Key Responsibilities 

Safety 

• Safety Culture: Build and sustain a "Safety First" culture across the network — accountable for the physical and psychological wellbeing of thousands of team members. With a high attention to the unique hazards of battery chemistry, cleanroom environments, and high-voltage systems.

• Incident Reduction: Drive proactive risk assessment and human-factors engineering to continually reduce Total Recordable Incident Rate across a rapidly scaling workforce.
   

Quality 

• Set the Quality Bar: Design quality strategy and predictive analytics unique to battery cell/pack assembly (contamination control, electrochemistry process integrity, cleanroom protocols), setting the standard the network is built to hit.
   

Delivery 

• Launch Ownership: Own the strategy and execution for new battery pack manufacturing lines — from equipment commissioning and systems launch through to steady-state volume production. 

• Throughput & Efficiency: Apply FPS principles to a novel manufacturing process, setting a new benchmark for cleanroom, high-tech assembly efficiency.
   

Cost & Value Generation

• Financial Strategy: Set and own the combined financial strategy and operating budgets for battery pack manufacturing. 

• Cost Optimization: Drive year-over-year "Total Cost per Unit" (CPU) reductions, critical to Ford's goal of delivering more affordable electric vehicles.
   

Build the Best Team: People & Culture

• Organization Design: Stand up the manufacturing organizational structure, processes, and leadership team for a greenfield operation. 

• Workforce Engagement: Build a "One Team" mentality and a first-of-its-kind organizational culture from the ground up, creating an environment where every team member feels heard, valued, and directly connected to leadership. 

• Stable, Agile Workforce: Build positive employee relations strategies that keep a newly hired, rapidly growing workforce motivated, trained, and adaptable through a multi-year ramp. 

• Talent Pipeline: Partner with Plant Managers to build strong local talent pipelines as these sites scale from launch to full volume. 

• Plant Manager Development: Directly lead and develop Plant Managers across BOBM and Indiana Battery Pack, acting as a coach and "leader of leaders." 

• Cross-Site Coordination (Dotted Line): Maintain a strong dotted-line partnership with Rawsonville Components Plant leadership — a site under the direct authority of the DOM, Transmission Operations — to align component quality, delivery schedules, and engineering changes impacting battery pack assembly. 

• Community Partnership: Serve as a highly visible leader in new plant communities, building trust and local talent pipelines. practices across sites, ensuring Plant Managers are equipped to manage grievances, staffing, and shift structures in a way that's fair, predictable, and aligned to the broader agreement. 

• +15 years of proven experience in manufacturing, with demonstrated experience launching new/greenfield operations.

• Proven success as a Plant Manager or senior manufacturing leader in high-volume, high-tech, or cleanroom manufacturing environments.

• Demonstrated ability to manage the operational and financial health of multiple facilities simultaneously, including sites at different launch maturity stages.

• Expert-level knowledge of Lean Manufacturing (FPS) and a track record of standing up new manufacturing operations from construction/commissioning through full-volume production.

• Ability to lead through significant industrial disruptions and the ambiguity inherent to first-of-kind operations, with executive presence and a solution-oriented mindset.

• A "leader of leaders" with a history of mentoring high-potential manufacturing talent into senior leadership roles.

• Workforce Relations Expertise: Demonstrated ability to build direct, trusted relationships with a diverse, rapidly scaling workforce; experience navigating both union and non-union labor environments is highly valued.

• Battery, EV, electrochemical, or advanced/high-tech manufacturing experience strongly preferred.
   

Our Preferred Requirements:

• Master's degree in Engineering or a technical field. 

• Direct experience in battery cell or battery pack manufacturing. 

• Experience navigating workforce organizing activity in a manufacturing setting. 

• Deep manufacturing engineering technical capabilities, including cleanroom and process-control systems.

• Union/Labor Expertise: Extensive experience building and sustaining productive labor relationships in a union (UAW) manufacturing environment, including direct involvement in contract negotiations or renewals.