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The Global Product and Cycle Plan organization is seeking a highly strategic and dynamic Vehicle Chief Strategist and Planner to lead the development and execution of our multi-year strategic framework. In this pivotal role, you will be instrumental in defining the strategic vision, capability roadmaps, and investment priorities that will underpin the Ford Product Cycle Plan success. You will work cross-functionally to translate complex ideas into actionable strategies, ensuring alignment across all levels of the organization, from daily operations to Executive Leadership Team (ELT) messaging.

In this position...

This role demands not only strategic acumen and excellent product planning capabilities but also the ability to build critical bridges between strategy development and operational execution, driving impactful change and innovation across the automotive landscape. This role oversees the effective utilization of distributed resources within a globally dispersed workforce spanning the United States, Australia, China, Brazil, and Mexico.

What you'll do...

+ **Strategic Leadership & Portfolio Vision**

+ Define and drive the end-to-end segment strategy, developing clear **“Where to Play”** and **“How to Win”** frameworks that align with enterprise objectives and regional market needs.

+ Champion customer- and market-driven product strategies that shape the long-term vehicle segment portfolio and fuel sustainable growth.

+ **Cycle Plan Ownership**

+ Lead the global **Cycle Plan** process for the small and medium utility segment, ensuring alignment with business unit priorities, capacity, and market demand.

+ Translate strategic imperatives into executable product plans, driving clarity across stakeholders, and delivering measurable business outcomes.

+ **Business Case & Investment Leadership**

+ Oversee the development and validation of robust, data-driven **business cases** for all program milestones and new product opportunities.

+ Partner with Finance, Product Development, and Marketing to ensure financial rigor, strategic fit, and customer value delivery.

+ **Enterprise Collaboration & High-Priority Initiatives**

+ Lead or contribute to **Enterprise-wide High Priority Studies** , including cross-functional initiatives in propulsion, digital technologies, and advanced platforms.

+ Serve as a strategic thought partner to adjacent vehicle segments and regional leadership to ensure global alignment and synergy.

+ **Program Planning & Governance**

+ Lead key program planning **milestones and gateway reviews** , ensuring strategic continuity, execution readiness, and resource alignment.

+ Drive accountability for segment-level execution while maintaining enterprise-wide integration.

+ **Operational Excellence & Complexity Reduction**

+ Champion **complexity reduction** and platform efficiency by embedding customer-centric thinking and modular architecture into all segment programs.

+ Leverage data and market insights to drive operational improvements and capital efficiency.

+ **Leadership & Culture Building**

+ Build and lead a **high performing, cross-functional team** , fostering a collaborative and empowered culture grounded in **Ford Operating System (OS)** behaviors.

+ Manage planning and strategy resources on a matrix basis, ensuring capability development and organizational agility.

You'll have...

+ Bachelor's Degree in Engineering, or equivalent, a minimum requirement

+ MBA/ MS Engineering Management, or equivalent

+ Strategic Thinker, experience developing and communicating strategic direction

+ Fast learner; adapts easily

+ Works well under pressure

+ Financials experience for business case development

+ Experience leading cycle plan studies

+ Experience leading complex product gateways

+ Familiarity with Human Centered Design and demonstrated passion for the customer

+ Understand Product Development Processes and deliverables

+ Demonstrated ability to lead and influence cross-functional teams

+ Demonstrated excellence in oral & written communication

+ Ability to manage multiple priorities concurrently and deliver high quality events

+ Strong desire to deliver results in a fast-paced environment; work with all employee levels from technical personnel to Ford Senior Management

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 found here .

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.

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 committed to a culturally diverse workforce. 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.

\#LI-WC #Hybrid

**Requisition ID** : 53678