Interior Chief Designer

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.

As a key leader within the Design for Performance team, the Interior Chief Designer is responsible for guiding the design group in understanding and designing for Ford’s diverse product lineup, including Battery Electric Vehicles, Commercial vehicles, Trucks, Icons, and Emerging Markets.

Reporting to a Design Director, the Interior Chief Designer oversees the creation and development of interior vehicle design proposals from initial concept through production release. In addition to technical leadership, this role is responsible for the growth of the Design for Performance team by implementing training plans, managing performance reviews, and overseeing salary planning and employee counseling.

• Be responsible for creating and developing future vehicle design proposals.
• 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.
• Guide multimedia vehicle storytelling from strategy to execution.
• Be required to facilitate and conduct project reviews and presentations for the leadership team.
• Ensure that sketch interpretation, design quality, and project progress are in keeping with established schedules and program deliverables.
• Plan and organize the workload and job assignments of subordinate personnel.
• Recommend and implement training and development plans for subordinates. Assist the Design Chief Officer and Design Director in the proper and effective implementation of personnel programs, including performance reviews, salary planning and employee counseling.
• 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…