Plant Vehicle Team Quality Manager - Underbody Components

Plant Vehicle Team Quality Manager - Underbody Components

Dearborn, MI, United States (Hybrid)

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In this position...

At Ford Motor Company, we are committed to delivering exceptional quality in every vehicle we produce. The Vehicle Hardware Engineering Plant Vehicle Team Underbody Quality Manager plays a critical role in achieving this by providing deep technical expertise, coaching, and cross-vehicle line support to ensure UNSE issues are resolved at the point of fit and quality spikes are mitigated effectively. This leadership position is central to fostering a culture of proactive problem-solving and continuous improvement within our Product Development and Quality teams.

• PVT Governance & Development: Govern the roles, responsibilities, and professional development of VHE UNSE Plant Vehicle Teams (PVTs), holding authority on external requests to ensure alignment with quality objectives.
• Technical Leadership &
  
  Coaching:
  
  Leverage functional acumen and extensive cross-vehicle knowledge to drive systemic root cause identification and prevent recurrence of quality issues. Provide hands-on technical coaching to PVTs, including conducting rotating on-site Gembas, to cultivate stronger problem‑solving capabilities across the organization.
• Cross‑Functional Integration: Serve as a direct, agile, and accessible link to Product Development (PD), guiding containment actions and defining next steps for critical quality issues. Maintain close ties with functional teams, ensuring that prioritization of quality initiatives is heavily influenced by functional needs and strategic objectives.
• Quality Spike Mitigation: Lead efforts to fix issues directly at the point of fit, proactively mitigating quality spikes and ensuring robust solutions are implemented swiftly and effectively.
• Talent Strategy & Team Building: Develop and implement a comprehensive talent strategy focused on training and development to enhance prevention and problem‑solving capabilities within the quality organization. Actively contribute to building and fostering a high‑performing team, including identifying and nurturing developmental opportunities through rotations.
• Strategic Partnership: Collaborate closely with Functional Director, providing input on critical talent selections (e.g., LL6 roles) and acting as a key partner to their organizations. Potentially manage and integrate headcount from functional teams to optimize quality initiatives.

You’ll have...

• 8+ years of experience in quality, product development & manufacturing
• Strong technical acumen and comprehensive cross‑vehicle knowledge
• Demonstrated ability to coach, mentor, and develop problem‑solving skills in others
• Proven experience in systemic root cause identification and recurrence prevention methodologies
• Exceptional collaboration and communication skills, with the ability to influence and work effectively across diverse functional teams (e.g., Product Development, Manufacturing, Design, Supplier Technical Assistance)
• Experience in leading quality improvement initiatives and managing quality performance metrics
• Open to travelling up to 50% per year.

Even better, you may have...

• Master's degree in Engineering
• 8+ years of experience in engineering & manufacturing
• Familiarity with Ford's product development and quality processes
• Experience with Gembas and lean manufacturing principles

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 change maker, 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,…