Sr. Director, Network Engineering

Join to apply for the Sr. Director, Network Engineering role at Ford Motor Company

We are seeking a strategic and hands‑on Senior Director of Network Engineering to lead the design, deployment, and operational excellence of our enterprise network across global automotive manufacturing facilities. This role will manage a global team of six Directors of Platform Engineers and an organization of 300+ people, focusing on modernization and platform‑based network strategies to ensure robust, secure, and scalable LAN, WAN, wireless, and 5G networks that support mission‑critical manufacturing operations.

The ideal candidate combines deep technical expertise with leadership experience in complex, industrial, and operational technology environments.

• Lead the network engineering organization responsible for LAN, WAN, wireless, and 5G‑enabled networks across automotive manufacturing facilities globally.
• Define and execute a strategic network platform roadmap aligned with manufacturing digitalization, Industry 4.0, IIoT, and edge computing initiatives.
• Ensure network reliability, resiliency, and performance to support manufacturing operations, including OT/IT convergence.
• Oversee network security and compliance across all sites in partnership with cybersecurity teams.
• Implement network automation, monitoring, and observability frameworks to reduce operational toil and improve service quality.
• Collaborate with manufacturing, IT, and supply chain leaders to translate business needs into network requirements.
• Drive vendor and partner management, including evaluation, selection, and performance oversight of network service providers and technology vendors.
• Mentor, grow, and lead a high-performing network engineering team, fostering innovation, accountability, and continuous improvement.

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or related field.
• 15+ years of network engineering experience, with at least 5 years in a leadership role managing large, global networks.

• Experience in automotive manufacturing or other industrial sectors with complex, multi‑site networks.
• Knowledge of Industry 4.0, IIoT, edge computing, and 5G‑enabled manufacturing.
• Experience implementing network‑as‑code frameworks or automation platforms in large‑scale environments.
• Proven experience in network modernization and platform‑based approaches in manufacturing or industrial environments.
• Strong expertise across LAN, WAN, wireless (Wi‑Fi 6/6E), SD‑WAN, 5G, and network security.
• Familiarity with industrial networking protocols (Ethernet/IP, etc.) and OT/IT convergence.
• Experience with network automation and observability tools (Ansible, Terraform, Net Ops frameworks, monitoring platforms).
• Strong vendor management experience with Cisco, Palo Alto, or equivalent enterprise networking technologies.
• Excellent strategic thinking, problem‑solving, and leadership skills.
• Strong communication skills, capable of influencing both technical and non‑technical stakeholders.

Associate

Full‑time

Information Technology

Motor Vehicle Manufacturing