Manager, Product Planning

Ford • Dearborn, MI

475d

About The Position

The Manager, Product Planning at Ford Motor Company is responsible for leading planning workstreams and vehicle milestones, driving strategic studies focused on program segments. This role involves developing compelling product concepts that meet customer needs while ensuring program compatibility across various dimensions such as desirability, feasibility, and viability. The position requires strong leadership skills, a passion for innovation, and the ability to collaborate across functions to optimize product strategies and lifecycle management.

Requirements

• Engineering or Business degree, with a possible advanced business degree.
• 5+ years of experience in Program/PT/Tech Planning, Program Management, Product Strategy, and/or Product Marketing.
• Strong passion for customer, product, strategy, and innovation.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including strong presentation skills to Senior Leaders.
• Experience working across cultural and organizational borders.

Nice To Haves

• Master's degree
• 10+ years of experience in product planning, product management, product strategy, and/or product marketing.

Responsibilities

• Lead development of compelling product concepts to meet customer needs and ensure program compatibility.
• Define efficient program content that meets all program requirements in collaboration with functions and attribute leads.
• Develop and maintain program assumptions to support the planning process and milestone requirements.
• Anticipate key issues and address them through collaborative problem solving.
• Drive feature and experience creation/prioritization and support customer research events.
• Drive competitive cost and investment targets compatible with profitability goals and strategic pricing.
• Lead business case analyses of program choices to optimize corporate financial targets.
• Create milestone papers and lead cross-functional pre-reviews, developing narratives, financial schedules, and deliverable assessments for approval.
• Champion product planning team culture and initiatives, focusing on people development.
• Identify product gaps/opportunities and lead studies with recommendations for cycle plan disposition.

Benefits

• Dental insurance
• Employee discount
• Health insurance
• Paid holidays
• Paid parental leave
• Paid time off

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager
• Industry: Transportation Equipment Manufacturing
• Education Level: Master's degree
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees