Director, Future Model Quality

Ford Motor • Dearborn, MI

1d • Hybrid

About The Position

We are seeking a Director of Future Model Quality to lead the strategic quality roadmap and architectural requirements for next-generation vehicle programs for all software domains and related electronics and electrical components. This role is specifically focused on program quality, operating at the tail end of industrialization into the program level. This position is the critical launch phase in the product lifecycle: it is differentiated from upstream platform quality (architecture development) and downstream program warranty (field performance). This leader will move beyond reactive issue management to establish high-level technical gating and architectural enablers that ensure industry-leading product quality, ensuring our future models meet Ford’s mid-term plan to achieve best-in-segment quality.

Requirements

• 12+ years of engineering experience in the automotive industry, with a focus on product development, systems architecture, or quality management.
• Proven track record of driving large-scale architectural improvements to enhance product reliability and reduce warranty costs.
• Extensive experience in new model launch environments and quality control during industrialization.
• Demonstrated ability to work programs to targets, specifically regarding software reliability and technical maturity.
• Experience in strategic software gating and collaborating with Launch and Technical Platform teams.
• Deep expertise in systemic problem solving and “read-across” implementation across multiple platforms and mechatronics systems.
• Strong ability to influence and collaborate with senior executives, directors, and cross-functional engineering teams.

Nice To Haves

• Deep understanding of Software-Defined Vehicle (SDV) architectures and the transition from hardware-centric to software-centric quality gates.
• Experience working across OEM alliances and outside partnerships to deliver vehicle programs to quality targets
• Expertise in data analysis to track and forecast quality and reliability improvements over time.
• Strong understanding of regulatory frameworks (e.g., ISO 26262, ISO 21434) from a risk-management and quality perspective.
• Experience in mid-term strategic planning and competitive segment analysis.

Responsibilities

• Drive Program Quality Excellence: Lead the transition from platform development to program execution, ensuring that quality is maintained at the tail end of industrialization.
• New Model Launch Quality Control: Act as the primary authority for quality control during new model launches, ensuring technical readiness and flawless execution.
• Achieve Mid-Term Plan (MTP) Targets: Provide the assurance and technical oversight necessary to ensure future models meet or exceed mid-term strategic goals for best-in-segment quality.
• Systemic Bridge (Platform to Program): Take systemic lessons learned from the Platform level and ensure they are rigorously applied and industrialized at the individual Program level.
• Software Reliability Assurance: Lead high-priority efforts for programs where software reliability or digital integrity falls below established targets, implementing technical interventions to get programs back on track.
• High-Level Gating & Technical Maturity: Establish and oversee software gating criteria, collaborating with New Models Launch and Technical Platform teams to assess program readiness based on technical maturity rather than an issue-by-issue basis.
• Manage Future Risk Profiles: Determine future risk profiles for software reliability, cybersecurity, and functional safety by analyzing technical improvements and trends over time.
• Systemic “Read-Across”: Lead processes to ensure that defects identified in current programs are analyzed and resolved globally across future vehicle architectures, including both software and complex mechatronics systems.
• Benchmarking & Strategy: Lead comprehensive benchmarking initiatives against global competitors to drive the long-term strategy for future model quality.
• Leadership & Mentorship: Develop and mentor a team of direct and indirect quality experts, fostering technical excellence, data-driven decision-making, and a quality-first culture across hardware and software disciplines.

Benefits

• Immediate medical, dental, vision and prescription drug coverage
• Flexible family care days, paid parental leave, new parent ramp-up programs, subsidized back-up child care 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.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director
• Education Level: No Education Listed