Finance Manager-EV, Digital & Design

Ford • Dearborn, MI

22h • $115,500 - $218,100 • Hybrid

About The Position

Ford is seeking a finance partner for the Advanced Electric Vehicle Development, Digital Design and Corporate Design engineering functions within Product Creation & Industrialization. The role leads financial planning, budgeting, forecasting, analysis and reporting, with scope potentially expanding based on experience and capability. The Finance Manager partners closely with engineering leaders, develops an understanding of their work firsthand, and uses data and financial insight to clarify priorities and support decisions across hardware and software development. Key financial considerations include build-versus-buy decisions, capital and expense choices, headcount and supplier spend, and returns on technology investments.

The role also advises engineering leadership on financial trade-offs and investment choices, supports business cases and vendor negotiations, controls spending and compliance, and improves financial processes through automation and better use of data. It includes leading and developing finance professionals and influencing finance and business partners across the organization. The position is based in Dearborn, Michigan, with a hybrid onsite requirement of four or more days per week.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in finance, accounting, or a related field.
• At least 8 years of finance and accounting experience with increasing responsibilities, including budgeting, forecasting, and variance analysis for an engineering, R&D, software, or technology organization.
• Experience directing the work of others as a manager, team lead, or through influence without authority.
• Ability to quantify return on investment for software, technology, or capital programs.
• Working knowledge of internal controls and Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX).

Nice To Haves

• MBA or CPA.
• Experience in a high-growth technology environment, such as cloud, software, devices, or hardware-plus-software, with ownership of a significant cost base.
• Knowledge of software development cost treatment, including capitalization versus expense.
• Track record of owning problems end to end: defining the problem, closing the gap, and monitoring results.
• Advanced financial modeling and experience with SQL or a business intelligence (BI) tool.
• Curiosity about AI and automation, with practical experience using them to improve analysis and reporting and the judgment to validate results.
• Comfort with ambiguity, bias for action, and strong analytical and problem-solving skills in new or undefined situations.
• Strong communication and presentation skills, including with senior executives and technical audiences.
• Ability to manage multiple workstreams and quick turnaround times, with a proven record of delivering tangible results.
• Curiosity about technology and data; automotive, EV, or electronics experience is a plus but not required.

Responsibilities

• Lead annual budgeting for the Engineering organizations in partnership with operational leaders.
• Own monthly and quarterly forecasts and variance analysis, identify root causes, and recommend follow-up actions.
• Develop and maintain financial models for technology investment decisions, including build-versus-buy, capital-versus-expense, and software development return on investment.
• Prepare and present financial results, insights, and recommendations to senior leaders and engineering leadership teams.
• Monitor engineering spending against budgets and statements of work; identify risks and opportunities and recommend actions.
• Review and approve capital project requests, purchase requisitions, and other spending requests for accuracy and compliance.
• Identify and implement cost-saving and efficiency opportunities without putting engineering delivery at risk.
• Provide financial input to the product development cycle plan.
• Serve as a financial advisor to Engineering leadership, offering guidance on costs, trade-offs, and investment choices.
• Collaborate with Engineering business offices to develop business cases and optimize work.
• Support supply chain and transformation teams on vendor contracts and cost negotiations.
• Implement process improvements, including automation and improved use of data, for engineering financial management.
• Ensure compliance with Sarbanes-Oxley requirements and other relevant regulations.
• Develop and maintain documentation of key financial processes.
• Lead and develop finance professionals and influence finance and business partners across the organization.
• Foster a collaborative, results-oriented work environment and hold self and others to a high standard.

Benefits

• Immediate medical, dental, vision, and prescription drug coverage.
• Flexible family care days, paid parental leave, new parent ramp-up programs, and subsidized backup childcare.
• Family-building benefits, including adoption and surrogacy expense reimbursement and fertility treatments.
• Vehicle discount program for employees and family members, and management leases.
• Tuition assistance.
• Employee resource groups.
• Paid time off for individual and team community service.
• 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: Manager