Lean & Six Sigma Team Manager, BlueOval Battery Park Michigan

Ford • Marshall, MI

3d • Onsite

About The Position

At BlueOval Battery Park Michigan, you will...
• use your entrepreneurial skills and team mindset to come up with data-driven solutions
• build and lead an agile team to deliver the advanced technology that drives the future
• create a culture of trust, encourage diversity of thought and foster leadership in others
• be part of the historic transformation of the automotive industry.
What you'll do...
•Key leader in driving operational excellence through the integration of Lean principles, Six Sigma methodologies, and the Ford Production System (FPS).
•Responsible for shaping a culture of continuous improvement, providing strategic leadership on high-impact initiatives, and ensuring sustainable implementation of FPS standards across all levels of the organization.
•Chair of Local FPS Governance and Single Point of Contact to Global FPS.
•Plays a pivotal role in aligning plant performance with global Ford standards.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Business, or equivalent combination of relevant education and experience
• Certified Six Sigma Black Belt or Master Black Belt (Level I or II) required.
• 5+ years of manufacturing experience with a proven track record of Lean and Six Sigma project execution.
• In-depth knowledge of the Ford Production System (FPS) or similar Lean production systems.
• Demonstrated experience in teaching and mentoring Lean/Six Sigma tools and leading transformation efforts at scale.

Nice To Haves

• Master’s degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Business, or equivalent combination of relevant education and experience
• 1+ year of experience facilitating Lean Maturity assessments and leading governance councils.
• 1+ year experience working with GDI&A tools, manufacturing analytics platforms (e.g., Minitab, Power BI), and CI digital enablers.
• 1+year of experience supporting both internal operations and external supplier problem solving.
• Strong cross-functional collaboration and change leadership experience in a unionized manufacturing environment.

Responsibilities

• PS Deployment & Governance
• Champion the Ford Production System (FPS) within plant operations, embedding it into daily management, standard work, and leadership behaviors.
• Chair the local FPS Governance Council, ensuring effective implementation, sustainment, and advancement of FPS maturity.
• Serve as the primary liaison with the Global FPS Team, promoting standardization, sharing of best practices, and feedback for system improvements.
• Support closure of identified gaps in Lean Maturity Model assessments and oversee action plans for plant-wide improvement
• Lean Strategy & Execution
• Implement and lead Ford North America’s Lean strategy across manufacturing operations.
• Deploy key Lean tools such as Kaizen, 5S, Value Stream Mapping, Visual Management, and 8 Waste elimination to drive measurable results.
• Mentor Plant Leadership, Team Leaders, and frontline teams on embedding Lean principles into daily operations.
• Promote a culture of continuous improvement and accountability through system audits, follow-ups, and coaching.
• Six Sigma Program Leadership
• Guide and support Black Belts and Green Belts in executing Six Sigma projects using the DMAIC framework.
• Teach Six Sigma Black Belt and Green Belt courses, providing rigorous training and preparing candidates for certification.
• Liaise with other business units to share Six Sigma best practices and standardize methodology across plants.
• Ensure project effectiveness through coaching, reviews, and sustainability tracking of results.
• Mentorship & Capability Building
• Mentor Plant Leadership, Black Belts, Green Belts, and Continuous Improvement Specialists on structured problem solving and advanced analytics.
• Manage and develop CI team members to lead impactful Kaizen and Lean Six Sigma initiatives.
• Instruct teams on FPS Standards, CI Routines, and Waste Identification, developing long-term internal capability.
• Actively support problem-solving activities at Ford facilities and key supplier sites, applying advanced Lean Six Sigma principles.
• Strategic Projects & Change Enablement
• Lead strategic, cross-functional projects aligned with quality, safety, productivity, and cost-reduction targets.
• Support change management efforts, ensuring new practices and improvements are institutionalized through standard work and visual controls.
• Implement plant-wide continuous improvement strategies and sustainability models, driving long-term cultural transformation.

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: Manager
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees