Logistics Manager, Ford Energy

Ford Motor • Glendale, KY

1d • Onsite

About The Position

Ford Energy, a newly formed wholly owned subsidiary of Ford Motor Company, designs, manufactures, and services grid-scale and commercial DC battery energy storage systems (BESS). The Logistics Manager leads transportation network planning and logistics operations for battery manufacturing, including inbound and outbound freight, warehousing, material flow, provider performance, and logistics systems. The role supports production requirements, the Sales and Operations Plan (S&OP), facility startup, and new product launches, while controlling costs and maintaining regulatory and supplier-quality compliance.

The position partners with plants, suppliers, carriers, customs, warehouse providers, the Lead Logistics Provider, and the Transportation Purchasing Organization. It leads logistics commodity strategy, service-provider performance and improvement, launch readiness, and ERP/MRP process mapping, user acceptance testing, governance, and facility systems implementation. The position is initially employed by Ford and is expected to transition to Ford Energy within one year. It involves international travel during the launch period, followed by U.S.-based work with domestic travel as needed. Weekend work may be required on an exception basis, and the role supports a 24/7 operation, including nights, weekends, and holidays as needed.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Business, Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.
• At least 2 years of progressive leadership experience in manufacturing material planning, production scheduling, supply chain, and logistics, or equivalent leadership experience.
• Deep understanding of material-flow principles and automotive logistics guidelines such as AIAG MMOG/LE, or equivalent manufacturing quality frameworks.
• Ability to perform effectively in fast-paced plant launch environments, greenfield developments, or high-volume automotive or electronics manufacturing sites.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Working knowledge of MP&L systems, such as data warehouse tools, and Microsoft Office applications including Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and Access.
• Ability to create and deliver clear, objective-driven presentations tailored to the audience's interests, knowledge, and needs.
• Willingness to travel domestically and internationally as needed to plants, external warehouses, and provider sites in support of startup activities.
• Legally authorized to work in the United States; employment eligibility verification is required at hire. Visa sponsorship is not available.

Nice To Haves

• Master's degree in Supply Chain, Business, Engineering, or a related field.
• At least 8 years of progressive experience in manufacturing material planning, production scheduling, supply chain, and logistics, including plant experience.
• Automotive industry experience (OEM or Tier supplier), including experience with AIAG MMOG/LE standards.
• Hands-on experience mapping and implementing industry-standard ERP and MRP systems, such as SAP S/4HANA.
• Strong experience with ERP/MRP systems such as SAP.
• Validated functional expertise in material flow.
• Experience in greenfield site development or high-volume automotive, battery, or electronics manufacturing.
• Rail and intermodal carrier operations experience.
• Lean Manufacturing and/or Six Sigma certification (Green Belt or Black Belt).
• Experience with 8D, 5-Why analysis, DMAIC/DMADV methodologies, and lean tools such as 5S, Kanban, Poka-Yoke, and Value Stream Mapping.
• Excellent communication, collaboration, leadership, and team-building skills, with experience working with all organizational levels.
• Strong analytical and strategic-thinking abilities.
• Passion for energy systems and U.S. energy independence.

Responsibilities

• Lead transportation network planning across inbound logistics, warehousing, and outbound shipping, aligning routing, equipment, shipping standards, hazardous-material requirements, inventory planning levels, and delivery windows with production requirements.
• Manage logistics and warehouse service providers, coordinating capacity and staffing with customer demand and production volumes in support of the Sales and Operations Plan.
• Drive continuous improvement across Material Planning and Logistics (MP&L) and reduce labor and overhead costs through freight optimization, packaging improvements, sourcing initiatives, billing audits, and control of premium freight and accessorial charges.
• Analyze logistics data and performance metrics to optimize material flow and monitor cost and service targets; resolve cross-functional issues with plant teams, suppliers, carriers, and warehouse providers.
• Execute launch logistics plans to prevent production disruptions and support new product launches with zero production losses due to logistics failures.
• Serve as the primary MP&L lead for warehouse systems planning, ERP/MRP process mapping, user acceptance testing, and facility systems launch; provide operational support to the site.
• Govern ERP/MRP processes to ensure defined physical process standards are followed in system transactions and processes for in-plant and warehouse operations.
• Maintain alignment with AIAG MMOG/LE guidelines and Ford Q1 or equivalent supplier-quality frameworks.
• Achieve plant calendarized and annualized freight savings targets through inbound freight improvements, sourcing, density changes, physical tracking, and year-over-year savings on long-term purchase order agreements.
• Partner with the Transportation Purchasing Organization to develop logistics commodity strategies and define equipment and routing specifications for RFQs and transportation provider contracts.
• Standardize service-provider work to execute supplier shipping instructions and daily inbound and outbound schedules that enable continuous flow in battery manufacturing operations.
• Lead service-provider action plans against KPIs, including freight cost, cube/weight utilization, plan versus actual, return ratio, pull-ahead, TONU, billing discrepancies, detention and demurrage, inventory float planning, and freight brokering.
• Resolve logistics issues involving plants, suppliers, customs, and carriers in partnership with plant group managers; participate in daily and weekly meetings, metric reviews, and cost reviews with the LLP Logistics Analyst.
• Execute forward-model logistics plans with the LLP and affected plants, and monitor readiness through weekly plant launch-readiness reviews.
• Manage inbound and outbound logistics networks, import/export operations, customs compliance, and tariff and duty management.
• Align operations with global industry standards and supplier-quality frameworks.
• Travel internationally during the launch period and domestically as needed to plants, external warehouses, and provider sites; support an evolving operation that may require nights, weekends, and holidays.

Benefits

• Performance-based bonuses
• Ford vehicle discounts
• Immediate medical, dental, vision, and prescription drug coverage
• Flexible family care, family care days, paid parental leave, new-parent ramp-up programs, and subsidized back-up childcare
• Family-building benefits, including adoption and surrogacy expense reimbursement and fertility treatments
• 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