Product Manager

Ford • Dearborn, MI

13h • Hybrid

About The Position

The Vehicle Engineering Transformation (VET) team is responsible for leading the digital manufacturing strategy and optimizing the software ecosystem used to deliver programs and manage change at the plant. Acting as the bridge between engineering requirements and software development, we oversee the full product lifecycle—from requirements gathering and solution alignment to development prioritization.
In this high-impact role, you will serve as a Senior Product Manager and Lead Release Train Engineer (RTE). You will operationalize Ford’s modernization strategy by orchestrating 15+ Product Teams focused on VET infrastructure and release management. You will be the primary driver for aligning cross-functional teams, removing systemic impediments, and ensuring the predictable delivery of software solutions to our global workforce. Drive the modernization of Ford’s digital engineering ecosystem by spearheading Tech Refresh initiatives that transition legacy infrastructure to Red Hat OpenShift Virtualization (OSV) across a global footprint of 100+ servers.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Computer Science, or a related technical field.
• 8+ years of experience in Platform/Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) Operations, specifically with Siemens Teamcenter.
• 3+ years of experience in a manufacturing or engineering environment.
• Proven experience leading technical delivery teams and managing large-scale server infrastructure.
• Expert-level proficiency in Jira or Rally for backlog management, capacity planning, and program-level reporting.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills with the ability to translate technical constraints into business impacts

Nice To Haves

• Advanced degree in Engineering (e.g., Manufacturing Engineering or Master’s in Engineering).
• Knowledge of Ford-specific software systems: FEDE, C3PNG, ServiceNow
• SAFe or Agile Certification (e.g., Certified Scrum Master).
• Experience with Red Hat OpenShift Virtualization (OSV)
• Demonstrated success in implementing Lean principles.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Agile Release Train (ART) as the Lead RTE for 15+ IT Product Teams. Facilitate PI Planning, System Demos, and Workshops to ensure strategic roadmaps align with manufacturing objectives.
• Partner with Software Requirements and Program Management to architect and execute the global rollout strategy for digital tools (Teamcenter, NX) across manufacturing clients.
• Drive the end-to-end lifecycle of the VET environment. This includes leading the strategic migration from legacy VMware environments to Red Hat OpenShift Virtualization (OSV).
• Maintain the stability and performance of the VET application suite. Manage provisioning, proactive monitoring, and cost optimization while leading Root Cause Analysis (RCA) to ensure zero-downtime migrations and high availability.
• Serve as the primary liaison between software engineering and manufacturing stakeholders. Translate complex technical constraints into clear business impacts and status updates.
• Manage the critical path for global releases. Lead defect review boards, enforce code-freeze protocols, and implement mitigation strategies to protect the integrity of the production environment.

Benefits

• Immediate medical, dental, and prescription drug coverage
• Flexible family care, parental leave, new parent ramp-up programs, subsidized back-up child care 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: Senior