Production, Cell Area Manager, Ford Energy

Ford•Glendale, KY

12h•Onsite

About The Position

Ford Energy, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ford Motor Company, is dedicated to accelerating U.S. energy independence by designing, manufacturing, and servicing grid-scale and commercial DC battery energy storage systems (BESS). Leveraging Ford’s manufacturing excellence and BESS technology, Ford Energy aims to meet the growing demand for reliable, US-built energy storage systems, building infrastructure for the next generation of the American grid. This position offers the backing of an industrial manufacturing powerhouse with the agility of a dedicated energy startup. As an Area Manager, you will be a strategic leader on the manufacturing floor, connecting high-level business objectives with daily operational execution. You will lead a multi-shift production team to achieve safety, quality, and delivery targets, while cultivating a culture of continuous improvement and psychological safety. This role will initially be employed by Ford and is expected to transition to the subsidiary within one year.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Business, Supply Chain, Engineering, or a related field.
5+ years of progressive leadership experience in high-volume manufacturing (Automotive, Battery, or Electromechanical preferred).
10+ years of experience in business operations, material logistics, or capacity planning within a complex industrial environment.
Proven ability to communicate complex operational concepts to all levels of leadership, from shop floor operators to executive stakeholders.
Demonstrated track record of attracting, developing, and retaining high-performing, results-oriented teams.
Ability to travel both domestically and internationally as required.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Electrical, or Industrial).
8+ years of specific experience in Battery manufacturing or advanced Electromechanical assembly.
Proven ability to lead and align diverse, multicultural teams to achieve a unified business strategy.
Strong project management skills and financial literacy (P&L understanding).
Proficiency in Mandarin is a significant plus.

Responsibilities

Drive departmental KPIs (Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost, and Morale) to align with and exceed plant-wide manufacturing objectives.
Champion Lean Manufacturing principles and Continuous Improvement (CI) initiatives to eliminate waste and optimize throughput.
Lead change management efforts to establish, audit, and evolve manufacturing standards and best practices.
Serve as Site SME for Key Unifying Processes (KUP), partnering with other Area Managers to lead the standardized rollout and continuous evolution of these systems plant-wide.
Leverage manufacturing execution systems (MES) and real-time data to identify bottlenecks and implement sustainable solutions.
Practice active "Gemba" leadership by being present on the floor, listening to front-line challenges, and collaborating with operators to remove barriers.
Build organizational capability by coaching and mentoring team members at all levels, ensuring robust succession planning and skill-upgrading.
Model the organization’s Vision, Mission, and Values to create a high-performance culture rooted in transparency, accountability, and inclusion.
Facilitate a learning environment where employees are encouraged to provide feedback, solve problems, and take ownership of their work areas.