Product Manager, Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES)

Product Manager, Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) Dearborn, MI, United States (Hybrid) Job Description We made history and now we work to transform the future – for our customers, our communities and our families. You'll see your work on the road every day, helping people move freely and pursue their dreams. At Ford, you can build more than vehicles. Come build what matters. Enterprise Technology plays a critical part in shaping the future of mobility. If you’re looking for the chance to leverage advanced technology to redefine the transportation landscape, enhance the customer experience and improve people’s lives, this is the opportunity for you. Join us and challenge your IT expertise and analytical skills to help create vehicles that are as smart as you are. Join Ford's mission to modernize automotive manufacturing through innovative, intelligent software. As a Product Manager, you'll drive vehicle scheduling applications from vision to reality - owning the roadmap while managing the timelines, budgets, risks, and cross-team execution that turn ideas into platforms running on the factory floor. You'll be the driving force keeping delivery on track as we bring data, automation, and intelligence to Ford's plants. This is a high-impact opportunity to lead delivery of key enterprise initiatives, working alongside engineers, data scientists, DevOps, automation, controls, and manufacturing teams to plan, build, and scale Billion-Dollar ideas. We need an experienced Product Manager who thrives on the discipline of project execution - managing scope, schedule, and stakeholders end-to-end - just as much as shaping product strategy. This is a rare chance to put your signature on how Ford plans, builds, and delivers the future of vehicle manufacturing. Responsibilities Own a product or product family across the full product lifecycle, from ideation and business case development through delivery, adoption, and sunset. Partner with Business Partners and Product Owners to translate product vision into a prioritized, actionable backlog of epics and user stories for the development team. Lead end-to-end project management for initiatives within the product family: define requirements and scope, build and maintain timelines/roadmaps, manage budget and resource allocation, identify and mitigate risks/dependencies, and drive stakeholder communication from ideation to delivery. Manage Agile tooling (JIRA) and facilitate Agile ceremonies (sprint planning, stand-ups, retrospectives, backlog grooming). Track and report project health (scope, schedule, budget, risks/issues) to stakeholders and leadership, escalating and resolving blockers proactively. Balance business viability, user desirability, and technical feasibility when delivering software products with cross-functional teams. Collaborate with Product Designers and Software Engineers to ensure timely, high-quality delivery of designs, assets, and specifications to the development team. Work hands-on across cross-functional and cross-organizational teams to prioritize, plan, and deliver software that meets requirements, timelines, and quality standards. Define specs, requirements, and acceptance criteria for product capabilities and deliverables in partnership with the product team. Coach Business Partners on iterative/incremental delivery approaches and the rationale behind prioritization decisions. Product Strategy & Roadmap: Define product vision, strategy, and roadmap; collaborate with Product Owners and stakeholders to identify opportunities for innovation and improvement. Project Plans & Governance: Develop and maintain project plans, schedules, RAID logs, and status reports; ensure on-time, on-budget delivery across the product family. Requirements Gathering & Prioritization: Elicit and prioritize requirements across teams, balancing business needs, technical feasibility, and resource constraints. Product Design & Development: Partner with Architects, Designers, and Engineers to design, build, and launch new features; create detailed specs, user stories, and acceptance criteria. Product Discovery: Apply product discovery techniques to identify and validate opportunities before committing engineering resources. Product Monitoring & Optimization: Track platform performance, adoption, and usage data post-launch; identify and prioritize improvement opportunities. Stakeholder & Executive Communication: Communicate product vision, strategy, project status, and progress to stakeholders including executive leadership, engineering, and business units. Customer Discovery: Engage regularly with users via interviews, surveys, and usability testing to understand needs and pain points. Leadership Reviews: Prepare and present product and project performance updates to leadership on a regular cadence. Business Impact: Deliver measurable business value against defined OKRs/KPIs and support organizational change management as new capabilities are adopted. Qualifications Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience. 5+ years of experience in a product manager, project manager, or software engineering role. Demonstrated experience owning or managing critical applications for industrial use cases requiring a blend of business, manufacturing, and technical expertise. Experience managing project scope, schedule, budget, and risk, in addition to Agile/Lean product delivery practices (backlog management, sprint planning, prioritization frameworks). Proven experience driving business OKRs/KPIs through product development, data analysis, and user experience optimization. Strong analytical skills with a focus on data-driven product and project decision-making. Proficiency with modern technology stacks and familiarity with cloud infrastructure and AI technologies. Strong organizational, planning, and time-management skills; able to manage multiple concurrent projects and priorities in a fast-paced, global environment. Familiarity with engineering practices such as Test-Driven Development, Pair Programming, and Continuous Integration/Continuous Delivery. Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including experience presenting to executive stakeholders. Immediate medical, dental, vision and prescription drug coverage Flexible family care days, paid parental leave, new parent ramp-up programs, subsidized back-up childcare 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. This position is a range of salary grades 7-8 and ranges from $99,600-$192,900. Final determination of salary grade will be based on candidate's skills and experience, and base salary will be set within the applicable range according to job scope, responsibility and competitive market value. For more information on salary and benefits, click here: Visa sponsorship is not available for this position. Domestic relocation is available for this position. Candidates for positions with Ford Motor Company must be legally authorized to work in the United States. Verification of employment eligibility will be required at the time of hire. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, age, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability status or protected veteran status. In the United States, if you need a reasonable accommodation for the online application process due to a disability, please call View phone number on click.appcast.io. This position is hybrid with a requirement to be onsite four or more days per week. About Us At Ford Motor Company, we believe freedom of movement drives human progress. With our incredible plans for the future of mobility, we have a wide variety of opportunities for you to accelerate your career and help us define tomorrow’s transportation. About the Team We believe that freedom of movement drives human progress. Ford Information Technology (IT) is shaping the future of mobility by redefining the transportation landscape, enhancing the customer experience and improving people’s lives. Join the Ford family as we change the way the world moves. Job Info Job Identification 68011 Job Category Enterprise Technology Degree Level Bachelor's Degree or equivalent Job Schedule Full time Locations 21931 Michigan Ave, Dearborn, MI, 48124, US (Hybrid) #J-18808-Ljbffr Ford, Inc