Director, MP&L Strategy and Transformation

The Opportunity

The Director, Material Planning & Logistics Business Transformation will lead excellence around material supply planning, supplier relationships, and in-plant materials-inventory management within Ford with the Technical advancement of the Digital Ecosystem that has focus on AI capabilities. This leadership position will focus to improve material flow by balancing demand and supply through the maturity of business processes as Sales, Inventory & Operations Planning (SIOP), demand planning, master scheduling, material planning, inventory management, production control, and logistics processes. 

Reporting to the Director, Global Material Planning & Logistics, this role is accountable for the supply and movement of all materials from their source to the point of use on the assembly line, actively planning and executing to achieve productivity and efficiency targets as well as managing risk and generating cost savings to achieve the strategic goals of the business.

What You’ll be able to do 

• Develop a vision and long-term strategy related to the systems, process, and skills roadmap for the future of materials management with the Strategic Action Plans / X-matrix execution 

• Business processes like S&OP (SIOP), Fulfillment, Logistics, Inventory to drive across the Global teams aligned with the broader enterprise results 

• Functional expertise in MP&L and New software & systems technology development • Proven experience of managing and delivering multi market / projects 

• Lead supply chain and materials management initiatives by providing direction and guidance as well as setting clear performance expectations and coaching for excellence for key stakeholders. 

• Lead/collaborate sales planning, product line leadership, engineering, operations, and finance teams to drive cross-functional alignment and delivering stability of plan to both ford manufacturing plants and supplier sites 

• Identify opportunities to develop, improve or simplify processes, guidelines and policies for effective supplier management practices, order fulfillment, inventory management and materials management activities

• MP&L Business Process Strategy Leader will deploy, govern, and KPI performance - Build a clear vision,
deploy standard business processes, select the right metrics - that are external in nature and give an
end-to-end view supply chain and where we are making tradeoffs. Determine levers that can be
"pulled", prioritize the results into actionable projects, and get buy-in to ensure optimal execution of the
improvement projects.

• Working closely with IT team in implementing a modern MRP system across all sites in a phased
manner

• Identify business risks and implementing resolutions and scalable mechanisms across the in-plant
materials management and supply chain management function.

• Build and develop relationships at the executive level with suppliers and partners to ensure
contractual commitment, alignment, and accountability.

• Establish a culture focused on continuous process improvements aimed at achieving predictability
and visibility implementing CTC (Clear To Build) and Clear to Commit (CTC) utilizing the Accent

• Establish performance monitoring/KPI programs to effectively measure the performance of our
internal team and our supply chain.

• Interfacing with CoE and GDIA in establishing IT tools, with standardized global approach to drive
continuous improvement

• Manage to ensure the S&OP (SIOP) plan is set in accordance with meeting customer expectations
and that all manufacturing locations are in line to support it.

• Identify and implement total supply chain improvements. Increase supply chain visibility to assist in inventory reduction and on time delivery. Evaluate networks and pursue systems/process enhancements to reduce costs and improve reliability there by delivering best in industry inventory turns 

• Be able to elicit cooperation from a wide variety of sources – both from within the MP&L organization and other key Ford activities (including Product Development, Finance, Manufacturing, Purchasing, and Sales and Marketing) 

• Working closely with Supply Chain (STA / SOT) focused on business processes similar to New Model Launch supplier readiness for ramp up, with Tier N visibility, durable packaging readiness utilizing past performance and ensuring part supply is not a concern for ramping up the new product to plan 

• Develop analytics to measure, evaluate, analyze, and take corrective action to continually improve key metrics in materials management and the supply chain. 

• Responsible for maintaining and improving all aspects of the Materials Management function.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, Industrial Engineering, or equivalent experience 

• Minimum of 10 years materials management experience in manufacturing environment (products with sourced components a strong plus) 

Preferred Requirements

• 15+ years of experience in an industrial manufacturer 

• Demonstrated leadership experience, including cross-discipline collaboration; will be skilled at navigating a large, matrixed environment. 

• Experience in management across globally distributed locations

• Must work well in a fast-paced environment and have a hands-on and “roll up your sleeves” work ethic 

• Strong knowledge of strategic sourcing, building supplier relationships, material supply planning, and in plant material-inventory management

• Have a technical degree in supply chain management, engineering, and computer information systems 

• Experience inside ERP and Edge Applications in the Digital Ecosystem; building on the AI transformation 

• Preferred candidate will have experience outside of the automotive industry and bring a technical mindset. They will be well connected in the tech space and be able to benchmark our practices to premier companies. 

• Technical foundation. Does not need to be a technical guru but should be able to communicate with Industrial Systems and Enterprise Technology teams and meet them on their level. Can translate technical requirements in a supply chain environment to match the business requirements. 

• They will be a team player, adept at building relationships and adapting to a strong culture (the Big Ford mindset). • Strong business acumen, coupled with drive for results 

• Ability to interface effectively with global senior leadership 

• Ability to travel domestically and internationally as required to manage Global MP&L processes and performance adherence 

• Disruptor in the ambiguous space.

What We Can Offer 

As part of the Ford family, you’ll enjoy excellent compensation, and a comprehensive benefits package that includes generous PTO, retirement, savings and stock investment plans, incentive compensation, and much more. You’ll also experience exciting opportunities for professional and personal growth and recognition. Candidates for positions with Ford Motor Company must be legally authorized to work in the United States on a permanent basis. Verification of employment eligibility will be required at time of hire. Visa sponsorship is not available for this position. 

Ford Motor Company is an equal opportunity employer committed to a culturally diverse workforce. 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