Chief of Staff – Operations, Hardware Engineering

Ford Motor Company

. Lead, direct, and develop the VHE Business Operations team across executive support, business operations, continuous improvement, organizational strategy, culture, and footprint .

Posted 10/28/2026full-timeDearborn • Michigan • United StatesLeadWebsite

Core Competencies

Role fit

Core Competencies

Use this summary to align your resume positioning with the role.

Demonstrates expertise in leading cross-functional teams within automotive hardware engineering, focusing on strategic planning, operational efficiency, and regulatory compliance. Proven ability to synthesize complex challenges and communicate effectively with executive leadership while fostering a culture of continuous improvement.

Highest-signal resume keywords

Master's Degree In Engineering Or MBA10+ Years In Automotive Hardware Engineering8D Root-Cause Problem SolvingMulti-Year Strategic PlanningCross-Functional Team Leadership

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills

D&R ProcessesGPDS Vehicle GatewaysFEDE BoM ManagementB10 Reliability StandardsDFMEADesign For Manufacture & Assembly (DFM/DFA)Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE)Engineering Productivity ModelingED&T Should-Cost AnalysisPrototype Multiplier Management

Soft Skills

Exceptional Oral CommunicationExceptional Written CommunicationOperational CuriosityIntellectual HumilityBuilding Safe Escalation Mechanisms

Tools & Technologies

KPI/OKR DashboardsAutomated Reporting Tools

Industry Keywords

Automotive ManufacturingRegulatory ComplianceContinuous ImprovementOrganizational StrategyHigh-Reliability Organization Practices

Tech Stack

Tools & technologies

Assembly

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Lead, direct, and develop the VHE Business Operations team across executive support, business operations, continuous improvement, organizational strategy, culture, and footprint
Manage team members representing Vehicle Hardware Engineering across enterprise forums including Software, Program Management, Finance, Supply Chain, Manufacturing, and Quality
Orchestrate high-stakes communications, including executive whitepapers, ELT presentation decks, board materials, and organizational updates on behalf of the VP
Establish governance loops between VP, Director, and Chief Engineer levels to accelerate decision-making, remove silos, and maintain transparency
Lead rapid-response cross-functional teams addressing urgent operational, technical, or strategic challenges
Direct multi-year planning and convert ELT objectives into actionable functional roadmaps
Oversee automated, real-time KPI/OKR dashboards for operational visibility across program execution
Serve as and manage the team acting as primary SPoC for the Office of General Counsel, regulatory compliance bodies, and internal control test audits
Direct initiatives achieving 2026–2030 efficiencies and sustaining 3% year-over-year engineering productivity gains
Lead cross-functional problem-solving to eliminate engineering friction, increase time to engineer, and optimize workflow execution
Institutionalize high-reliability organization practices and rapid iteration while fostering psychological safety and surfacing weak signals early

Requirements

What you’ll need

Master’s degree in Engineering, Business Administration (MBA), or related technical management field required
Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Systems, or Automotive Engineering strongly preferred
2+ years of direct experience managing high-performing teams of operational, process, or program management professionals within complex global manufacturing/automotive organizations
10+ years of progressive leadership experience in automotive hardware engineering, D&R processes, GPDS vehicle gateways, FEDE BoM management, and B10 reliability standards
Demonstrated expertise in 8D root-cause problem solving, Failure Mode Avoidance (FMA), DFMEA, Design for Manufacture & Assembly (DFM/DFA), and Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE)
Proven track record in multi-year strategic planning, engineering productivity modeling, ED&T should-cost analysis, prototype multiplier management, and footprint optimization
Exceptional oral and written communication skills
Ability to synthesize complex technical challenges, present to Executive Leadership Teams (ELT), and drive cross-functional consensus
Deep commitment to First-Principles thinking, intellectual humility, operational curiosity, and building safe, structural escalation mechanisms for technical risks
Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States
Visa sponsorship is not available

Benefits

Comp & perks

Immediate medical, dental, vision and prescription drug coverage
Flexible family care days
Paid parental leave
New parent ramp-up programs
Subsidized back-up child care
Family building benefits including adoption and surrogacy expense reimbursement
Fertility treatments
Vehicle discount program for employees and family members
Management leases
Tuition assistance
Established and active employee resource groups
Paid time off for individual and team community service
Generous schedule of paid holidays, including the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day
Paid time off
Option to purchase additional vacation time