Manager, Transformation & Innovation

Ford • Chicago, IL

18h • Onsite

About The Position

As an integral member of Ford’s Chicago & Louisville Assembly Plants leadership team. You will be responsible for leading transformation and change efforts using the Ford Production System (FPS) as a core methodology while merging it with innovative Lean Manufacturing and Industry 4.0 technologies. This role is not only about operational improvement but about creating a new manufacturing ideology that establishes Ford plants as global leaders in operational excellence. You will have the opportunity to apply your extensive expertise in Lean Manufacturing and transformation directly into manufacturing operations and business processes, eliminating waste from the system, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement. The Transformation and Innovation Manager will drive the next-generation manufacturing strategy by combining the best practices from FPS with advanced digital technologies (AI, ML, IoT), pioneering a new doctrine of operational excellence. This person will lead a transformation that aligns people, processes, and technology, positioning Ford Manufacturing as the benchmark of operational innovation in the automotive industry. this position will be based in Chicago and will require travel to Louisville.

Requirements

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in engineering or technical field.
• Travel up to 50%
• Position will be based in Chicago, and will require travel to Louisville
• Experience:
• 8+ years of progressive responsibilities in manufacturing operations leadership.
• Proven success leading large-scale transformations on multi-site manufacturing environments using the Ford Production System (FPS) or any similar operational excellence framework.
• Demonstrated record of building trust with employees and creating positive and healthy cultures through excellent servant leadership skills.
• Deep expertise in executing Kaizen, Value Stream Mapping, and Policy deployment events. Experience in managing lean maturity assessment models.
• Aspiration for continued career growth and new challenges.

Nice To Haves

• Education: MBA, Master’s in Industrial Engineering, Operations Management, or related field.
• Key Competencies:
• Visionary Leadership: Ability to inspire and lead transformative change across manufacturing operations.
• Innovative Thinking: A passion for pioneering new methods that push the boundaries of manufacturing excellence.
• Operational Excellence Mastery: Deep understanding of Lean, Six Sigma, and digital technologies, with the ability to fuse them into a new operational framework.
• Cultural Change Leadership: Proven ability to lead large-scale cultural shifts toward innovation and continuous improvement.
• Sustainability-Driven: A focus on aligning operational success with environmental and social responsibility.

Responsibilities

• Revolutionizing Operational Excellence through the Ford Production System (FPS):
• Build on the foundation of the Ford Production System, elevating its principles with Lean methodologies to create a next-generation operational framework that maximizes efficiency, reduces waste, and improves flow across Chicago & Louisville Assembly Plants.
• Drive the evolution of FPS, incorporating new philosophies and techniques.
• Lead kaizen-based cultural transformation, empowering teams at all levels to identify and implement improvements aligned with FPS principles, while leveraging digital tools to accelerate and scale best practices.
• Industry 4.0 Leadership and Integration:
• Spearhead the digital transformation of Ford’s manufacturing sites, embedding Industry 4.0 technologies such as AI, IoT, and big data into the Ford Production System.
• Drive the adoption of smart factories, where predictive maintenance and real-time production insights create a self-learning and self-optimizing ecosystem.
• Lead the integration of AI-driven decision-making models that empower plant managers and workers to make real-time data-informed choices, improving speed, agility, and accuracy in operations.
• Leading Cultural Transformation for Future-Proof Manufacturing:
• Develop and promote a new organizational mindset, where FPS principles are combined with an entrepreneurial spirit of innovation and experimentation with emerging technologies.
• Create a culture of collaboration that fosters the sharing of best practices across plants, making every site a hub of innovation and continuous improvement.
• Inspire our generation, ensuring Ford’s Chicago & Louisville region remains at the forefront of global manufacturing.

Benefits

• Immediate medical, dental, and prescription drug coverage
• Flexible family care, 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.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager