Regional Lean and Six Sigma Manager

We are the movers of the world and the makers of the future. We get up every day, roll up our sleeves and build a better world -- together. At Ford, we’re all a part of something bigger than ourselves. Are you ready to change the way the world moves? 

As part of our Manufacturing team, you’ll help build the world-class, state-of-the-art smart vehicles we're known for. In our plants around the world, we’re constantly developing new technologies and processes to further increase our efficiency. You'll get the satisfaction of making great products people use and love.

In this position... 

You will lead the charge in fostering a culture of continuous improvement and operational excellence across multiple North American Manufacturing Plants. By implementing the Ford Production System (FPS), Lean, and Six Sigma methodologies and spearheading transformation efforts, you'll empower employees with the knowledge and skills needed to meet Global Manufacturing Standards and achieve world-class performance.

As an established global company, we offer the benefit of choice. You can choose what your Ford future will look like: will your story span the globe, or keep you close to home? Will your career be a deep dive into what you love, or a series of new teams and new skills? Will you be a leader, a changemaker, a technical expert, a culture builder…or all the above? No matter what you choose, we offer a work life that works for you, including:

• 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. 

Role Responsibilities:

• Strategic Leadership: Set the strategic direction for Lean and Six Sigma initiatives, collaborating with plant leadership and various departments (operations, engineering, quality, etc.), and identifying innovative technologies and methods to improve asset reliability and operational efficiency.

• Kaizen Leadership: Take a lead role in coordinating and executing Kaizen events at critical plants in accordance with strategic objectives for the organization. 

• Team Management: Lead and develop a team of Lean Coaches to execute FPS, Lean, and Six Sigma initiatives at the plant level, including managing performance, setting goals, and fostering a collaborative work environment. 

• Process Improvement & Training: Develop and implement Lean and Six Sigma processes, including Value Stream Mapping, DMAIC methodologies, root cause analysis (RCA), preventative/predictive maintenance strategies, and key performance indicator (KPI) tracking. Coordinate training sessions on FPS Continuous Improvement, DMAIC, CI Specialist, Problem Solving, ERC, 6-Sigma Green/Black Belt, and other Lean tools.

• Technology Implementation: Drive the adoption of predictive maintenance technologies and data infrastructure (CMMS, analytics platforms) to support reliability and continuous improvement efforts.

• Financial Management: Interact with budgeting processes, justify capital expenditures related to asset reinvestment and continuous improvement projects, and optimize maintenance/operational costs while maximizing asset lifespan and performance.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Effectively collaborate with various stakeholders, including Directors of Manufacturing, Plant Managers, Plant Lean and Six Sigma Team Managers, Maintenance Managers, Global Manufacturing Engineering, Skilled Trades, and others across various business units.  

• Culture & Engagement: Create a sense of community and culture of belonging by engaging in Gemba walks, collaborative problem-solving, coaching, and visibly celebrating team accomplishments. Role model integrity and servant leadership.

• Travel to support operating facilities, workshops, industry benchmarking and training sessions as needed (approx 80%)

Qualifications:

Education: Associate’s degree or equivalent experience in an engineering or techni