Sales & Operations Planning Launch 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. What will you make today? 

As part of our Manufacturing team, you’ll help support 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 supporting great products people use and love.

In this position..

Sales and Operations Planning (S&OP) is a critical, cross-functional business management process that integrates strategic business plans with tactical execution, across demand, supply, and financial functions. It aligns sales, marketing, production, sourcing, and finance plans, to drive competitive advantage and achieve strategic objectives – “Demand and Supply alignment with financial reconciliation”  The ideal candidate should possess a blend of deep functional expertise in Sales. MP&L and Sales planning,. Strong leadership capabilities, and the ability to navigate complex international environments are also key, in order to drive the launch of best-in-class S&OP industry processes

What you'll do…

• Operate as the dedicated owner and architect responsible for the strategic design, launch plan , standardization, KPIs, continuous improvement, and global deployment of Ford's Sales and Operations Planning process.
• Transform S&OP into a best-in-class capability that drives integrated business planning, enhances decision-making, and achieves operational excellence across our global organization
• Lead Ford North America S&OP transformation process and develop robust launch plan to support business requirements.
• Drive change management with cross functional teams -Sales, MP&L, Supply chain, Finance & MFG, to align on revised business process and scale them globally
• Drive system enhancements, to support revised business processes and co-ordinate with IT / Global Data Insights & Analytics (GDIA) teams, for process improvements
• Develop & align required KPI’s / reports, to measure health of S&OP processes.
• Transform business process with AI capabilities, as part of Kinaxis reimagine
• Support team for development & continuous process improvements.

You'll have... 

• Bachelor's Degree in Engineering, Business Management, Supply Chain Management, or a closely related field
• 7+ Years of Experience

Even better, you may have…

• Master’s degree (e.g., MBA, MS in Supply Chain Management, or similar) 
• 10+ years of progressive leadership experience across key functions such as Sales, Planning, Supply Chain Management, or Operations.
• Extensive experience successfully leading complex, cross-functional process improvement and/or IT solution implementation initiatives, ideally involving significant transformation or greenfield development.
• Proven ability to effectively collaborate with and influence senior leaders and regional teams within a complex, global matrix organization.
• Experience within the Automotive industry or a similarly complex, high-volume manufacturing environment
• Deep understanding of core Supply Chain Planning processes, including Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) and Sales & Operations Execution (S&OE).
• Strong knowledge of Demand Planning, Inventory Management, and Logistics principles.
• Experience with process development,  S&OP launch, documentation, analytical tools and benchmarking methodologies.
• Knowledge of Material Requirements Planning (MRP) and Advanced Planning Systems (APS). 
• Experience with system selection, implementation, or optimization of S&OP or related planning technologies is a significant plus.
• Familiarity with emerging technologies impacting S&OP, and use of AI/ML, in forecasting, process automation, or advanced visualization platforms.
• Demonstrated strategic and proactive leadership with strong management skills and executive presence.
• Exceptional ability to influence, collaborate, and build consensus across diverse functions and organizational levels in a global matrix environment.
• Proven track record of coaching, mentoring, and developing team members and future leaders.
• Superior ability to synthesize complex information and craft compelling business narratives, presentations, and executive summaries for C-suite and executive review.
• Ability to manage sensitive and confidential information with discretion. 
• Exceptional communication, negotiation, and inter