Defense Vehicle Program Lead & Strategy Advisor

Ford-Motor-Company; Dearborn (MI); Hybrid; USD 142,000 - 268,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical Coverage

Parental Leave

Tuition Assistance

Employee Discounts

Paid Holidays

PTO

Job summary

Ford Motor Company in Dearborn, Michigan is seeking a Program Manager to lead and mentor a high‑performing team, delivering defense and defense-adjacent ground vehicle programs while partnering with the Chief Program Engineer (CPE) to navigate a highly regulated development environment.

You will drive end‑to‑end program execution, governance, risk and issue management, and cross‑functional collaboration with engineering, manufacturing, sourcing and finance to ensure on‑time, on‑cost delivery for

Qualifications

• Defense program leadership experience and knowledge of DoD acquisition processes.
• Experience managing complex, cross-functional programs with senior technical leaders.
• Familiarity with defense compliance (ITAR, CUI, export control, DFARS).

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end program execution from capture to delivery and sustainment.
• Manage risks and issues with clear owners and dates, integrating engineering, sourcing, manufacturing readiness, and quality.
• Interface with government and defense partners, supporting requirements, proposals, and execution planning with the Chief Program Engineer.

Skills

Program Management

Defense Experience

Cross‑functional Leadership

Stakeholder Communication

Budget & Forecasting

Strategic Advisory

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering or related field

Master's degree preferred

Tools

GPDS

Job description

Ford Motor Company in Dearborn, Michigan is seeking a Program Manager to lead and mentor a high‑performing team, delivering defense and defense-adjacent ground vehicle programs while partnering with the Chief Program Engineer (CPE) to navigate a highly regulated development environment.

You will drive end‑to‑end program execution, governance, risk and issue management, and cross‑functional collaboration with engineering, manufacturing, sourcing and finance to ensure on‑time, on‑cost delivery for