Digital Design Director

Ford Design

Palo Alto (CA)

Hybrid

USD 167,000 - 317,000

Full time

14 days+

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Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision coverage

Flexible family care days

Tuition assistance

Vehicle discount program

Paid holidays and time off

Parental leave

Job summary

Ford Design in Palo Alto, CA is seeking a Product Design Leader to shape experience strategy and deliver breakthrough UI/UX for vehicles now and in the future. You will lead cross-functional teams across design, engineering, product management, and research to deliver end-to-end experiences that integrate hardware and software.

The role emphasizes leading complex design programs, mentoring teams, and maintaining high design standards while collaborating with Ford’s global partners.

Qualifications

Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent combination of education and experience in Digital Product Design or related fields.
12+ years of experience in relevant product design roles in commercial organizations.
4+ years managing and/or leading cross-functional teams from concept to shipping complex experiences.
Proven experience in product, interaction, and experience design within complex ecosystems.
Strong communication and storytelling abilities, with a knack for making complex ideas clear and compelling.
High performing proficiency in Figma with the ability to communicate design concepts and create compelling presentations.

Responsibilities

Establish and lead the overall design vision, driving multiple large-scale strategic projects and advancing future interaction models.
Unite and empower cross-functional teams by promoting collaboration, delegation, and mentoring.
Communicate and present complex concepts to partners, executives, and stakeholders with strong storytelling.
Transform innovative ideas into prototypes and high-quality design deliverables, validating feasibility.
Set and uphold design quality standards and drive visual excellence across touchpoints for transformative experiences.
Collaborate with Product Management, Engineering, and other partners to define customer-centric strategies.

Skills

Figma proficiency

Leadership experience

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Digital Product Design or related field

Job description

Job Description

Digital Product Design (DPD) at Ford is committed to envisioning and creating simple, thoughtful, enjoyable, and compelling product experiences that our customers need and love. We work in close partnership with product and engineering to deliver best-in-class interactions experiences that meet the needs of people today, and in the future. Our team is comprised of a dynamic group of product designers, researchers, visual designers, industrial designers, modelers, and project managers.

Job Description

In this position...

Experience Strategy & Design Team

The Experience Strategy & Design team is defining the next generation of in-vehicle experiences and the operational approach needed to get there. Rather than focusing on one-off feature-driven solutions, this team moves up stream to get ahead of delivery cycles, building bridges through curiosity and a clear mission to deliver on our brand equities and core customer needs. We find the big picture by connecting concepts and feature ideas and unifying them into cohesive and purposeful experiences across the entire vehicle ecosystem. This team drives the definition, early design, and delivery plan for differentiated experiences that are critical to the brand loyalty for each of the unique customer groups across Ford. We do this through bringing the right cross‑functional teams and right skillsets together early, identifying key hardware and software technology and connections needed to unblock and deliver incredible experiences to each of our unique customer groups.

This role is Hybrid work model (in office 4 days/week) in Palo Alto, CA

Responsibilities

THE ROLE

We are searching for an innovative and visionary Product Design Leader to shape Ford’s experience strategy and deliver breakthrough UI/UX solutions for vehicles now and in the future. This high‑impact role calls for a proven design professional with a passion for tackling complex challenges, thriving in ambiguity, and charting new directions that seamlessly integrate hardware, software, and customer needs. If you excel at inspiring teams, navigating complexity, and setting the standard for design excellence, this is your opportunity to make a lasting impact on Ford’s future.

What You’ll Do…

Establish and lead the overall design vision, driving multiple large-scale strategic projects and advancing future interaction models that integrate physical and digital experiences.
Unite and empower cross‑functional teams—including design, engineering, product management, customer insights, and technology—by promoting collaboration, delegation, and mentoring to foster creativity and continuous improvement.
Communicate and present complex concepts and strategies to partners, executives, and stakeholders, using strong storytelling skills and seeking feedback to contribute to Ford’s broader design culture.
Transform innovative ideas into compelling prototypes and high‑quality design deliverables, validating technical feasibility and ensuring creative concepts become reality.
Set and uphold the standard for design quality by staying engaged with design iterations, maintaining a cohesive design language, and driving visual excellence across all touchpoints for transformative yet scalable vehicle experiences.
Collaborate closely with a triad, including Product Management, Engineering, and other partners to define customer‑centric strategies and ensure seamless execution from concept through delivery.

Qualifications

FUNCTIONAL & TECHNICAL KNOWLEDGE

What You'll Have…

Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent combination of relevant education and experience in Digital Product Design or related fields.
12+ years of experience in relevant product design commercial organizations.
4+ years managing and/or leading cross‑functional teams from concept to shipping complex customer‑facing design experiences.
Proven experience in product, interaction, and experience design within complex ecosystems.
Strong communication and storytelling abilities, with a knack for making complex ideas clear and compelling.
High performing proficiency in Figma with the ability to communicate design concepts and create compelling presentations.
Proven ability to lead and deliver impactful product design strategies by integrating UX, visual design, content, research, and technical constraints into cohesive, user‑focused experiences that support business goals.
Ability to work within current frameworks, evolve core processes, and invent new ways of working to drive impactful change and efficiency.
Demonstrated ability to work independently while also building strong collaborative relationships across disciplines, seamlessly connecting design, engineering, strategy, and technology.
Passionate for Ford's products and its customers.

Even better you'll have…

Strength in systems thinking and mapping end‑to‑end customer journeys.
Comfortable working in ambiguous spaces where outcomes are completely undefined.
Comfortable working on changing demands with the ability to pivot efforts while motivating others through change.
Able to take a flexible approach to working with others across an enterprise, with a demonstrated ability through ambiguity.
Self‑starter that is organized and can prioritize and manage multiple tasks with minimal direction.
Passionate customer focus, including use of collaborative design processes to yield best‑in‑class customer outcomes.

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 of the above? No matter what you choose, we offer a work life that works for you, including:

Immediate medical, dental, vision and prescription drug coverage
Flexible family care days, paid 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.

This position is a leadership level 5 and ranges from $167,200-$316,600.

Final determination of salary grade will be based on candidate’s skills and experience, and base salary will be set within the applicable range according to job scope responsibility and competitive market value.

Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

Candidates for positions with Ford Motor Company must be legally authorized to work in the United States. Verification of employment eligibility will be required at the time of hire.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, age, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability status or protected veteran status. In the United States, if you need a reasonable accommodation for the online application process due to a disability, please call 1-888-336-0660.

This position is hybrid. Candidates who are in commuting distance to a Ford hub location may be required to be onsite four or more days per week.

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