Lean Strategist

Lincoln Motor Company; Dearborn (MI); On-site; USD 113,000 - 213,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision coverage

Family care days and parental leave

Tuition assistance

Vehicle discount program

Paid time off and holidays

Job summary

Ford Motor Company is seeking a Global FPS Lean Academy Manager & Value Stream Mapping Specialist to lead lean execution across manufacturing and training initiatives.

You will drive Value Stream Mapping workshops, Kaizen events, and cross-functional launches while advancing predictive AI-enabled decision tools with IT teams.

Qualifications

• Associate’s degree or equivalent in engineering or technical field.
• Bachelor’s degree in engineering/technical field is a plus.
• Experience leading operations in high-volume manufacturing.

Responsibilities

• Oversee cross-functional launch planning across departments.
• Implement Lean Manufacturing strategies: Value Stream Mapping, Kaizen Bursts, Lean Maturity Model.
• Lead Digital Zone Boards and Lean Tools Training; facilitate Lean workshops.
• Collaborate with DMS and Manufacturing IT to design predictive AI technologies.
• Manage station-level visual metrics and drive progress through loop iterations.
• Serve as central resource for best practices in launch integration and digital tool deployment.

Skills

Leadership

Lean principles

Value Stream Mapping

Kaizen

Cross-functional collaboration

Digitalization

Problem solving

Education

Associate’s degree or equivalent experience

Bachelor’s degree (preferred)

Tools

DMS

AI tools

Job description

The Global FPS Lean Academy Manager & Value Stream Mapping Specialist leads the lean execution and training across manufacturing of all lean tools and lean tool application. The Manager will lead Lean Academy Weeklong Classes including Kaizens and Kaizen report out.

The Manager will be responsible for conduction Value Stream Mapping Workshops of train-the-trainer to develop enterprise wide value stream mapping experts who can apply the skills in their own plants or departments. The Strategist will be responsible for ensuring actions are taken and closed post Value Stream Mapping workshops and attend bi-weekly meetings to follow-up to ensure participants understand the actions that need to be taken to attack the waste identified.

The Strategist will leverage the Ford Production System (FPS) strategies to enable successful implementation of Lean Academy development and Execution. Conduct the Kaizen workshop portion of the training and continue follow-up with maintaining momentum to ensure actions are closed post workshop.

The Strategist will have leadership skills and the ability to work with manufacturing operations, engineering, IT, and leadership, and drives early deployment of cross-functional teams to all manufacturing programs in vehicle, powertrain and battery. The Strategist leverages Lean principles and real-time visual management and digital tools to proactively identify and resolve issues, streamline station-level workflows, and reduce Non-Value Added Activities (NVA). In parallel, they partner with Digital Manufacturing Systems (DMS) and IT teams to develop predictive AI-based tools that support just-in-time decision-making and abnormality response at the station level.

What you’ll do...

• Oversee cross-functional launch planning across departments including engineering, product development, quality, logistics, and manufacturing operations.
• Implement and evolve Lean Manufacturing strategies:
  • Value Stream Mapping, Kaizen Bursts, and Lean Maturity Model
• Digitalization, Business Control Center Management, Digital Zone Boards:
  • Facilitate Lean workshops in 5S, Model Area Development, Business Control Centers, and Lean Tools Training.
• Collaborate with DMS and Manufacturing IT to design predictive AI technologies for line-side digitization and issue response.
• Manage station-level visual metrics and ensure progress through structured loop iterations.
• Act as the central resource for best practices in launch integration, process validation, and digital tool deployment (e.g., SME sign-offs, OKTB scorecards).
• Support long-term standardization of launch methodology across Ford’s global manufacturing sites.

Strategic Impact

• Drives first-time quality and reduces launch risk by ensuring early process validation and physical readiness.
• Supports just-in-time decision-making with predictive data tools and Lean-aligned plant coaching.
• Improves time-to-market and acceleration curve by eliminating bottlenecks and enforcing best practices in workstation readiness.
• Enables scalable, standardized and repeatable success across all programs and production adjustments through a unified Launch/FPS framework

People Leader

• Team Guidance and Direction: Lead, mentor, and motivate a team of Lean Strategists, ensuring team goals and objectives align with the overall strategy of the organization.
• Performance Management & Development: Manage individual and team performance through regular check-ins, coaching, and formal performance reviews. Provide timely and constructive feedback to team members, recognizing achievements and addressing areas for improvement.
• Team Environment & Culture: Cultivate a positive, collaborative, and inclusive team environment where everyone feels valued and empowered.
• Resource Management: Effectively manage team workload and allocate resources to ensure timely and successful project completion. Ensure the team has the necessary tools, resources, and information to perform their jobs effectively.

You’ll have...

• Education: Associate’s degree or equivalent experience in an engineering or technical field
• Experience:
  • 4+ years of progressive responsibilities and experience in operations leadership
  • Extensive experience in high-volume, complex, manufacturing environments
  • Experience successfully leading launch activities in complex manufacturing systems
  • Demonstrated track record of building trust and rapport with employees and creating positive and healthy cultures.
  • Excellent leadership skills with demonstrated ability to resolve diverse problems
  • Strong problem solver who can lead effectively under pressure and crisis manage when necessary
  • Aspiration for continued career growth and new challenges

Even better, you may have...

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in an engineering or technical field
• Experience:
  • Operational and launch experience leading manufacturing processes across multiple areas (body, paint, final assembly, etc.)
  • Experience working in a fast-paced unionized manufacturing environment

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 child care 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 leadership level 6 and ranges from $112,680-$212,760.

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 committed to a culturally diverse workforce. 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.