Team Manager Production, Night Shift, Ford Energy

Ford; Kentucky; On-site; USD 116,000 - 218,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision coverage

Paid time off & holidays

Tuition assistance

Vehicle discount program

Family benefits & care programs

Job summary

Ford is seeking a Team Manager – Production for our Battery Energy Storage Systems facility in the United States. You will lead high-volume assembly and manufacturing operations, drive FEPS standards, and champion Lean/Six Sigma across shifts to maximize OEE, quality, and cost efficiency.

You will develop people, manage budgets, and coordinate with Maintenance, Quality, Engineering, and Logistics to meet plant-wide objectives. Domestic travel and 24/7 scheduling may be required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Operations Management, Business or related field.
• Significant leadership experience in high-volume manufacturing and multi-shift teams.
• Experience managing other leaders (Senior Supervisors / Supervisors) and large teams.
• Strong working knowledge of MES, automated assembly lines, traceability, and end-of-line testing.
• Advanced root-cause analysis capability (8D, DMAIC).
• Willingness to support a 24/7 manufacturing operation across shifts.

Responsibilities

• Lead production team with purpose, driving performance and development.
• Drive FEPS-based standards to optimize OEE, FTT, scrap reduction, and unit cost.
• Translate strategy into actionable shop-floor plans and align shifts.
• Ensure contamination-control, cleanroom standards, and safe material handling.
• Respond to constraints and equipment failures with rapid, lasting corrective actions.
• Manage budgets, staffing, capacity, and OpEx; conduct pre-task analyses.
• Champion Lean, Six Sigma, and structured problem-solving to eliminate waste.
• Oversee LPA, process confirmations, NPI, engineering changes, and system validation.
• Develop Senior Supervisors and staff; foster psychological safety and engagement.
• Lead Tier 3/4 leadership meetings to align cross-functional priorities.
• Maintain safety culture and regulatory compliance on the floor.
• Ability to work across a 24/7 operation, including weekends and extended hours.

Skills

Leadership experience

MES knowledge

Lean/Six Sigma

Root-cause analysis

Cross-functional collaboration

Conflict management

Negotiation

Adaptability

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Operations Management, Business

Master’s Degree preferred

Six Sigma Black Belt certification preferred

Tools

MES

Automated assembly lines

Traceability systems

End-of-line testing

Job description

In this position...

As the Team Manager – Production, you will lead the execution, optimization, and continuous improvement of high-volume assembly and manufacturing operations within our advanced BESS facility. In this role, you will:

In this role, you will:

Lead with Purpose: Build, inspire, and lead an agile production team to deliver advanced battery storage technology driving the future of the American grid.

Lead System Performance: Drive standardization, discipline, and execution of the Ford Energy Production System (FEPS) to ensure peak manufacturing efficiency, quality, and operational stability.

Enable Business Results: Deliver SQDCPME (Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost, People, Maintenance, Environment) objectives through effective shift scheduling, resource alignment, and line performance management.

Drive Continuous Improvement: Champion data-driven decision-making to optimize cycle times, eliminate production bottlenecks, reduce scrap, and maximize First Time Through (FTT) rates.

Develop People & Capability: Build a high-performing manufacturing team through hands‑on coaching, mentorship, and skill development of production operators, team leaders, and technicians.

Partner Cross‑Functionally: Align seamlessly with Maintenance, Quality, Engineering, and Logistics to resolve systemic line issues, support new product launches, and meet plant‑wide objectives.

What you’ll do: Strategic & Operational Leadership

Accountable for department‑wide performance against key manufacturing metrics, including Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE), First Time Through (FTT) capability, scrap reduction, and unit cost.

Translate high‑level corporate business plans into actionable, daily shop‑floor manufacturing strategies, ensuring seamless alignment across all production shifts.

Ensure absolute compliance with contamination‑control protocols, cleanroom standards, and material handling guidelines critical to battery energy storage technology.

Direct the response to critical facility constraints, material shortages, or major equipment failures, ensuring rapid escalation, root‑cause resolution, and sustainable corrective actions.

Manage department budgets, staffing plans, capacity constraints, and operational expenditure (OpEx) targets. Lead daily pre‑task analyses and support safe work execution across all production shifts.

Quality & Continuous Improvement

Champion systemic continuous improvement efforts, utilizing Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, and structured problem‑solving methodologies (e.g., 8D, DMAIC) to eliminate waste and variability.

Govern the layered process audit (LPA) structure and process confirmation routines to ensure total adherence to standardized work.

Partner with Quality and Launch Engineering to manage new product introductions (NPI), engineering changes, and system validation trials without compromising daily throughput.

Leadership & Culture

Directly lead, evaluate, and develop Senior Production Supervisors and department staff, establishing clear performance expectations and accountability.

Foster a culture of psychological safety, absolute integrity, and collaboration, promoting trust and high engagement across all levels of the organization.

Lead high‑level tiered operating meetings (Tier 3/4) to align cross‑functional plant leadership (Maintenance, Quality, Logistics, and Engineering) on daily priorities and systemic issues.

Manage team relations proactively, ensuring all operational decisions comply with company policies and applicable agreements.

Safety & Environmental Stewardship

Own the safety culture for the production department, driving a zero‑injury mindset and ensuring compliance with all government, corporate, and plant safety regulations.

Enforce rigorous adherence to safety routines, control plans, ergonomic standards, and environmental requirements on the production floor.

Capabilities for Success

Resilient Leader: An emotionally intelligent leader who remains calm and decisive in ambiguous or high‑pressure situations.

Collaborative Influencer: A proven ability to build trust and influence cross‑functional teams to achieve shared business strategies.

Complexity Manager: Skilled at managing highly complex processes and communicating effectively with all levels of leadership.

Business Acumen: Strong operational and project management skills with a focus on metrics‑driven team development and resource optimization.

Position Qualifications and Key Capabilities

Education: Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Operations Management, Business, or a related technical field.

Experience: Significant, progressive leadership experience in high‑volume manufacturing (e.g., automotive, battery cell/pack assembly, food manufacturing, or semiconductor industries).

Leadership Track Record: Proven experience managing other leaders (such as Senior Supervisors, Supervisors, or Process Coaches) and leading large, multi‑shift production teams.

Technical Systems: Strong working knowledge of manufacturing execution systems (MES), automated assembly lines, parts traceability, and end‑of‑line testing.

Problem‑Solving: Advanced root‑cause analysis capability with a track record of implementing systemic, long‑term technical and operational solutions.

Flexibility: Ability to support a 24/7 manufacturing operation, including flexibility to work across shifts, weekends, and extended hours as business needs dictate.

Preferred

Master’s Degree in Engineering, Management, or a related field.

Six Sigma Black Belt certification.

Strong working knowledge of traceability and testing data systems.

Demonstrated expertise in conflict management, negotiation, and persuasion.

Ability to work closely with others to deliver results in a fast‑paced environment.

Leadership Attributes

Strategic Visionary: Able to translate the rapidly evolving global energy storage market into actionable maintenance strategies.

Decisive Under Pressure: The ability to remain calm and make rapid, data‑driven decisions during facility constraints or critical equipment failures.

Adaptability: The resilience to lead a team through the ambiguity of a new startup, where processes are being built and refined in real‑time.

Business Partner: The ability to translate technical maintenance requirements into sound financial business cases for executive stakeholders. Visionary strategic thinker able to navigate rapidly evolving global energy storage markets.

Location & Travel

U.S. with domestic travel

Benefits

• 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 a salary grade LL6 and ranges from $115,500 -= $218,100.

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.

Company: As Ford establishes a wholly owned subsidiary focused on Battery Energy Storage Systems, this role will initially be employed by Ford and is expected to transition to the subsidiary within one year.