Product Development Technical Manager - Electrical Distribution System

Ford Ford · Auto · Dearborn, MI +1 · PD Operations and Quality

Product Development Technical Manager for Electrical Distribution Systems at Ford, responsible for leading teams, setting strategy, and delivering wiring systems excellence across the global product portfolio. Requires deep technical knowledge in automotive wiring, product development experience, and leadership skills.

What you'd actually do

  1. Lead, coach, and develop three functional teams (Technical Specialists, Campaign Prevention, EDS Tools), fostering a high-performance culture focused on accountability, continuous improvement, and technical excellence
  2. Own and continuously improve wiring foundation documents, including requirements, standards, design rules, checklists, and validation methods
  3. Lead strategy, selection, and lifecycle management of wiring design and validation tools, ensuring alignment with Ford’s CAD/PLM ecosystem
  4. Define and execute the multi-year wiring technical strategy and roadmap aligned to enterprise priorities
  5. Work across Product Engineering, Systems Engineering, Manufacturing, Supplier Engineering, Quality, Field Operations, and IT to ensure alignment and integration of wiring solutions

Skills

Required

  • Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field
  • 15+ years of experience in automotive wiring systems / Electrical Distribution Systems (EDS) and product development
  • Strong understanding of wiring design, validation, and integration within vehicle systems
  • Experience with engineering tools and systems (e.g., CAD, PLM, wiring design and validation tools)
  • Demonstrated ability to lead and develop high-performing teams
  • Strong enterprise mindset
  • Proven ability to drive results through others, manage ambiguity, and make data-driven decisions
  • Effective communicator with the ability to influence across all levels of the organization
  • Experience managing budgets, suppliers, and external partners
  • Strong problem-solving skills with experience in structured methodologies (e.g., 3L5W, root cause analysis)
  • Knowledge of regulatory, safety, and compliance requirements in automotive development

Nice to have

  • Master’s degree preferred

What the JD emphasized

  • 15+ years of experience in automotive wiring systems / Electrical Distribution Systems (EDS) and product development
  • Strong understanding of wiring design, validation, and integration within vehicle systems
  • Knowledge of regulatory, safety, and compliance requirements in automotive development