Senior Manager, Product Research

Our Marketing, Sales & Service organization advances the Ford reputation as a visionary vehicle and mobility services company and helps deliver a trusted customer experience. Use your marketing, sales and service expertise to turn data-driven insights into innovative solutions that enhance sales and customer loyalty. Join us and be the eyes, ears and voice of Ford.

In this position...

This position is responsible for defining the strategic vision, execution framework, and integration of global customer research and insights within the Global Product Development System (GPDS). This role ensures that deep customer requirements and future consumer trends are structurally embedded into product development and long-range portfolio strategy decisions. As a key leader within Product Research this role governs Truck, Van, and Large Traditional Utility research as well as Buyer Rejector and syndicated studies.

This is a great opportunity to grow your career with Ford - take the next step and be part of shaping the future of mobility.

We made history and now we work to transform the future - for our customers, our communities and our families. You'll see your work on the road every day, helping people move freely and pursue their dreams. At Ford, you can build more than vehicles. Come build what matters.

What you'll do...

• Act as a trusted advisor and key strategic liaison to executive-level leaders across Product Development (PD), Design, and Marketing, aligning global research priorities with core corporate business objectives.
• Provide strategic direction and synthesize complex consumer insights to influence long-range cycle planning, portfolio strategy, and technology roadmaps, ensuring Ford's future product and mobility plans are consumer-driven and forward-looking.
• Direct and optimize the strategic research supplier ecosystem, driving continuous innovation in research methodologies and expanding the global supplier base to keep Ford at the forefront of market research.
• Cultivate deep collaborative partnerships with cross-functional executive clients to proactively define, prioritize, and address their research and insight requirements.
• Govern the portfolio-level lifecycle of research programs-from strategic planning and design to analysis and reporting-ensuring flawless execution, actionable outcomes, and optimal budget utilization.
• Establish and enforce rigorous quality and analytical standards for external research partners, providing executive governance to align supplier deliverables with Ford's strategic business objectives.
• Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing, diverse global team of strategic research professionals and managers, fostering a culture of innovation, agility, collaborative problem-solving, and continuous learning.
• Synthesize complex syndicated studies and macro-trends to deliver high-impact, actionable business implications and strategic recommendations directly to Ford leadership.
• Drive the institutionalization of consumer insights across Ford's global enterprise, overseeing the curation, digital mobilization, and sharing of strategic assets within the Knowledge Management System.
• Ensure financial stewardship and operational compliance across program budgets, establishing rigor in project initiation, vendor bidding, and billing procedures using platforms like Aurora and Ariba.

What you'll do...

• Act as a trusted advisor and key strategic liaison to executive-level leaders across Product Development (PD), Design, and Marketing, aligning global research priorities with core corporate business objectives.
• Provide strategic direction and synthesize complex consumer insights to influence long-range cycle planning, portfolio strategy, and technology roadmaps, ensuring Ford's future product and mobility plans are consumer-driven and forward-looking.
• Direct and optimize the strategic research supplier ecosystem, driving continuous innovation in research methodologies and expanding the global supplier base to keep Ford at the forefront of market research.
• Cultivate deep collaborative partnerships with cross-functional executive clients to proactively define, prioritize, and address their research and insight requirements.
• Govern the portfolio-level lifecycle of research programs-from strategic planning and design to analysis and reporting-ensuring flawless execution, actionable outcomes, and optimal budget utilization.
• Establish and enforce rigorous quality and analytical standards for external research partners, providing executive governance to align supplier deliverables with Ford's strategic business objectives.
• Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing, diverse global team of strategic research professionals and managers, fostering a culture of innovation, agility, collaborative problem-solving, and continuous learning.
• Synthesize complex syndicated studies and macro-trends to deliver high-impact, actionable business implications and strategic recommendations directly to Ford leadership.
• Drive the institutionalization of consumer insights across Ford's global enterprise, overseeing the curation, digital mobilization, and sharing of strategic assets within the Knowledge Management System.
• Ensure financial stewardship and operational compliance across program budgets, establishing rigor in project initiation, vendor bidding, and billing procedures using platforms like Aurora and Ariba.