Job Description
At FordDirect, our emphasis on diversity is much more than words. We encourage you to be yourself. We open our minds and doors to all walks of life, respecting and celebrating the uniqueness within each of us. We value the voice and contributions of all team members.
The diversity of our team drives us, inspires us, and makes us proud to call FordDirect home.
FordDirect is an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran, disability status or any other characteristic protected by applicable laws, regulations, and ordinances. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements.
If you need assistance and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application or the recruiting process, please email [email protected].
Job Summary [REPORTS TO TRACY FRED]
The Senior Vice President (SVP), Product Strategy & Portfolio Management sets and executes FordDirect's enterprise product vision, strategy, and operating model across digital products and services. This role provides executive leadership over the full product lifecycle-from strategy and ideation through build, partner, buy, launch, optimization, and sunset-with a clear focus on driving measurable business outcomes, sales and service growth, customer retention, dealer and OEM satisfaction, marketing ROI, and long-term enterprise value.
The SVP establishes a cohesive, forward-looking product strategy that aligns OEM, dealer, and market needs with FordDirect's long-term objectives, capabilities, evolving data strategy, and emerging technologies. The role governs portfolio-level product decisions, investment prioritization and build vs. partner vs. buy strategic assessments to ensure optimal value creation while balancing speed to market, scalability, cost, risk, differentiation, and responsible use of data and advanced technologies.
The best-fit-candidate will have a demonstrated track record of scaling product organization operations, successfully leveraging product delivery approaches and frameworks (i.e., agile, lean, scrum, kanban, etc.), building team capability, and implementing standards that elevate product practice maturity to consistently deliver strategically aligned outcomes.
Success in this role requires knowledge of modern technologies, financial management experience, data-driven decision-making, and the ability to drive alignment, accountability, and outcomes across multiple stakeholders.
This position is a hybrid role which requires the employee to work in the office Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.
Essential Functions
Product Strategy, Portfolio Governance & Execution
- Establish and lead an integrated enterprise product strategy aligned with FordDirect's vision, mission, and business strategy; define and communicate a multi-year portfolio roadmap balancing innovation, core optimization, scalability, and modernization.
- Lead the evolution of the product portfolio toward an AI-enabled future, embedding generative AI, advanced analytics, and automation while establishing principles for data integration and AI adoption around data, trust, and transparency.
- Set and enforce portfolio governance frameworks encompassing investment prioritization, build/partner/buy decision-making, stage gates, success metrics, lifecycle management, and enterprise product pricing and monetization strategy.
Product Leadership & Delivery
- Own FordDirect full product lifecycle from conception through commercialization, optimization, and sunset partnering with key stakeholders and vendors.
- Establish and govern an enterprise-wide requirements management discipline defining standards and protocols that ensure product initiatives are grounded in stakeholder needs, measurable outcomes, and strategic traceability driving cross-functional alignment and delivery predictability.
- Leverage research, competitive intelligence, industry trends, and data insights to identify opportunities, gaps, and innovation pipelines across digital marketing, CRM, consumer experience and engagement, dealer-facing solutions, and enabling platforms.
- Ensure timely, high-quality product delivery aligned with strategic priorities; monitor portfolio execution health, proactively manage risks, cross-team dependencies, and tradeoffs; and manage dealer satisfaction through performance metrics and continuous improvement.
Operational, Financial & Vendor Management
- Provide financial stewardship across product portfolios including forecasting, annual budgets, investment planning, and variance management
- Lead enterprise RFP processes and vendor strategies, ensuring rigorous evaluation of partners' technology maturity, data practices, technology capabilities, scalability, and strategic fit; establish and enforce vendor governance frameworks with outcome-based KPIs, SLAs, and executive-level reviews.
- Drive fact-based decisions on vendor selection, consolidation, renewal, and exit; partner with cross-functional teams to ensure effective go-to-market execution, adoption, and value realization.
People Leadership & Organizational Development
- Define product ownership roles and responsibilities, evolve the product organization's structure, talent, and required capabilities.
- Manage and coach team members for role performance, career progression and skill development as needed (i.e., set goals, provide feedback, and conduct performance reviews).
- Build and sustain high-performing, engaged teams with a culture of trust, collaboration, data-backed decision making and forward-looking innovation.
% Travel Required (Approximate): 15-20%
Qualifications At FordDirect, we believe in diversity as a strength. You are encouraged to apply even if your experience or background doesn't precisely match the job description. Candidates who do not meet all listed qualifications may be considered based on the combination of relevant work experience and depth of expertise in job-related skills.
Experience
- Progressive product leadership, including oversight of multiple product portfolios, 20+ years.
- Experience leading enterprise product strategy, 10+ years.
- Data-enabled digital solutions and digital marketing services, 15+ years.
- Automotive dealer-related product experience, highly desired.
- P/L management experience, 15+ years.
- Managing senior level direct reports, 10+ years.
Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities
- Demonstrated mastery of product management as an organizational discipline, including business requirement documentation, product lifecycle frameworks, stage-gate methodologies, roadmap governance, and portfolio prioritization models.
- Deep domain expertise in digital solutions, preferably dealer solutions.
- Demonstrated, understanding of enterprise data strategy and the value of customer, service, and vehicle signal integration to maximize product value by enabling dealers to make a more effective and efficient connection with their customers
- Understanding of AI technologies within product-led organizations and emerging capabilities; ability to assess tradeoffs including model performance, bias, explainability, data quality, scalability, cost, and regulatory or ethical considerations.
- Ability to incorporate modern technologies into product strategy, roadmap decisions, and prioritized investment opportunities; comfortable leading learning, experimentation, and adaptation as technologies rapidly evolve.
- Strategic, enterprise-level thinking with strong decision quality, organizational influence, and demonstrated success leading complex initiatives with multiple executive stakeholders.
- Expertise in enterprise product pricing and monetization strategy, packaging, and performance measurement.
- Background in vendor evaluation, governance, and performance management with the ability to manage vendors to outcomes.
- Strong analytical, problem-solving, and change leadership capabilities; executive-level communication skills with the ability to influence multiple audiences.
- Follow-through mindset to uphold a 'close the loop' culture.
- A positive approach to serving customers and providing exceptional customer service.
- Ability to demonstrate good judgment, ethics, and project a professional image.
- Ability to work independently and as a collaborative team member with a positive 'can do' attitude.
- The drive to identify and seize opportunities for continuous improvement as business needs change.
- Excellent organization, flexibility and time management skills and the ability to work in a dynamic, deadline-driven environment.
- Proficient in Microsoft Office skills (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint).
- Solid people management skills and the ability to create a motivational environment for team members.
- Knowledge of HR-related principles such as goal setting, discrete communication, and performance management and feedback.
Education
Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, Technology, or equivalent experience
MBA is preferred
Note to Third-Party Agencies FordDirect accepts resumes only from employment businesses/agencies with which we formally engage their services. Please do not forward resumes to our applicant tracking system, FordDirect employees or hiring managers. FordDirect will not be liable for any fees arising from such actions or any fees arising from any referrals by employment businesses/agencies for vacancies posted on this site.
FordDirect is unable to provide visa sponsorship for this position. Only candidates permanently authorized to work in the United States will be considered.
At FordDirect, our emphasis on diversity is much more than words. We encourage you to be yourself. We open our minds and doors to all walks of life, respecting and celebrating the uniqueness within each of us. We value the voice and contributions of all team members.
The diversity of our team drives us, inspires us, and makes us proud to call FordDirect home.
FordDirect is an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran, disability status or any other characteristic protected by applicable laws, regulations, and ordinances. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements.
If you need assistance and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application or the recruiting process, please email [email protected].
Job Summary [REPORTS TO TRACY FRED]
The Senior Vice President (SVP), Product Strategy & Portfolio Management sets and executes FordDirect's enterprise product vision, strategy, and operating model across digital products and services. This role provides executive leadership over the full product lifecycle-from strategy and ideation through build, partner, buy, launch, optimization, and sunset-with a clear focus on driving measurable business outcomes, sales and service growth, customer retention, dealer and OEM satisfaction, marketing ROI, and long-term enterprise value.
The SVP establishes a cohesive, forward-looking product strategy that aligns OEM, dealer, and market needs with FordDirect's long-term objectives, capabilities, evolving data strategy, and emerging technologies. The role governs portfolio-level product decisions, investment prioritization and build vs. partner vs. buy strategic assessments to ensure optimal value creation while balancing speed to market, scalability, cost, risk, differentiation, and responsible use of data and advanced technologies.
The best-fit-candidate will have a demonstrated track record of scaling product organization operations, successfully leveraging product delivery approaches and frameworks (i.e., agile, lean, scrum, kanban, etc.), building team capability, and implementing standards that elevate product practice maturity to consistently deliver strategically aligned outcomes.
Success in this role requires knowledge of modern technologies, financial management experience, data-driven decision-making, and the ability to drive alignment, accountability, and outcomes across multiple stakeholders.
This position is a hybrid role which requires the employee to work in the office Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.
Essential Functions
Product Strategy, Portfolio Governance & Execution
- Establish and lead an integrated enterprise product strategy aligned with FordDirect's vision, mission, and business strategy; define and communicate a multi-year portfolio roadmap balancing innovation, core optimization, scalability, and modernization.
- Lead the evolution of the product portfolio toward an AI-enabled future, embedding generative AI, advanced analytics, and automation while establishing principles for data integration and AI adoption around data, trust, and transparency.
- Set and enforce portfolio governance frameworks encompassing investment prioritization, build/partner/buy decision-making, stage gates, success metrics, lifecycle management, and enterprise product pricing and monetization strategy.
Product Leadership & Delivery
- Own FordDirect full product lifecycle from conception through commercialization, optimization, and sunset partnering with key stakeholders and vendors.
- Establish and govern an enterprise-wide requirements management discipline defining standards and protocols that ensure product initiatives are grounded in stakeholder needs, measurable outcomes, and strategic traceability driving cross-functional alignment and delivery predictability.
- Leverage research, competitive intelligence, industry trends, and data insights to identify opportunities, gaps, and innovation pipelines across digital marketing, CRM, consumer experience and engagement, dealer-facing solutions, and enabling platforms.
- Ensure timely, high-quality product delivery aligned with strategic priorities; monitor portfolio execution health, proactively manage risks, cross-team dependencies, and tradeoffs; and manage dealer satisfaction through performance metrics and continuous improvement.
Operational, Financial & Vendor Management
- Provide financial stewardship across product portfolios including forecasting, annual budgets, investment planning, and variance management
- Lead enterprise RFP processes and vendor strategies, ensuring rigorous evaluation of partners' technology maturity, data practices, technology capabilities, scalability, and strategic fit; establish and enforce vendor governance frameworks with outcome-based KPIs, SLAs, and executive-level reviews.
- Drive fact-based decisions on vendor selection, consolidation, renewal, and exit; partner with cross-functional teams to ensure effective go-to-market execution, adoption, and value realization.
People Leadership & Organizational Development
- Define product ownership roles and responsibilities, evolve the product organization's structure, talent, and required capabilities.
- Manage and coach team members for role performance, career progression and skill development as needed (i.e., set goals, provide feedback, and conduct performance reviews).
- Build and sustain high-performing, engaged teams with a culture of trust, collaboration, data-backed decision making and forward-looking innovation.
% Travel Required (Approximate): 15-20%
Qualifications At FordDirect, we believe in diversity as a strength. You are encouraged to apply even if your experience or background doesn't precisely match the job description. Candidates who do not meet all listed qualifications may be considered based on the combination of relevant work experience and depth of expertise in job-related skills.
Experience
- Progressive product leadership, including oversight of multiple product portfolios, 20+ years.
- Experience leading enterprise product strategy, 10+ years.
- Data-enabled digital solutions and digital marketing services, 15+ years.
- Automotive dealer-related product experience, highly desired.
- P/L management experience, 15+ years.
- Managing senior level direct reports, 10+ years.
Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities
- Demonstrated mastery of product management as an organizational discipline, including business requirement documentation, product lifecycle frameworks, stage-gate methodologies, roadmap governance, and portfolio prioritization models.
- Deep domain expertise in digital solutions, preferably dealer solutions.
- Demonstrated, understanding of enterprise data strategy and the value of customer, service, and vehicle signal integration to maximize product value by enabling dealers to make a more effective and efficient connection with their customers
- Understanding of AI technologies within product-led organizations and emerging capabilities; ability to assess tradeoffs including model performance, bias, explainability, data quality, scalability, cost, and regulatory or ethical considerations.
- Ability to incorporate modern technologies into product strategy, roadmap decisions, and prioritized investment opportunities; comfortable leading learning, experimentation, and adaptation as technologies rapidly evolve.
- Strategic, enterprise-level thinking with strong decision quality, organizational influence, and demonstrated success leading complex initiatives with multiple executive stakeholders.
- Expertise in enterprise product pricing and monetization strategy, packaging, and performance measurement.
- Background in vendor evaluation, governance, and performance management with the ability to manage vendors to outcomes.
- Strong analytical, problem-solving, and change leadership capabilities; executive-level communication skills with the ability to influence multiple audiences.
- Follow-through mindset to uphold a 'close the loop' culture.
- A positive approach to serving customers and providing exceptional customer service.
- Ability to demonstrate good judgment, ethics, and project a professional image.
- Ability to work independently and as a collaborative team member with a positive 'can do' attitude.
- The drive to identify and seize opportunities for continuous improvement as business needs change.
- Excellent organization, flexibility and time management skills and the ability to work in a dynamic, deadline-driven environment.
- Proficient in Microsoft Office skills (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint).
- Solid people management skills and the ability to create a motivational environment for team members.
- Knowledge of HR-related principles such as goal setting, discrete communication, and performance management and feedback.
Education
Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, Technology, or equivalent experience
MBA is preferred
Note to Third-Party Agencies FordDirect accepts resumes only from employment businesses/agencies with which we formally engage their services. Please do not forward resumes to our applicant tracking system, FordDirect employees or hiring managers. FordDirect will not be liable for any fees arising from such actions or any fees arising from any referrals by employment businesses/agencies for vacancies posted on this site.
FordDirect is unable to provide visa sponsorship for this position. Only candidates permanently authorized to work in the United States will be considered.
About FordDirect
FordDirect, headquartered in Dearborn, Mich., connects the worlds of data, digital marketing and technology to provide best-in-class solutions exclusively for Ford and Lincoln Dealers. FordDirect is a joint venture between Ford Motor Company and Dealers with a mission of helping Ford and Lincoln dealerships sell more cars and trucks.
Serving our valued customers requires assembling the best and the brightest who are focused on collaborating and creating solutions.
At FordDirect, our emphasis on diversity is much more than words. We encourage you to be yourself. We open our minds and doors to all walks of life, respecting and celebrating the uniqueness within each of us. We value the voice and contributions of all team members. The diversity of our team drives us, inspires us, and makes us proud to call FordDirect home.
We support our employees by providing some of the best benefits around. Our employees enjoy top notch full life cycle benefits like medical, vision, dental, pet insurance, legal plans, long-term care coverage; annual Live Well! Work Well allowance; Summer ½ Day on Fridays; 401(k) retirement plan; generous holidays and paid time off, including time to volunteer and serve your community; D&I and Women of FordDirect resource groups; and regular annual employee events.
Our total rewards program also includes competitive pay, opportunities to learn and grow, and perks that allow our team to recharge have led to multiple Top Workplace awards and employees who choose to stay with us for their entire careers.
Explore a career at FordDirect!
Related Jobs
Truist
The position is described below. If you want to apply, click the Apply Now button at the top or bottom of this page. After you click Apply Now and complete your application, you'll be invited to creat...
The position is described below. If you want to apply, click the Apply Now button at the top or bottom of this page. After you click Apply Now and complete your application, you'll be invited to creat...
The position is described below. If you want to apply, click the Apply Now button at the top or bottom of this page. After you click Apply Now and complete your application, you'll be invited to creat...
The position is described below. If you want to apply, click the Apply Now button at the top or bottom of this page. After you click Apply Now and complete your application, you'll be invited to creat...
The position is described below. If you want to apply, click the Apply Now button at the top or bottom of this page. After you click Apply Now and complete your application, you'll be invited to creat...
The position is described below. If you want to apply, click the Apply Now button at the top or bottom of this page. After you click Apply Now and complete your application, you'll be invited to creat...
