Manager - API Security

We are seeking a dedicated technical and people leader to join our Product Cybersecurity organisation as the Manager of the API Security team.

This is a unique opportunity to lead a specialised team responsible for defining the security architecture, standards, and strategy for APIs connecting Ford's vehicle, application, cloud, and partner ecosystems.

You will help engineering teams build secure services through practical authentication and authorisation patterns, clear security requirements, and scalable review and exception processes.

Reporting to the Director of Offboard Cybersecurity Architecture & Strategy, you will develop your team, strengthen cross-functional partnerships, and drive measurable improvements in API security across Ford's connected products and services.

Responsibilities

• Mentor, develop, and lead a high-performing team of API cybersecurity architects and engineers, establishing clear expectations, providing regular coaching and performance feedback, and fostering a collaborative culture of ownership and accountability.
• Define and execute the API cybersecurity roadmap, aligning team priorities, capacity, and commitments with Ford's connected-product strategy, business needs, and the broader Offboard Cybersecurity mission.
• Own and maintain API security standards and implementation guidance for authentication, authorisation, token protection, secure communications, and third-party integrations.
• Lead risk-based security architecture reviews for API integrations, engaging product and platform teams before design freeze to establish clear requirements and address security gaps early.
• Guide threat modelling and technical risk assessments for critical API use cases.
• Own the API security exception workflow, including intake, technical assessment, recommendations, documentation, renewal, and closure.
• Drive the development and adoption of reusable API security patterns, review checklists, and developer guidance that reduce recurring vulnerabilities and the need for custom exceptions.
• Serve as the primary API cybersecurity interface for product, engineering, platform, and partner-integration teams.
• Establish meaningful metrics for review timeliness, exception trends, recurring control gaps, and adoption of approved patterns.
• Lead continuous improvement of team processes, tools, and work products, including evaluating AI-assisted reviews and automation to improve quality, consistency, efficiency, and the developer experience.
• Support Privacy, Legal, and Compliance partners with API security requirements and review evidence.
• Partner with Monitoring teams to establish an ongoing, bidirectional information exchange on API exposures, emerging attack patterns, newly approved architectural patterns, and known exceptions.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Cybersecurity, Computer Science, Software Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related field OR a combination of education and experience.
• 5+ years of experience in cybersecurity, including hands-on experience in API security, application security, or security architecture for cloud-connected services.
• Strong understanding of API authentication and authorisation, including OAuth 2.0, OpenID Connect, token security, and common API vulnerabilities.
• Experience with threat modelling, security architecture reviews, and translating identified risks into actionable requirements and mitigation recommendations.
• Experience developing security standards, architecture patterns, or technical guidance for software engineering teams.
• 3+ years of formal or informal leadership experience, including developing technical talent, guiding teams, setting priorities, and delivering cross-functional projects.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to explain complex security issues and influence technical and non-technical stakeholders.

Benefits

• Immediate medical, dental, vision, and prescription drug coverage.
• Flexible family care days, paid parental leave, new parent ramp-up programs, subsidised 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.