Program Manager, Ford Energy

In this high-impact functional leadership role, you will define, execute, and safeguard the post-contract product delivery pipeline within the Ford Energy Sales Organisation.

As a principal individual contributor, you will directly oversee the execution of Ford Energy's most strategic and complex deployments while establishing the standardized PMO processes, delivery playbooks, and stage-gate controls for the organisation.

Responsibilities

• Functional Leadership & Delivery Frameworks:
• Standardized Execution: Lead the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of standardized post-contract delivery processes, playbooks, and stage-gate reviews tailored for BESS projects.
• Portfolio Health: Monitor and report on key performance indicators (KPIs) for project health, delivery efficiency, and financial performance across the Ford Energy portfolio.
• Tools & Systems Architecture: Champion the adoption of advanced program management tools and tracking systems to ensure consistent execution.
• High-Stakes Project Execution:
• Direct Delivery: Take personal accountability for the execution, timeline, and commissioning of Ford Energy's largest, most complex, or high-risk utility-scale BESS installations
• Risk Mitigation: Conduct rigorous stakeholder and risk analyses to identify deployment hurdles and coordinate cross-functional interventions to unblock delivery pipelines.
• Technical & Operational Alignment: Act as the primary interface between Sales, Engineering, Finance, and external EPC (Engineering, Procurement, and Construction) contractors to ensure aligned execution.
• Stakeholder & Customer Management:
• Primary Escalation Contact: Serve as the prime operational contact and consultant for customers, utilities, and senior internal leadership during project deployment.
• Contractual Coordination: Navigate and resolve complex contractual, scheduling, and technical coordination issues with external partners and utility representatives.
• Mentorship: Provide functional guidance, mentorship, and support to other project specialists and engineers across the organisation.

Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Business Administration, Construction Management, a related technical field, or equivalent.
• Experience: 10+ years of program management, project delivery, or PMO experience, with a proven track record of executing large-scale utility, infrastructure, or energy projects.
• Execution Expertise: 3+ years of experience directly managing, building, and mentoring high-performing project management teams.
• Execution Expertise: Strong background in post-contract execution, EPC (Engineering, Procurement, and Construction) workflows, contract management, and utility-scale deployments.
• Leadership Capability: Proven ability to lead, influence, and drive consensus across matrixed, cross-functional engineering and business teams without direct authority.

Preferred

• Master's degree or MBA.
• PMP (Project Management Professional) or PMP (Program Management Professional) certification.
• Deep domain knowledge of BESS, grid-scale power systems, or renewable energy project lifecycles.

Leadership Attributes

• Operational Leader: Able to establish and execute standardized project delivery frameworks and PMO guidelines, ensuring operational readiness for complex deployments
• Collaborative Facilitator: Skilled at bridging gaps and building operational consensus between Sales, Engineering, Finance, and external partners to drive aligned execution
• Execution Champion: Maintains a hands-on, relentless focus on delivery timelines, quality, and project financials, ensuring our most complex commitments to customers are met successfully
• Functional Mentor: Passionate about mentoring and elevating project delivery capabilities across the organisation, with the readiness to foster a collaborative team culture as the function grows.

Location & Travel

• Location: Dearborn, MI. Palo Alto, CA, or Glendale, KY. This position operates on a hybrid model, requiring regular onsite presence to collaborate with engineering, sales, and manufacturing leadership.
• Travel Expectations: Moderate domestic travel to project sites, customer offices, and supplier locations as needed to oversee critical execution milestones.

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.