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IMG Portfolio Strategy and Planning Manager - Job Opportunity at Ford Motor Company

Richmond, Australia
Full-time
Senior
Posted: May 24, 2025
Hybrid
AUD 140,000 - 170,000 annually based on senior management level responsibilities, Ford's market position as a major automotive OEM, Richmond location market rates, and the strategic importance of international market portfolio management requiring extensive cross-regional coordination and P&L impact.

Benefits

Comprehensive parental leave package providing work-life balance security for growing families
Paid volunteer days demonstrating corporate social responsibility commitment and employee development
Complimentary vehicle plus additional discounted lease options providing significant transportation cost savings
Flexible hybrid work arrangements enhancing work-life integration and productivity
Access to multiple Employee Resource Groups fostering inclusion and professional networking
External and internal training programs for continuous skill development and career advancement
Comprehensive Employee Assistance Program supporting mental health and personal wellbeing
Wellness programs including preventive health services and regular health monitoring
Gender equality workplace recognition ensuring fair advancement opportunities

Key Responsibilities

Drive strategic alignment between regional IMG markets and global Ford product planning, directly influencing multi-billion dollar product decisions across 180+ international markets
Define and execute profitability strategies for diverse regional portfolios spanning Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific, and ASEAN markets, directly impacting Ford's international revenue streams
Lead development of cost-effective product portfolios designed to maximize market penetration and profitability across culturally and economically diverse regions
Spearhead cross-market trade opportunity analysis and manufacturing footprint optimization, potentially generating millions in operational efficiency gains
Architect comprehensive powertrain strategies that balance regional regulatory requirements with global manufacturing efficiency and cost optimization
Orchestrate integration of regional market requirements into Ford's global Cycle Plan, ensuring international market needs influence core product development decisions
Anticipate and develop compliance strategies for emerging international regulations, protecting Ford's market access and avoiding costly regulatory penalties
Define region-specific powertrain requirements addressing unique market factors including fuel infrastructure, emissions standards, and local taxation structures
Conduct comprehensive market intelligence operations analyzing customer behavior, competitive positioning, and technology trends across multiple international markets
Identify and develop innovative revenue streams beyond traditional vehicle sales, including strategic partnerships, aftermarket services, and emerging mobility solutions
Translate complex regional market insights into actionable global product requirements, ensuring international customer needs drive product innovation
Lead critical program milestone delivery and support cross-functional workstreams for international vehicle programs, directly impacting product launch success

Requirements

Education

Master's level degree in Engineering and/or Business

Experience

Demonstrated prior experience in relevant fields such as Cycle Planning, Strategy, Finance, Planning, Program Management, or Product Marketing

Required Skills

Strategic planning and advanced program development Building strong working relationships and collaborating effectively across diverse teams and time zones Working with peers, cross-functionally, internationally, and with senior leadership Exceptional analytical, communication, and presentation skills Excellent leadership, mentoring, and coaching abilities Experience leading a team
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Industry Trends

The automotive industry is experiencing unprecedented transformation driven by electrification mandates, with governments across Asia Pacific, Middle East, and Africa implementing aggressive EV adoption targets and ICE phase-out timelines. This creates complex regulatory navigation challenges for global OEMs managing diverse market requirements simultaneously. International automotive markets are increasingly demanding localized digital services and connectivity features, requiring sophisticated market-specific technology integration strategies. This trend is particularly pronounced in emerging markets where mobile-first digital ecosystems dominate consumer behavior. Supply chain regionalization and manufacturing footprint optimization have become critical strategic imperatives following global disruptions, with automotive companies prioritizing regional production capabilities and cross-market manufacturing flexibility to ensure market resilience. Emerging markets in Asia Pacific and Africa are experiencing rapid urbanization and rising disposable income, creating significant opportunities for automotive expansion while requiring nuanced understanding of local consumer preferences, infrastructure limitations, and regulatory environments.

Role Significance

Direct management of 2 team members with extensive matrix management responsibilities across global cross-functional teams, requiring coordination with international stakeholders across multiple time zones and cultural contexts. The role serves as a key interface between regional market needs and global product planning organizations.
Senior management position with significant strategic influence over Ford's international market portfolio, directly reporting to senior leadership and managing both individual contributors and cross-functional relationships. The role carries substantial P&L responsibility and strategic decision-making authority affecting Ford's global product development and market positioning.

Key Projects

Leading comprehensive market entry strategies for new Ford vehicles across multiple international markets, including regulatory compliance planning, pricing strategy development, and local partnership establishment Developing and executing cross-market manufacturing optimization initiatives that could involve multi-million dollar facility investments and supply chain restructuring decisions Managing portfolio rationalization projects that determine which Ford vehicles enter specific markets based on profitability analysis, competitive positioning, and regulatory feasibility assessments

Success Factors

Deep understanding of international automotive regulatory landscapes and ability to anticipate regulatory changes across multiple markets simultaneously, enabling proactive compliance strategy development and avoiding costly market access restrictions. Strong financial acumen combined with strategic thinking capabilities to balance short-term profitability requirements with long-term market development investments, particularly in emerging markets with extended payback periods. Exceptional cross-cultural communication and stakeholder management skills to effectively coordinate between global product development teams and regional market requirements, ensuring successful product launches and market penetration. Advanced analytical capabilities to synthesize complex market data, competitive intelligence, and technology trends into actionable strategic recommendations that influence multi-billion dollar product development decisions.

Market Demand

High demand driven by automotive industry's global expansion focus, increasing complexity of international regulatory environments, and critical need for strategic portfolio management expertise across emerging markets with significant growth potential.

Important Skills

Critical Skills

Strategic portfolio management expertise is absolutely essential as this role directly determines which products enter specific international markets and how they are positioned for profitability, requiring sophisticated understanding of market dynamics, competitive positioning, and financial modeling across diverse economic environments. Cross-cultural stakeholder management capabilities are critical for success given the need to coordinate between global product development teams and regional market requirements across multiple time zones, languages, and business cultures while maintaining alignment with Ford's global strategic objectives. Regulatory analysis and compliance strategy development skills are fundamental to the role's success, as emerging international markets present complex and rapidly evolving regulatory environments that can significantly impact market access, product viability, and profitability projections. Financial analysis and business case development expertise is crucial for evaluating cross-market opportunities, manufacturing footprint optimization, and portfolio investment decisions that involve substantial capital commitments and long-term strategic implications for Ford's international expansion.

Beneficial Skills

Advanced data analytics and market research capabilities would enhance the role's effectiveness in synthesizing complex market intelligence across multiple international regions and translating insights into actionable strategic recommendations for global product development teams. Digital transformation and connectivity strategy knowledge would provide significant advantage given the increasing importance of localized digital services and technology integration requirements in emerging automotive markets, particularly in mobile-first economies across Asia Pacific and Africa. Supply chain and manufacturing operations understanding would strengthen the role's contribution to cross-market trade opportunity evaluation and manufacturing footprint optimization initiatives that represent significant value creation opportunities for Ford's international operations.

Unique Aspects

This role offers rare opportunity to directly influence Ford's product strategy across some of the world's most dynamic and fastest-growing automotive markets, including emerging economies with significant expansion potential and complex regulatory environments requiring sophisticated strategic navigation.
The position provides exceptional exposure to global automotive industry transformation, including electrification strategies, regulatory compliance across diverse international markets, and innovative business model development beyond traditional vehicle sales in rapidly evolving mobility ecosystems.
Working within Ford's Australian engineering hub offers unique perspective on global product development processes, particularly for commercial vehicles that achieve international success, while maintaining direct strategic influence over multi-billion dollar product portfolio decisions.
The role combines strategic planning with hands-on program management, offering comprehensive experience in both high-level strategic thinking and detailed execution across international markets with diverse cultural, economic, and regulatory characteristics.

Career Growth

3-5 years to senior director level with demonstrated success in portfolio growth and profitability improvement, 5-7 years to regional general manager or global product planning leadership roles with continued strong performance and additional international experience.

Potential Next Roles

IMG Portfolio Strategy Senior Manager or Director level roles with expanded regional responsibility and larger team management scope Global Product Planning leadership positions overseeing worldwide vehicle portfolio strategy and development priorities Regional General Manager roles in key international markets with full P&L responsibility and market development authority Strategic planning or business development director positions at other major automotive OEMs or mobility companies

Company Overview

Ford Motor Company

Ford Motor Company represents one of the world's most established automotive manufacturers with over 100 years of Australian presence and significant global influence. As Australia's largest automotive OEM employer with 1,500 local employees, Ford maintains substantial engineering and design capabilities, particularly excelling in commercial vehicle development including the globally successful Ranger and Everest platforms sold in 180+ markets worldwide.

Ford holds a strong competitive position in international commercial vehicle markets and maintains significant engineering expertise in Australia that influences global product development. The company's strategic focus on international market growth, particularly in emerging economies, positions it well for capitalizing on global automotive market expansion trends.
Ford Australia serves as a critical global development hub with substantial influence over international product strategy, particularly for commercial vehicles and emerging market applications. The Richmond National Sales Company location represents the central command center for Ford's commercial and customer engagement activities across the Asia Pacific region.
Ford Australia demonstrates strong commitment to diversity and inclusion through WGEA recognition and multiple employee resource groups, while maintaining a performance-driven culture focused on innovation and global collaboration. The hybrid work arrangements and comprehensive benefits package reflect modern workplace expectations while supporting the intensive cross-regional coordination required for international business success.
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