Manager, SW/IP Licensing
Ford Motor Company
full-time
Posted on:
Location Type: Hybrid
Location: Dearborn • California • Missouri • United States
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Salary
💰 $112,680 - $212,760 per year
About the role
- Lead the commercial transformation toward Software Defined Vehicle (SDV) architectures, ensuring software modularity and reusability are reflected in contract structures
- Own and lead sourcing strategy for in‑vehicle and embedded software categories, aligned to Ford’s technical roadmaps and long‑term business priorities
- Act as the primary commercial owner for strategic software suppliers, accountable for relationship health, performance, cost, and risk
- Partner with engineering, product, legal, and finance leaders to shape make/buy decisions, supplier selection, and contract strategy
- Drive end‑to‑end commercial execution, including licensing purchases, renewals, change management, cost governance, and supplier performance reviews
- Develop and maintain total cost of ownership (TCO) models, benchmarks, and market intelligence to support executive‑level decisions
- Conduct 'should-cost' analysis and technical benchmarking to validate supplier pricing models for complex software development (Agile/Scrum-based delivery)
- Lead complex negotiations across licensing, development, supply, and services agreements, balancing cost, flexibility, IP protection, and long‑term partnership value
- Design and synthesize supplier, market, and industry research to anticipate risks, identify opportunities, and inform strategy
- Establish and evolve supplier performance frameworks to support future sourcing and investment decisions
- Identify and execute sourcing alternatives to improve cost efficiency, resilience, and scalability across the software supply chain
- Drive continuous improvement of software sourcing and licensing processes across global, cross‑functional teams
- Represent software sourcing perspectives in senior leadership discussions, influencing outcomes beyond direct reporting lines
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience
- 7+ years of experience in software sourcing, supply chain, commodity management, software product management, or software engineering within automotive, electronics, or consumer technology environments
- 5+ years of experience owning software licensing purchases and renewals for production programs
- 5+ years of demonstrated success leading strategic sourcing initiatives, financial analysis, and complex contract negotiations
- Strong working knowledge of software commercial models, legal frameworks, and supplier ecosystems
- Ability to influence and align senior and executive stakeholders across engineering, legal, finance, manufacturing, and product organizations
- Strong analytical skills with the ability to translate data, market signals, and ambiguity into clear recommendations
- Excellent communication and negotiation skills, with a track record of navigating high‑stakes, cross‑company decisions
- Must be comfortable operating with limited structure and evolving priorities.
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.
Applicant Tracking System Keywords
Tip: use these terms in your resume and cover letter to boost ATS matches.
Hard Skills & Tools
software sourcingsoftware licensingfinancial analysiscontract negotiationstotal cost of ownership (TCO) modelsshould-cost analysistechnical benchmarkingAgileScrum
Soft Skills
influencing stakeholdersanalytical skillscommunication skillsnegotiation skillscross-functional collaborationstrategic thinkingrelationship managementproblem-solvingadaptability
Certifications
Bachelor’s degree