Colour, Material and Finishes Design Manager

Colour, Material and Finishes Design Manager Join to apply for the Colour, Material and Finishes Design Manager role at Ford Motor Company . About The Role As the Colour, Material, and Finishes (CMF) Design Manager, you will be a pivotal design leader, responsible for managing CMF Design, defining CMF product strategy, and leading a talented team to deliver new, compelling design solutions for our automotive products. You will guide your team to create, curate, and deliver CMF solutions that enhance the current automotive landscape. You will oversee all CMF applications for both the exterior and interior of our vehicles, ensuring they bring a distinct look and an elevated sensory experience to the automobile. This position reports directly to the Chief Designer and is based at the Design Studio in Broadmeadows, operating on a hybrid schedule with four days in the office. Responsibilities Strategic CMF Leadership & Delivery: Lead the creation, curation, and delivery of innovative and strategic Colour, Material, and Finish (CMF) solutions for both vehicle exteriors and interiors, guiding them from concept through to production readiness. Future-Focused CMF Strategy: Identify key opportunities for new colour and material developments by analysing future customer needs and emerging technologies, translating these insights into a comprehensive CMF strategic plan for implementation. Trend Analysis & Narrative Development: Direct the analysis of future consumer trends to identify brand-relevant CMF narratives that inform and inspire cutting-edge CMF design solutions. Conceptual Design & Innovation: Create visionary CMF concepts that embody a strong creative narrative, advanced functionality, and an innovative user experience. Executive Presentation & Collaboration: Coordinate artistic presentations to senior management, effectively communicating CMF design intent and strategy. Collaborate actively with the Global CMF Design organization on strategies and processes. Feasibility & Validation: Partner with external vendors and internal teams to translate new designs into visual samples, rigorously validating feasibility and functionality. Digital & Physical CMF Vision: Develop and maintain compelling digital and physical CMF presentations that clearly articulate a future vision of design intent. Team Leadership & Development: Build and lead a world-class CMF design team, fostering a culture of innovation and collaboration where employees can reach their full potential. Be accountable for the performance and results of direct reports, and facilitate training sessions for junior/new team members in the design process. Production & Process Excellence: Lead the mastering group, coordinating CMF decisions on final production parts. Spearhead functional process improvements that enhance efficiencies and champion overall design goals. Qualifications Experience: Minimum 10 years of industry experience, with a strong background in Colour and Material Design. Education: Bachelor's degree in interaction design, industrial design, graphic design, or a related technical field. Leadership & Mentorship: Proven ability to lead, mentor, and develop CMF design personnel. CMF Expertise: Expert knowledge of CMF design and development processes, coupled with a deep understanding of exterior/interior manufacturing processes and materials. Strategic & Creative Thinking: Demonstrated strategic and creative thinking, a clear design vision, and a high level of color acuity. Communication & Collaboration: Exceptional leadership, interpersonal, and communication skills, enabling effective interaction with diverse disciplines and levels, both internally and externally. Project & Stakeholder Management: Strong project management skills, ability to meet timing requirements, and experience managing multiple stakeholders across complex projects. Software Proficiency: Proficient in Adobe Creative Suite (e.g., Photoshop, Illustrator, VRED) and Microsoft Office Suite (e.g., PowerPoint, Excel). Personal Attributes: Self-motivated, adaptable, flexible, and capable of multi-tasking effectively. Preferred Qualifications Industry Passion: Passionate about the automotive and mobility industry, global trends, innovation, and customer needs. Corporate/Creative Culture Experience: Experience working within large, corporate and/or creative cultures. Executive Presence: Proven experience presenting to executive audiences. Global Trend Awareness: Keen interest and familiarity with design trends across various professions and global cultures (automotive, fashion, architectural, etc.). A design portfolio (pdf) must be provided upon application to be considered. Equal Opportunity Ford Australia is an inclusive employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment. If you require any support or adjustments to the recruitment process, please contact our Talent and Inclusion Lead Sarah at Applicants must be legally authorised to work in Australia. Verification of employment eligibility will be required at the time of hire. Applications close on Sunday 11 January 2026; however, please do not delay your application as interviews will commence before this date. Note: due to high application volumes we will only contact shortlisted candidates. Seniority level Mid-Senior level Employment type Full-time Job function Design, Art/Creative, and Information Technology Industries Motor Vehicle Manufacturing #J-18808-Ljbffr