SAP Functional Product Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: SAP Functional Product Designer

Company: Ford

Location: Dearborn, Michigan, United States

Job Type: FULL_TIME

Category: Operations Technology / SAP Specialization

Date Posted: July 24, 2026

Experience Level: 10+ Years

Remote Status: Hybrid (4 days onsite required)

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead the critical modernization initiative of the Vehicle Invoicing and Drafting (VI&D) application, transitioning from a legacy Mainframe/COBOL system to SAP S4 HANA.

• Provide expert functional design and technical leadership within SAP S4 HANA Sales and Distribution (SD) and Vehicle Management System (VMS) modules, ensuring seamless integration and optimized processes.

• Collaborate closely with system integrators to validate solution designs, oversee build and testing phases, and manage the hyper-care and long-term support of the modernized application.

• Drive efficient and compliant SAP customizations by creating and updating functional specifications, guiding technical teams, and ensuring adherence to Ford's coding and security standards.

• Act as a key technical liaison, bridging the gap between legacy mainframe systems and cutting-edge SAP/S4 HANA technology, and engaging effectively with internal teams and external partners.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a senior-level SAP Functional Product Designer, focusing on a significant application modernization project. The emphasis on technical leadership, system integrator validation, and bridging legacy with modern SAP solutions indicates a strategic operational technology role critical for business process continuity and future scalability within Ford's Enterprise Technology division.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Spearhead the SAP modernization of the Vehicle Invoicing and Drafting (VI&D) application, leveraging deep expertise in SAP S4 HANA SD and VMS, including relevant tax knowledge.

• Guide the end-to-end transition to SAP, encompassing validation of system integrator solutions (design, build, test, deploy), managing the hyper-care phase, and facilitating ongoing support, enhancements, and upgrades.

• Seamlessly integrate into the existing Global Team, actively shaping the application's modernization roadmap and contributing to strategic technology decisions.

• Maintain meticulous and accurate system documentation, strictly adhering to Ford's established Systems coding and security standards and internal controls.

• Facilitate productive technical discussions within the application team, across other iERP PDOs (Product Development Organization), and with all interfacing applications to ensure cohesive system architecture.

• Navigate complex and novel SAP technical challenges, devising creative and effective solutions to overcome obstacles and drive project success.

• Bridge the technical gap between legacy Mainframe Systems and SAP/S4 HANA leading-edge technology, ensuring a smooth and integrated transition.

• Analyze intricate problems and identify critical gaps, developing or recommending the most viable and efficient SAP solutions aligned with business objectives.

• Demonstrate superior capability in analyzing complex business requirements, accurately documenting/updating Functional Specifications, and effectively guiding Technical Teams in SAP Customizations.

• Provide strong functional support for SAP upgrades, ongoing maintenance, and support activities for the Sales and Distribution (SD) and SAP Vehicle Management System (VMS) modules.

• Build and maintain strong relationships quickly with cross-functional stakeholders, including Software Engineers, Product Owners, and business partners.

• Develop robust technical solutions, lead, and mentor small teams through complex technical situations, showcasing solid technical leadership abilities.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of strategic oversight, technical expertise, and hands-on guidance. The focus on system integrator management, legacy modernization, and bridging technical gaps suggests this role requires not only deep SAP knowledge but also strong project management and communication skills to navigate complex transformation projects within a large enterprise like Ford.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor of Computer Science, Information Systems, Systems Programming, or an equivalent combination of relevant education and experience.

• Master’s degree is preferred.

• Formal SAP Training and/or SAP Certifications are advantageous. Experience:

• 10+ years of progressive IT experience.

• 7+ years of specialized functional experience with SAP/S4 HANA, specifically in SAP SD (Sales & Distribution) and SAP VMS (Vehicle Management System), with a proven ability to modernize complex legacy applications.

• 5+ years of comprehensive experience in designing, analyzing requirements, documenting functional specifications, integration testing, implementing, troubleshooting (within SLA Guidelines), and deploying SAP ERP solutions for sales and business transactions, including Pricing, Billing, and Customer Service functions.

• 5+ years of experience working within the Agile Methodology or the PDO (Product Development Organization) Framework.

• Experience with COBOL or other large, complex legacy applications is highly desirable.

• Experience within the automotive or OEM domains, or a similar industry, is a significant plus. Required Skills:

• Deep functional expertise in SAP S4 HANA Sales and Distribution (SD) and SAP Vehicle Management System (VMS).

• Proven ability to lead and guide SAP modernization projects, especially transitioning from legacy systems.

• Strong technical leadership capabilities, including the ability to mentor and guide technical teams.

• Expertise in requirements analysis, functional specification documentation, and guiding SAP customizations.

• Proficiency in integration testing and troubleshooting SAP solutions.

• Experience with Agile methodologies and the PDO Framework.

• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills for complex technical and business challenges.

• Ability to build strong relationships and collaborate effectively with diverse stakeholders. Preferred Skills:

• Formal SAP Certifications in SD, VMS, or S4 HANA.

• Extensive experience with large, complex global SAP implementations from inception to support.

• Experience with COBOL or other legacy system modernization efforts.

• Knowledge of automotive industry processes and the vehicle lifecycle.

• Superior documentation and communication skills, both verbal and written.

• Strong ability to facilitate requirements gathering sessions with business partners and Product Owners.

• A proactive, independent, and highly analytical problem-solver with a strong initiative.

• Demonstrated ability to learn and adapt to a wide variety of advanced technologies quickly.

• Experience with Jira and other Agile project management tools.

• Creative thinking and ability to propose out-of-the-box solutions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The required experience levels for SAP SD/VMS and the specific lifecycle of SAP solution implementation (design, build, test, deploy, support) are critical indicators of the seniority and depth of functional knowledge expected. The preference for legacy system experience (COBOL) and automotive domain knowledge directly ties into the modernization project context.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase detailed case studies demonstrating successful modernization of complex legacy applications to SAP S4 HANA, focusing on process re-engineering and efficiency gains.

• Provide examples of comprehensive functional specifications developed for SAP SD and VMS modules, highlighting how they addressed intricate business requirements and guided technical development.

• Include documentation of integration testing strategies and outcomes, specifically for cross-system dependencies and data flow between legacy and SAP environments.

• Present evidence of contributions to SAP upgrade or implementation projects, detailing your role in design validation, testing, and deployment phases.

• Demonstrate experience in documenting and adhering to coding and security standards within a large enterprise IT environment. Process Documentation:

• Evidence of creating and maintaining detailed process documentation for SAP SD and VMS functionalities, including workflow design and optimization.

• Examples of process improvement initiatives undertaken, detailing the methodology used, the implemented changes, and the resulting efficiency or ROI.

• Documentation of system support and maintenance activities, illustrating problem-solving approaches and adherence to SLA guidelines for critical business applications.

• Showcase experience in translating complex business requirements into actionable functional specifications that effectively guide technical teams.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a role heavily involved in modernization and system integration, a portfolio demonstrating the ability to document complex processes, design functional specifications, and manage the lifecycle of SAP solutions (especially in a transformation context) will be paramount. Highlighting experience with legacy systems and their integration with SAP is a key differentiator.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $86,600 - $166,200 annually. The final salary grade (7 or 8) and placement within this range will be determined by the candidate's skills, experience, job scope, responsibility, and competitive market value.

Benefits:

• Comprehensive health coverage including immediate medical, dental, vision, and prescription drug plans.

• Supportive family care benefits: flexible family care days, paid parental leave, new parent ramp-up programs, and subsidized back-up childcare.

• Family building support: adoption and surrogacy expense reimbursement, fertility treatments.

• Employee vehicle programs: vehicle discount program for employees and family members, and management leases.

• Investment in professional development: tuition assistance.

• Strong community and employee engagement: established and active employee resource groups.

• Opportunities for civic engagement: paid time off for individual and team community service.

• Generous paid time off: a schedule of paid holidays, including the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day, and paid vacation time with an option to purchase additional days.

Working Hours: Standard 40 hours per week. This is a hybrid position requiring a four-day onsite presence each week in Dearborn, MI.

📝 Enhancement Note: The provided salary range is specific and competitive for a senior-level SAP Functional Product Designer role in the automotive industry in the US. The extensive list of benefits reflects Ford's commitment to employee well-being and work-life balance, which are attractive to experienced professionals. The hybrid work arrangement with a mandatory four-day onsite presence is a key detail for candidates assessing their work preferences.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Automotive Manufacturing & Mobility Solutions. Ford is a global leader with a rich history of innovation, actively transforming its business towards future mobility, electrification, and digital services. This context means operations and technology roles are at the forefront of significant business change.

Company Size: Large Enterprise (Ford Motor Company is a Fortune 500 company with tens of thousands of employees globally). This scale implies complex processes, robust IT infrastructure, and significant opportunities for impact and career development within established frameworks.

Founded: 1903. With over a century of history, Ford combines a legacy of engineering excellence with a forward-looking approach to technology and innovation. This blend suggests a culture that respects tradition while driving necessary evolution.

Team Structure:

• The Enterprise Technology division is responsible for all IT operations. This specific role is within the iERP (Integrated Global Product Development) Product Development Organization (PDO), focusing on the Vehicle Invoicing and Drafting (VI&D) application modernization.

• The team likely comprises a mix of internal Ford IT professionals, system integrators, and potentially external consultants, working collaboratively on the SAP S4 HANA transformation.

• Reporting structure is expected to be within a functional or project-based hierarchy, with close collaboration with Product Owners and business stakeholders. Methodology:

• The project is employing Agile Methodology and likely follows Ford's PDO Framework for product development and lifecycle management.

• Emphasis is placed on data-driven decision-making, rigorous testing, and continuous improvement cycles for application development and support.

• Collaboration is key, with a focus on bridging legacy systems with modern SAP solutions and ensuring seamless integration across various enterprise applications.

Company Website: https://www.ford.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: Ford's status as a legacy automotive giant undergoing digital transformation is crucial context. Roles in Enterprise Technology, especially those involving SAP modernization, are central to this shift. The mention of "iERP PDOs" and "Agile Methodology" points to a structured, yet adaptable, approach to technology development and management within the company.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This position is classified as a Grade 7 or 8, indicating a Senior to Principal level within Ford's IT structure. It requires significant independent contribution, technical leadership, and the ability to guide complex projects and teams. The role is pivotal in a major application modernization effort, offering substantial strategic and technical exposure.

Reporting Structure: The SAP Functional Product Designer will likely report to an IT Manager or Director within the Enterprise Technology organization, specifically within the iERP PDO responsible for the VI&D application. They will work closely with Product Owners, Solution Architects, and System Integrator leads.

Operations Impact: This role has a direct and significant impact on Ford's core business operations, particularly in vehicle sales, invoicing, and financial transactions. By modernizing the VI&D application, the designer contributes to improved efficiency, accuracy, compliance, and scalability of critical business processes, directly influencing revenue generation and operational cost management.

Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization & Leadership: Deepen expertise in SAP S4 HANA SD/VMS and application modernization, potentially leading larger transformation initiatives or managing teams of functional consultants.

• Cross-Functional Exposure: Gain broader experience by working on other iERP PDO projects or collaborating with different business units within Ford, understanding diverse operational challenges.

• Technical Advancement: Develop skills in emerging technologies and methodologies relevant to SAP and enterprise systems, potentially moving into Solution Architecture or Enterprise Architecture roles.

• Mentorship & Training: Leverage leadership capabilities to mentor junior team members and contribute to knowledge sharing, fostering a culture of continuous learning and development within the SAP practice.

📝 Enhancement Note: The grade level and responsibilities clearly position this as a senior individual contributor role with strong leadership potential. The opportunity to shape a critical modernization project provides significant visibility and a platform for career advancement within Ford's extensive IT landscape.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid work model, requiring a minimum of four days per week onsite at the Dearborn, MI facility. This setup balances the flexibility of remote work with the collaborative benefits of in-person interaction essential for complex technical projects.

Office Location(s): Dearborn, Michigan, United States. This is Ford's global headquarters, a hub for engineering, technology, and corporate functions, offering a dynamic and collaborative environment.

Workspace Context:

• The work environment is expected to be collaborative, involving close interaction with internal IT teams, system integrators, and business stakeholders.

• Access to modern IT infrastructure, development tools, and SAP environments will be standard for facilitating design, development, and testing activities.

• Opportunities for direct engagement with Product Owners and technical leads will be frequent, fostering a dynamic problem-solving atmosphere.

Work Schedule: Standard 40-hour work week. While flexibility is inherent in hybrid roles, the demands of a critical application modernization project may occasionally require extended hours or focused work sprints, especially during key project phases like hyper-care or major deployments.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid nature with a strong onsite requirement indicates Ford's preference for in-person collaboration on critical initiatives, particularly during the modernization phase. Dearborn as a location places the role at the heart of Ford's global operations and technological development.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: HR or recruiter screen to assess basic qualifications, experience alignment, and salary expectations.

• Hiring Manager Interview: In-depth discussion about your SAP expertise (S4 HANA SD/VMS), leadership experience, and approach to application modernization. Expect questions about your experience with legacy system transitions.

• Technical Assessment/Panel Interview: This may involve a technical deep-dive, problem-solving scenarios related to SAP design, or a presentation of your portfolio focusing on relevant case studies. You'll likely meet with peers, potential team members, and senior technical leaders.

• Stakeholder Interview: Conversation with Product Owners or key business partners to evaluate your ability to understand business requirements, communicate effectively, and build relationships.

• Final Interview: Potentially with a senior leader to assess overall fit, strategic thinking, and long-term potential.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Modernization Case Study: Select 1-2 projects that showcase your role in modernizing legacy systems, ideally transitioning to SAP. Detail the challenges, your specific contributions (design, specification, integration), the solutions implemented, and quantifiable outcomes (efficiency, cost savings, improved processes).

• SAP SD/VMS Expertise: Provide examples of complex functional specifications you've authored for SD and VMS modules, demonstrating your understanding of pricing, billing, customer service, and vehicle management processes. Highlight your ability to translate business needs into technical requirements.

• Technical Leadership: Include examples where you led or guided technical teams through complex implementations or troubleshooting scenarios. Emphasize your problem-solving approach and ability to drive solutions.

• Agile/PDO Experience: If applicable, showcase how you’ve operated within Agile or PDO frameworks, demonstrating your understanding of their principles and application in project delivery.

• Clarity and Conciseness: Ensure your portfolio is well-organized, easy to navigate, and clearly articulates your impact and contributions. Focus on demonstrating how you solve problems and deliver value.

Challenge Preparation:

• SAP Design Scenarios: Be prepared for hypothetical scenarios where you need to design a solution within SAP SD/VMS to meet a specific business requirement, or troubleshoot a complex issue. Think about process flows, master data, configuration, and integration points.

• Legacy to SAP Transition: Anticipate questions about the challenges and strategies involved in migrating from Mainframe/COBOL systems to SAP S4 HANA. Discuss data migration, process mapping, change management, and integration strategies.

• Stakeholder Management: Practice articulating technical concepts to non-technical audiences and explain how you would manage differing opinions or priorities among business partners and technical teams.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on a portfolio review and potential technical challenges underscores the hands-on, expert nature of this role. Candidates should prepare to demonstrate not just theoretical knowledge, but practical application of their SAP expertise in complex transformation scenarios.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• SAP S4 HANA: The core ERP system. Expertise in its SD and VMS modules is paramount.

• SAP ECC (potentially): Understanding of the predecessor system may be beneficial for legacy integration context.

• Mainframe/COBOL (Exposure): Familiarity with legacy systems is crucial for understanding the existing VI&D application and planning its modernization.

• Jira: Widely used for Agile project management, task tracking, and workflow management.

• SAP Solution Manager: Often used for application lifecycle management, including documentation, testing, and change management.

Analytics & Reporting:

• SAP Reporting Tools: Standard SAP reporting capabilities within SD and VMS.

• Business Intelligence Tools (e.g., SAP BW, Tableau, Power BI): While not explicitly mentioned, experience with BI tools for analyzing SAP data and operational metrics would be advantageous.

• Data Analysis Techniques: Ability to analyze operational data from SAP to identify trends, inefficiencies, and areas for improvement.

CRM & Automation:

• SAP CRM (potentially): Understanding of SAP's CRM capabilities if integrated with SD processes.

• Workflow Automation Tools: Experience with SAP workflow or other enterprise automation tools for streamlining business processes.

• Integration Platforms (e.g., SAP PI/PO, MuleSoft): Familiarity with how SAP integrates with other enterprise systems.

📝 Enhancement Note: The primary focus is clearly on SAP S4 HANA SD/VMS. However, understanding the context of legacy systems (Mainframe/COBOL) and the tools used in Agile development (Jira) and broader enterprise integration is essential for this modernization role.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Customer Focus: Driving technology solutions that enhance the vehicle ownership experience and streamline business operations for Ford customers and internal partners.

• Innovation: Embracing new technologies and methodologies to transform legacy systems and build future-ready solutions.

• Collaboration: Working effectively across diverse teams, including internal IT, system integrators, and business stakeholders, to achieve common goals.

• Integrity and Controls: Adhering to stringent security standards, coding guidelines, and compliance requirements, ensuring the reliability and security of critical business applications.

• Efficiency: Continuously seeking ways to optimize processes, automate tasks, and improve the overall performance and cost-effectiveness of SAP solutions.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: Actively engaging with business partners, Product Owners, and other IT teams to ensure SAP solutions align with strategic objectives and operational needs.

• Open Communication: Fostering an environment of transparent communication, where technical challenges and solutions are discussed openly and constructively.

• Knowledge Sharing: A willingness to mentor junior team members, share expertise, and contribute to a collective understanding of SAP best practices and system intricacies.

• Agile Mindset: Embracing iterative development, feedback loops, and continuous improvement as core tenets of collaboration.

📝 Enhancement Note: Ford's culture likely emphasizes a blend of traditional automotive engineering discipline with modern IT development practices. The values highlight a commitment to robust, secure, and efficient operations, driven by technological innovation and strong teamwork, especially critical during large-scale transformations.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Legacy System Modernization: Transitioning a critical, complex Mainframe/COBOL application (VI&D) to SAP S4 HANA presents significant technical and organizational challenges, requiring careful planning, execution, and risk management.

• System Integrator Management: Effectively guiding and validating the work of a consulting firm/system integrator requires strong oversight, clear communication, and precise definition of requirements and quality standards.

• Bridging Technical Gaps: Ensuring seamless integration and data flow between legacy systems and the new SAP S4 HANA environment demands deep technical understanding and creative problem-solving.

• Navigating Enterprise Complexity: Working within a large, established organization like Ford involves understanding complex hierarchies, established processes, and diverse stakeholder needs, which can be challenging but also rewarding.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• SAP S4 HANA Expertise: Deepen advanced functional knowledge in SAP SD and VMS, and gain experience with the latest S4 HANA capabilities and best practices.

• Modernization Methodologies: Develop expertise in leading large-scale application modernization projects, including Agile transformation and system integrator collaboration.

• Automotive Industry Insights: Gain a deeper understanding of the automotive value chain, vehicle lifecycle, and the role of technology in driving business strategy within the industry.

• Leadership Development: Hone technical leadership skills through guiding teams, mentoring junior colleagues, and contributing to strategic decision-making on critical IT projects.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are inherent to large-scale enterprise transformation projects. The growth opportunities are substantial, positioning this role as a significant stepping stone for experienced SAP professionals looking to lead impactful initiatives in a major industry player.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• Modernization Strategy: "Describe your approach to modernizing a complex legacy application like VI&D from Mainframe/COBOL to SAP S4 HANA. What are the key risks, and how would you mitigate them?"

• System Integrator Collaboration: "How do you ensure a system integrator delivers a high-quality solution that meets business requirements and aligns with company standards? What is your role in validating their design and build?"

• Functional Solution Design: "Walk us through how you would design an SAP S4 HANA solution for a complex sales process involving international pricing and tax implications for automotive sales."

• Bridging Legacy & SAP: "What are the primary challenges in integrating legacy systems with SAP S4 HANA, and what strategies have you employed to ensure data integrity and seamless process flow?"

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about Ford's digital transformation journey, particularly in the automotive sector?"

• "How do you approach building relationships and collaborating with diverse teams, including system integrators and business partners?"

• "Describe a time you had to adhere to strict security or coding standards. How did you ensure compliance in your work?"

• "How do you handle ambiguity or rapidly changing requirements in a project environment?" Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Focus on Impact: For each case study, clearly articulate the business problem, your specific role and contributions, the solution implemented, and the measurable business outcomes (e.g., process efficiency, cost savings, risk reduction).

• Technical Depth: Be prepared to dive deep into the functional design of your SAP solutions, explaining configuration choices, master data considerations, and integration points.

• Leadership Demonstration: Highlight instances where you led technical discussions, guided teams, or influenced project direction.

• Problem-Solving Narrative: Structure your presentations around challenges faced and how you creatively and effectively solved them using your SAP expertise.

• Tailor to Ford: If possible, subtly align your examples with the automotive industry or large-scale enterprise IT challenges.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating not only deep SAP SD/VMS expertise but also strong leadership, strategic thinking, and proven experience in complex modernization projects and stakeholder management within a large enterprise.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this operations technology position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on the Ford Careers portal.

• Tailor your resume: Highlight your extensive experience with SAP S4 HANA SD/VMS, legacy system modernization (especially Mainframe/COBOL), technical leadership, and Agile methodologies. Quantify achievements wherever possible.

• Prepare your portfolio: Curate concise case studies focusing on SAP modernization projects, functional design documentation (especially for SD/VMS), and examples of your technical leadership. Be ready to present these during the interview process.

• Research Ford's initiatives: Understand Ford's current technological direction, their focus on mobility, and any publicly available information about their SAP landscape or digital transformation efforts.

• Practice interview questions: Prepare detailed responses to strategy, technical, and behavioral questions, focusing on demonstrating your problem-solving skills, leadership capabilities, and fit with Ford's culture and values.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.