Seeking a Director of Engineering for our client in Franksville, WI, near Racine. Our client is a leading U.S.-based manufacturer of battery connection solutions with a broad portfolio of terminal connectors, cable assemblies, tools, and custom-engineered power solutions, helping customers improve reliability, performance, and operational efficiency in mission-critical environments such as commercial vehicles, construction, industrial, material handling, agricultural, military/defense, marine, and other specialty applications.
The Director of Engineering will provide strategic leadership to the engineering team, aligning technical excellence with the company's business objectives. As a member of the leadership team, they'll partner with Sales, Operations, and Manufacturing to drive customer success and sustainable growth. The ideal candidate is a trusted, hands-on leader who builds credibility through technical expertise and fosters a culture of ownership, innovation, and continuous learning.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Lead and develop the engineering team, including project engineering, project management, application engineering, and design/drafting (SolidWorks and AutoCAD).
- Provide direction for the successful execution of engineering projects from design through completion.
- Ensure engineering solutions meet technical, quality, schedule, and budget objectives.
- Partner with Sales, Operations, Manufacturing, Quality, and executive leadership to support complex customer opportunities and business initiatives.
- Provide technical leadership for complex system designs, project challenges, and engineering decisions.
- Drive continuous improvement through standardized processes, innovation, and operational excellence.
- Apply Lean and Kaizen methods practically to reduce scrap, improve first-time yield, and increase process capability, matching analytical rigor to the size and risk of the problem.
- Develop future engineering leaders through coaching, mentoring, performance management, and succession planning.
- Identify and mitigate technical, operational, and commercial risks across the project portfolio.
- Spend regular time on the production floor and on the equipment, setting the expectation that Engineering works with operators and technicians rather than around them.
- Own engineering's contribution to manufacturing performance, with particular focus on die casting and cable assembly: first-time yield, scrap, throughput, and process capability.
- Run a continuous cadence of small, fast improvement projects, prioritizing many incremental wins over a single large program.
- Establish tiered levels of development rigor by product risk.
- Own drawing control, revision management, and the engineering change (ECO/ECN) process end to end.
- Own the accuracy of engineering-controlled data in the ERP system, including item master, bills of material, routings, and standards.
- Reports to CEO.
Job Requirements:
- Bachelor's degree in engineering (mechanical, industrial, manufacturing, materials, electrical, or a related discipline); or equivalent practical experience..
- MUST HAVE: 8+ years of progressive engineering experience in industrial equipment, components, process systems, automation, die cast, or a related manufacturing environment, including at least 3 years leading and developing engineers.
- Proven success leading and developing engineering teams.
- Demonstrated business acumen with the ability to balance technical, operational, and financial priorities.
- Excellent communication and relationship-building skills within the organization and with external partners such as customers and vendors, with a demonstrated ability to work well with production employees.
- Proficiency with SolidWorks and AutoCAD.
Other Details:
Schedule: Monday-Friday Onsite initially. Remote Fridays after a few months.
Benefits:
- Health insurance
- Dental insurance
- 401(k), Retirement plan
- Annual 15 Percent Bonus
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