Director Manufacturing & Industrial Engineering

Job Summary:

The Director of Manufacturing Engineering is the overall department leader for
Manufacturing Engineering, Industrial Engineering, and Continuous Improvement across the manufacturing organization. Reporting to the VP of Manufacturing, this role establishes and executes the strategy, standards, systems, and talent required to translate product designs into safe, repeatable, efficient, and scalable manufacturing processes.

The Director leads two integrated teams: (1) Manufacturing Engineering and
Industrial Engineering, responsible for EBOM-to-MBOM transformation, manufacturing product structures, Methods of Manufacture, routings, work instructions, plant layouts, digital twin simulations, equipment capacity models, tooling, equipment, and machinery; and (2) Continuous Improvement, responsible for Value Stream Mapping, Kaizen events, 5S, Lean manufacturing initiatives, standard work, and structured problem solving. The role partners closely with Manufacturing Operations across several value streams, Product Engineering, Quality, Supply Chain, Planning, Facilities, and EHS to improve safety, quality, delivery, cost, productivity, and manufacturing readiness while
supporting new product introductions, capacity expansion, and growth across multiple manufacturing locations.

Minimum Qualifications: (Education, Experience, Knowledge, and Skills):

• Bachelor's degree in Manufacturing Engineering, Industrial Engineering,
  Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related technical discipline. Master's degree or MBA preferred.
• Minimum of 10 years of progressive experience in manufacturing engineering,  industrial engineering, operational excellence, or manufacturing operations, including at least 5 years of leading technical teams.
• Demonstrated experience leading Manufacturing Engineering, Industrial
  Engineering, and/or Continuous Improvement functions in a complex
  manufacturing environment.
• Strong knowledge of EBOM-to-MBOM transformation, manufacturing product structures, routings, Methods of Manufacture, work instructions, configuration control, and engineering change implementation.
• Experience with plant layout, line design, capacity analysis, labor standards, material flow, simulation, tooling, equipment specification, automation, and capital project justification.
• Demonstrated application of Lean manufacturing methods, including Value Stream Mapping, Kaizen, 5S, standard work, visual management, root cause analysis, and waste reduction.
• Experience supporting new product introduction, design for manufacturability, design for assembly, and production launch readiness.
• Strong working knowledge of ERP/MRP, PLM, CAD, and manufacturing data systems. Experience with IFS or similar enterprise systems is preferred.
• Experience in multi-site, engineered-to-order, configure-to-order, or mixed-model manufacturing is preferred. Experience with fabrication, electrical equipment, switchgear, power generation equipment, or energy storage systems is a plus.
• Strong business and financial acumen, including capital planning, return-on investment analysis, productivity improvement, and cost reduction.
• Proven ability to lead organizational change, develop technical talent, influence cross-functional teams, and communicate effectively with senior leadership and shop-floor employees.
• Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt or Black Belt certification preferred.

Job Duties and Responsibilities:

• Department Leadership and Strategy
  • Provide overall leadership for the Manufacturing Engineering, Industrial Engineering, and Continuous Improvement teams.
  • Develop and execute a multi-year functional strategy aligned with
    manufacturing growth, capacity expansion, product roadmaps, and
    operational priorities.
  • Establish clear ownership, decision rights, governance, standards, staffing plans, and performance expectations for the department.
  • Prioritize department resources against the highest-impact safety, quality, delivery, cost, productivity, and growth opportunities.
  • Build a scalable technical organization that can consistently support
    existing plants, new facilities, and future value streams.
• Manufacturing Engineering
  • Own the manufacturing process from product design release through production readiness and sustained execution. • Lead EBOM-to-MBOM conversion and establish governance for manufacturing product structures, routings, operations, and manufacturing master data.
  • Develop, approve, and maintain Methods of Manufacture, standardized work instructions, process specifications, tooling requirements, and production documentation.
  • Partner with Product Engineering to drive design for manufacturability and design for assembly, resolve manufacturability risks, and ensure engineering changes are implemented effectively.
  • Lead manufacturing process development, validation, release, and
    ongoing process control for new and existing products.
  • Establish common manufacturing engineering methods and standards across sites and value streams.
• Industrial Engineering and Factory Design
  • Lead plant layout, production line design, workstation design, material flow, space utilization, and manufacturing footprint optimization.
  • Develop capacity models, labor standards, cycle-time analysis, line
    balancing methods, and constraint management processes.
  • Build and apply digital twin and discrete-event simulation capabilities to evaluate layouts, staffing scenarios, equipment strategies, throughput, and future-state capacity.
  • Support facility expansions, new plant launches, value stream moves, and production line installations from concept through operational handoff.
  • Improve ergonomics, point-of-use material presentation, travel distance, flow, and overall factory efficiency.
• Equipment, Machinery, Tooling, and Automation
  • Lead the evaluation, specification, justification, selection, installation, commissioning, and production acceptance of manufacturing equipment, machinery, tooling, and automation.
  • Develop equipment and manufacturing technology roadmaps that support safety, quality, capacity, productivity, and scalability.
  • Partner with Facilities, Maintenance, EHS, Quality, Procurement, and
    Operations to ensure capital projects meet technical, operational,
    compliance, schedule, and budget requirements.
  • Establish standards for equipment requirements, acceptance criteria, process capability, operator training, documentation, and handoff to production and maintenance.
  • Monitor capital project benefits and ensure expected capacity, labor,
    quality, and cost outcomes are realized.
• Continuous Improvement and Lean Manufacturing
  • Lead the Continuous Improvement team and establish a structured
    improvement system across manufacturing sites and value streams.
  • Facilitate and govern Value Stream Mapping, Kaizen events, 5S, standard work, visual management, structured problem solving, and Lean manufacturing initiatives.
  • Develop a prioritized improvement pipeline based on operational
    performance, business impact, and value stream needs.
  • Coach leaders and employees in Lean principles, problem solving, waste identification, and sustainment practices.
  • Ensure improvement activity produces measurable and sustained gains in safety, quality, delivery, cost, productivity, lead time, and employee engagement.
  • Create mechanisms to replicate successful improvements and standard practices across the manufacturing network.
• New Product Introduction and Manufacturing Readiness
  • Represent Manufacturing in new product introduction, product
    configuration, and engineering change processes.
  • Define and manage manufacturing readiness criteria for MBOMs, routings, work instructions, tooling, equipment, training, quality controls, materials, and capacity.
  • Identify launch risks early, assign corrective actions, and provide clear readiness reporting to functional and executive leadership.
  • Ensure lessons learned from launches and production issues are
    incorporated into product design and manufacturing standards.
• Performance Management and Governance
  • Establish and monitor department metrics, operating rhythms, project reviews, and accountability systems.
  • Track functional effectiveness through measures such as MBOM and work instruction readiness, launch performance, engineering change cycle time, throughput, labor productivity, capacity utilization, capital benefits, 5S sustainment, and improvement savings.
  • Use data and structured problem solving to identify gaps, determine priorities, and ensure corrective actions are completed and sustained.
  • Provide concise reporting on project status, resource needs, risks,
    benefits, and performance to the VP of Manufacturing and cross-functional leaders.
• People Leadership and Cross-Functional Partnership
  • Recruit, organize, coach, develop, and retain a high-performing team of Manufacturing Engineers, Industrial Engineers, and Continuous Improvement professionals.
  • Develop technical career paths, competency models, succession plans, and training plans that strengthen department capability.
  • Create a culture of accountability, collaboration, technical rigor, practical problem solving, and active shop-floor engagement.
  • Partner closely with Operations, Product Engineering, Quality, Supply Chain, Planning, Facilities, Maintenance, Finance, and EHS to achieve shared business objectives.
  • Serve as the primary manufacturing engineering advisor to the VP of Manufacturing and plant leadership.

Working Conditions:

• This position is hybrid.
• Occasional travel may be required for training or meetings.
• Must be able to work flexible hours to accommodate different time zones
  (Central/Eastern/Mountain/Pacific), if necessary.
• Be flexible for after-hours tasks, as needed.
  The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by individuals assigned to this position. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required. Management reserves the right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities at any time, based on business needs.

PowerSecure is an equal opportunity employer where an applicant's qualifications are considered without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other basis prohibited by law.