The Vice President – Manufacturing Engineering is a strategic leader responsible for defining and executing the manufacturing engineering vision across all production facilities and new product programs. This role oversees the design, optimization, standardization, and launch of manufacturing processes, equipment, and plant infrastructure to support efficient, scalable, and cost-effective operations. The VP collaborates closely with product development, operations, supply chain, quality, and technology teams to drive innovation and world-class manufacturing capabilities.
Develop and implement manufacturing engineering strategies to support current production and future product launches.
Oversee process design, layout planning, equipment selection, automation integration, and line balancing.
Ensure alignment of manufacturing processes with safety, quality, cost, throughput, and environmental targets.
Lead cross-functional teams in the industrialization of new vehicle platforms or product lines, ensuring launch readiness.
Drive digital transformation, smart manufacturing initiatives, and Industry 4.0 technologies across operations.
Manage global capital investment planning for equipment, tooling, and facilities.
Standardize best practices and core manufacturing processes across all sites.
Establish and manage KPIs for productivity, capacity utilization, OEE, and continuous improvement.
Build and lead high-performing teams of manufacturing and process engineers.
Interface with senior leadership to align manufacturing engineering with corporate goals.
New Product Industrialization:
Lead manufacturing readiness and process validation for new product introductions.
Collaborate with design engineering to ensure manufacturability and ease of assembly (DFM/DFA).
Process Design & Optimization:
Develop efficient, ergonomic, and scalable processes using lean principles.
Oversee cycle time analysis, takt planning, and work instruction development.
Automation & Smart Manufacturing:
Deploy advanced automation, robotics, and digital twins to enhance flexibility and reduce cost.
Champion data-driven manufacturing and real-time performance monitoring.
Facility & Equipment Planning:
Plan and execute layout design, equipment specification, utility planning, and line installation.
Ensure compliance with global safety and regulatory standards.
Global Standardization & Best Practices:
Create and enforce standards for process documentation, workstations, tooling, and equipment usage.
Benchmark across facilities and implement continuous improvement methodologies (e.g., Kaizen, Six Sigma).
Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Mechanical, Industrial, or Manufacturing Engineering; MBA preferred.
20+ years of experience in manufacturing engineering roles within the automotive, aerospace, industrial, or high-tech sectors.
Proven leadership in launching major manufacturing programs and scaling operations globally.
Expertise in process design, lean manufacturing, automation, and plant operations.
Experience with CAD/CAM, simulation tools, MES, and digital manufacturing platforms.
Strong analytical, project management, and cross-functional leadership skills.
Ability to manage large capital projects and global engineering teams.