Director of Engineering - Primex (CFADT-192000) Completed

Jun 20

Background:

The Director of Engineering (DoE) is the visionary responsible for executing the development of new products, tracking and improvement of procedures and all engineering initiatives of Primex. The mandate is to ensure business success through the development of the engineering team and external resources in a complex, diverse manufacturing operation.

Reporting to the Senior Vice President Sales, Marketing & Engineering and supported by key engineering staff, the DoE will take ownership of the Engineering Department and be responsible for the design of new enclosures and accessories for the broadband connectivity infrastructure industry as well as HVAC venting products, including mold design, material selection, process improvements, testing and certification projects and part procurement as required.

The DoE is a key member of the management team, and should have proven ability to engage and motivate engineering talent, define and set deliverables, plan resources, improve processes and achieve desired results.

Responsibilities:

Lead and manage all facets of the Engineering Department, to design and build market ready optical fiber, copper, wireless and OEM network termination, demarcation and connection enclosures within feasible plastic manufacturing realities. The DoE is the technical lead on many company projects and works together with operational departments to contribute to the continuous improvement of Primex.

Detailed responsibilities will include:

Recruit and manage employees; assign, direct, and evaluate their work; and oversee the development and maintenance of staff competence.
Develop team members’ capabilities in support of individual career goals and team objectives
Be a proponent of product management within our offices, establish and champion formal product development processes and policies.
Assign work to engineering team and stewards the transition from one resource to another as required throughout the product development process.
Meet financial objectives by forecasting engineering department requirements and manage the budget from start to finish.
Develop and implement policies, standards and procedures for the engineering and technical work performed in the department, service, laboratory or firm.
Perform administrative functions such as reviewing and writing reports, approving expenditures, enforcing rules, and making decisions about the purchase of materials or services.
Plan and direct the installation, testing, operation, maintenance, and repair of facilities and equipment.
Coordinate and direct projects, making detailed plans to accomplish goals and directing the integration of technical activities.
Confer with management, production, and marketing staff to discuss project specifications and procedures.
Research and analyze customer design proposals, specifications and other data to evaluate the feasibility, cost and maintenance requirements of designs or applications.
Establish collaborative relationships built on trust and commitment and develop relationships at multiple levels within customer accounts and business partners.
Specify system components or direct modification of products to ensure conformance with engineering design and performance specifications.
Develop and coordinate aspects of production, of manufacturing methods, assembly, fabrication and operation of product designs.
Investigate product failures and difficulties to diagnose faulty operation, and to make recommendations.
Monitor and approve requests for customer-focused, pre-sales and post sales resources.

Requirements:

This position will appeal to someone with a passion for technology and strong people leadership skills.
This role will require someone with extraordinary technical abilities. An academic background in Mechanical Engineering is required (P.Eng. will be an asset).
15+ years of experience as a working engineer, at least 10 of which are in a manufacturing environment.
7+ years of progressive management experience, with demonstrated ability to lead diverse, multi-disciplinary team.
The ability to research and anticipate technology trends is essential in addition to understanding competitors and their ‘roadmaps’.
Strong problem-solving skills along with excellent verbal and written communication skills.
Intellectual curiosity, creativity and a passion for technology would be advantageous.
Experience managing multiple simultaneous projects and priorities.
Project management skills demonstrated through a PMP designation or work experience.
Demonstrated ability to understand and develop plans and strategies to clearly communicate complex business issues and technological solutions.
Ability to effectively work with cross-functional teams and various geographical locations.
Periodic travel within North America and internationally is required in this role (Max. 10% to 20%).
Experience within the telecommunications industry will be a strong asset:
- Direct multi-year OSP experience in the telecommunications, fiber optics and cable television market space would be a strong asset.
- Understanding of the telecommunications market and specifically the role of fiber optics in relation to FTTx market, specially, the last mile of deployment.
- Understanding of role and evolution of both active Ethernet and PON networking systems as well as working familiarity with RFoG systems and new triple play technology developments.
- Familiarity with compliance engineering, UL, CSA and/or Bellcore/Telecordia.