Vice President of Systems Engineering
Job Overview:
The Vice President of Systems Engineering is a senior leadership role responsible for overseeing the systems engineering function within a manufacturing company. This includes
leading the team that manages the integration of customer designs into the company’s production processes, ensuring successful onboarding, and delivering high-quality products that meet
customer specifications. The VP of Systems Engineering will also be responsible for strategic direction, innovation, team development, and ensuring that engineering practices are aligned
with the company's goals and customer requirements.
Key Responsibilities:
1. Strategic Leadership
- Lead the development and execution of the company’s systems engineering strategy, ensuring alignment with the overall business objectives and customer requirements.
- Collaborate with executive leadership, sales, operations, and product teams to define engineering solutions that meet customer needs and manufacturing capabilities.
- Drive the vision and innovation within the systems engineering function, helping the company maintain its competitive edge in the marketplace.
- Ensure the continuous improvement of engineering processes to enhance efficiency, quality, and scalability.
2. Customer Design Onboarding & Integrations
- Oversee the successful onboarding of customer designs, including the translation of customer specifications into manufacturable products.
- Lead the systems engineering team in coordinating and managing the technical aspects of the design transfer process, ensuring that customer requirements are met and potential challenges are addressed proactively.
- Act as the primary point of contact for customers during the design integration process, ensuring clear communication and timely feedback on progress, challenges, and solutions.
- Collaborate with product development, quality assurance, and manufacturing teams to ensure smooth handoffs from design to production.
3. Systems Engineering Management
- Direct and manage a team of systems engineers, ensuring that the team is effectively organized and equipped to meet project demands and customer expectations.
- Implement best practices in systems engineering methodologies and tools, ensuring that customer designs are efficiently integrated into manufacturing systems.
- Develop and maintain comprehensive systems engineering processes, standards, and documentation to ensure consistent and repeatable results.
- Ensure that all customer designs are thoroughly reviewed for manufacturability, cost-effectiveness, and adherence to quality standards.
4. Cross-functional Collaboration
- Work closely with product development, R&D, operations, and supply chain teams to ensure the smooth integration of customer designs into the overall product lifecycle.
- Facilitate collaboration with the sales and customer service teams to understand customer requirements and expectations, ensuring the engineering team is aligned with those needs.
- Support business development efforts by providing technical insights and solutions to meet customer demands and solve complex engineering challenges.
5. Quality Assurance & Risk Management
- Oversee the development of quality control systems and protocols to ensure that all customer designs meet high-quality standards and are fully manufacturable.
- Manage risk assessment and mitigation strategies related to the integration of customer designs, ensuring that potential risks are identified early and effectively managed.
- Ensure that systems engineering practices comply with all relevant industry standards, certifications, and regulations.
6. Continuous Improvement & Innovation
- Lead continuous improvement initiatives within the systems engineering function, focusing on process optimization, cost reduction, and efficiency gains.
- Foster a culture of innovation and technical excellence, encouraging the team to explore new technologies and methods to enhance the design integration process.
- Stay up to date on industry trends, technologies, and best practices, and incorporate them into the company's engineering practices to maintain a competitive advantage.
7. Team Development & Leadership
- Provide leadership, mentorship, and guidance to the systems engineering team, supporting their professional development and career growth.
- Set performance expectations and establish KPIs for the team, ensuring that goals are met and exceeded.
- Foster a collaborative, high-performance culture within the team, ensuring clear communication, accountability, and alignment with the company’s values and goals.
Qualifications:
Education & Experience:
- Bachelor’s degree in Systems Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related field (preferred).
- Master’s degree in Engineering, Business Administration, or a related field (preferred).
- 10+ years of experience in systems engineering, with at least 5 years in a leadership role within a manufacturing or product development environment. (preferred)
- Proven experience in managing the onboarding and integration of customer designs into manufacturing systems.
- Strong understanding of manufacturing processes, product lifecycle management, and the design transfer process.
- Experience with industry-specific standards, certifications, and regulatory requirements related to manufacturing (e.g., ISO, UL508A etc.).
Skills & Competencies:
- Strong leadership and team management skills, with the ability to inspire and guide a high-performing team.
- Excellent knowledge of systems engineering methodologies, tools, and best practices.
- Proven ability to manage cross-functional teams and complex projects.
- Strong problem-solving skills, with the ability to manage technical challenges and find creative solutions.
- Excellent communication skills, with the ability to effectively collaborate with internal teams, customers, and stakeholders.
- Strong customer-focused mindset, with the ability to manage customer expectations and ensure satisfaction.
- Experience with CAD software, ERP systems, and product lifecycle management tools.
- Strong organizational and project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
Key Attributes:
- Results-driven with a focus on delivering high-quality, manufacturable products that meet customer specifications.
- Proactive and strategic thinker, with the ability to identify and solve complex problems.
- Strong interpersonal and collaboration skills, with the ability to work across multiple departments and teams.
- Detail-oriented with a focus on precision and quality in all engineering processes.
- Passionate about continuous improvement, innovation, and driving operational excellence.
