Director, Advanced Tooling, Advanced Manufacturing & Automation

The Director of Advanced Tooling, Advanced Manufacturing, and Automation leads the enterprise-wide strategy, standards, and execution for tooling design, capital equipment, automation, and controls across all manufacturing sites. This role owns the full lifecycle of tooling and equipment — from quoting and vendor selection through build, launch, and continuous improvement — and is accountable for establishing the department's governing standards, standard operating procedures (SOPs), and performance metrics.

The Director drives innovation into the company's tooling and automation portfolio, standardizes controls architecture across facilities, and builds a high-performing team through clear standards, structured evaluation, and accountable governance. This role is critical to ensuring cost-competitive, scalable, and launch-ready tooling and automation solutions that support flawless new program launches and sustainable operational growth.

• Establish and own the enterprise-wide standards framework for the Advanced Tooling and Automation department, including equipment standards, design standards, build standards, and maintenance standards.
• Develop, document, and enforce Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for all core department functions, including:
• Tooling lineup planning and structuring
• Cost breakdown methodology and templates
• Vendor selection and evaluation criteria
• Tooling and equipment acceptance/runoff criteria
• Create and maintain a performance governance model — defining how standards are audited, how compliance is measured, and how deviations are escalated and corrected.
• Serve as the final authority on tooling and equipment standards across all sites, ensuring consistency, cost control, and quality.

• Define the standard format and process for tooling quote scope of work, ensuring quotes are complete, comparable across suppliers, and aligned to program requirements.
• Establish standardized tooling lineup structures (e.g., mold sets, fixtures, secondary equipment, automation cells) for consistent program planning.
• Develop standardized cost breakdown structures (material, labor, engineering, controls, freight, contingency, etc.) to improve quote accuracy, cost transparency, and negotiation leverage.
• Own the RFQ process for tooling and capital equipment, ensuring apples-to-apples supplier comparisons.

• Lead design, development, and validation of advanced tooling for composite molds, secondary equipment, and automation systems.
• Oversee tooling readiness for new program launches, ensuring durability, repeatability, and on-time delivery.
• Drive innovation into the tooling portfolio — evaluating new materials, processes, and design methodologies (e.g., additive manufacturing, simulation-driven design, modular/reconfigurable tooling) to improve cost, speed, and performance.

• Develop and implement advanced manufacturing technologies, including automation, robotics, predictive maintenance, and Industry 4.0 tools.
• Lead automation development end-to-end: concept, business case, design, integration, validation, and scale-up to full production.
• Validate new processes and automated systems through pilot lines, ensuring scalability and reliability prior to full deployment.
• Identify and prioritize automation opportunities based on labor efficiency, ergonomics, throughput, and ROI.
• Establish enterprise-wide controls standards (PLC platforms, HMI design, safety architecture, network/communication protocols, naming conventions, documentation standards) to ensure consistency, maintainability, and reduced spare-parts complexity across sites.
• Partner with controls engineering and IT/OT teams to ensure new automation and tooling projects comply with controls standards from concept through commissioning.
• Drive standardization of controls documentation, change management, and cybersecurity practices across all automated systems.
• Partner with suppliers to deliver best-in-class tooling and automation solutions within budget and timing requirements.
• Develop and administer a formal…