Manager, Engineering - CRS

Dorel Juvenile is the world's leading juvenile products company. Our well-known products and strong brands are available in more than 100 countries. All our talented employees share the same mission: to Care for Precious Life. We help families live carefree lives by providing them with juvenile products with the highest safety and comfort standards.

The Engineering Manager will have responsibility for the Child Restraint System (CRS) products engineering and development efforts. This role is a key driver for new product development and efficient design of quality products utilizing cost effective technologies, and strategic planning to meet product group goals. This position will lead a team of engineers that evolves new products for the business with the team primarily located in Columbus, Indiana.

Seasoned product development leader with demonstrated general management skills and experience from a recognized consumer product manufacturing company. Has a reputation for aligning their teams to execute the organization’s strategy. Has a track record for creating innovative and highly successful product development — an “out-of-the-box” thinker. Has a thorough understanding of the working effectively within a cross functional team and partner with peers in the organization to deliver shared objectives.

Product Development:

• Provide leadership to the engineering team for new product development and maintenance of existing platforms.
• Track performance and drive improvements on key development metrics: design of NPD products, efficient delivery to market, development cost per product, projects meeting objectives of performance and schedule
• Drive continuous process and product improvements across existing as well as post launch improvement efforts
• Evolve new technologies and concepts into tangible engineered products
• Mentor engineers towards designing and executing product engineering goals
• Drive Engineering and Product development disciplines with standardized approach
• Provide leadership on optimizing product designs for performance, quality, craftsmanship, manufacturability and packaging, as well as product development
• Implement engineering practices and tools, including DOE, GD&T, DVP&R, and FMEA
• Understand FMVSS, CMVSS and relevant regulatory landscape that influences the development and sale of car seats in the US and Canada
• Work with prototype lab and other cross departmental peers in successful development of design representative concepts, mock-ups and test worthy samples
• Leverage the global product development and supply chain networks as a source of sustainable competitive advantage
• Monitor competitive landscape and maintain up to date benchmarking database
• Support engineering budget and work scoping activities
• Partner with our Asia based office to determine the most efficient way to bring individual products to market
• Communicate clearly with senior leadership and drive decisions with their alignment
• Demonstrate a feel for the consumer and the market that results in a strategy for long-term growth supported by the development of cutting-edge market-ready products. Ensure that product platforms are developed with an extended runway in consideration
• Balance financial risks and opportunities while ensuring predictable product performance toward meeting functional and other targets
• Recommend how to solve for unfavorable product cost

Education, Licenses, and/or Certification Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or related field is required
• Masters degree in Engineering is a plus
• Six Sigma Belt Certification is a plus

Experience and Skills

• Minimum of 10+ years of relevant technical product development and leadership experience in a consumer products environment. Other industries (Automotive, Appliances, Medical device, some transportation) acceptable with appropriate experience
• Minimum of 5 years of supervisory experience is required. Past experience in manufacturing, quality environment is preferred
• Proven ability of command over CAD design tools – experience of 5+ years required
• Solid Works design experience and Certification would be preferred
• History…