Senior Manager Industrial Design Engineering

Join Our Leadership Team as a Senior Manager Industrial Design Engineering!

Toyota Material Handling North America is seeking an accomplished Senior Manager of Industrial Design Engineering to lead our Industrial Design team. This leader drives product design strategy, brand identity, and user centered innovation across Toyota and Raymond forklift product lines. The team combines expertise in surface design, injection molding, advanced form development, ergonomics, UI and UX design, and visual storytelling to deliver innovative material handling equipment solutions.

As Senior Manager of Industrial Design Engineering, you will define and execute the design vision, align cross functional initiatives with Corporate Strategic Objectives, and ensure global integration and consistency. This role provides executive oversight for styling, ergonomics, human machine interaction, and concept development while operating with significant autonomy and strategic influence. We are seeking a forward-thinking design leader with strong business acumen, a solutions-oriented mindset, and a passion for building high performing, collaborative teams.

• Lead and manage a team of engineers and industrial designers in the development and visualization of innovative product concepts using CAD and advanced digital design tools.
• Drive industrial design strategy including form development, aesthetics, CMF development, branding, and ergonomics for powered industrial trucks and forklift products.
• Collaborate cross functionally with Engineering, R&D, Product Management, Manufacturing, Marketing, and global partners to deliver production ready solutions.
• Plan, assign, and monitor personnel and project commitments; oversee technical progress and adjust direction to meet engineering, product performance, quality, and business objectives.
• Serve as technical lead or project director for major new product development programs and platform initiatives.
• Evaluate technical outcomes of research and development efforts; prepare and deliver executive level presentations with actionable recommendations.
• Align engineering and industrial design initiatives with corporate strategy; provide input and thought leadership to senior and executive leadership teams.
• Lead workforce planning including hiring, performance management, succession planning, mentoring, and professional development.
• Represent Industrial Design Engineering in executive reviews, customer engagements, supplier meetings, and industry events; travel as required.
• Provide technical guidance related to regulatory standards and industry requirements within the forklift and material handling industry; participate in formal design reviews.
• Maintain a safe working environment and operate in a constant state of alertness.
• Perform other job-related duties as required.

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Systems, or Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or Industrial Design Science.
• 12+ years of progressive engineering experience, including 5+ years of leadership experience managing industrial design or product design teams.
• Demonstrated experience in industrial design engineering within manufacturing, automotive, heavy equipment, or material handling industries.
• Strong expertise in:
  • Concept sketching and ideation
  • CMF development and material selection
  • Design language systems and visual identity development
  • User experience and ergonomics analysis
  • Surface modeling and CAD based design tools
  • Injection molding and manufacturing processes
  • Design strategy and product portfolio alignment
  • Executive level presentations and visual communication of design intent

• Master’s degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Systems, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or Industrial Design Science. Experience leading global or multi brand design organizations.
• Background in forklift, material handling equipment, automotive, or industrial equipment design.
• Proven success driving innovation from concept through production in a stage gate product development environment.
• Strong understanding of human machine interface, UI and UX design for industrial applications.
• Ab…