Engineering Manager

Position Overview:

The Engineering Manager is a key leadership position responsible for driving the successful execution of high-profile manufacturing projects from initial customer engagement through full production launch. This role requires a highly engaged leader who combines strong technical acumen with hands-on project management, automation leadership, and cross-functional coordination.

Reporting to the Vice President of Operations, the Engineering Manager ensures that the Manufacturing Support Team function as a unified, high-performing engine, owning the complete lifecycle of every new project while continuously improving processes, automation, and resource utilization.

Key Responsibilities:

End-to-End Project Ownership

• Own the full lifecycle of new projects, from quoting and concept development through launch and ongoing production support.
• Lead and actively manage high-profile, complex customer programs, ensuring successful execution against cost, quality, timing, and performance objectives.
• Establish and maintain clear project plans, milestones, risk management strategies, and communication routines.
• Serve as the engineering escalation point for project challenges, ensuring rapid issue resolution.

Project Estimating & Sales Support:

• Play a hands-on role in project estimating, including labor, tooling, automation, capital equipment, and process assumptions.
• Partner closely with Sales to support technical proposals and feasibility assessments.
• Ensure estimates are accurate, competitive, and aligned with manufacturing capabilities and business objectives.
• Support customer-facing technical discussions as needed.

Automation & Process Improvement:

• Drive manufacturing automation initiatives to improve safety, efficiency, quality, and cost competitiveness.
• Guide and manage plant renovations, expansions, and capital projects, including coordination with external contractors and vendors
• Identify, prioritize, and execute process improvement and automation opportunities across engineering and manufacturing.
• Lead the evaluation, justification, and implementation of automation, tooling, and advanced manufacturing technologies and advanced project management software.
• Champion standardization and best practices across programs and facilities.

· Support testing and evaluation of new or advanced materials for processability.

· Partner with manufacturing managers and leadership to align priorities and drive cross-departmental initiatives.

Resource & Priority Management:

• Plan and allocate engineering resources to align with customer commitments, operational priorities, and strategic initiatives.
• Balance short-term production support with long-term improvement, automation, and growth-focused projects.
• Establish clear prioritization frameworks to ensure optimal focus and throughput.
• Monitor and report on cost savings and efficiency gains from implemented projects

Cross-Functional Leadership:

• Ensure tight integration between Sales, Engineering, Tooling, Production, Supply Chain, Quality and Support teams, creating a seamless and accountable project delivery model.
• Facilitate effective handoffs between quoting, design, launch, and production phases.
• Promote transparency, accountability, and disciplined execution across all project stakeholders.

Team Leadership & Development:

· Model and reinforce core values of initiative, integrity, relationships and teamwork by setting clear expectations, holding the team accountable and leading by examples in all interactions and decisions.

· Instill and foster a customer-focused mindset within the engineering team, reinforcing the importance of responsiveness, transparency, and delivering on commitments.

• Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing engineering team.
• Set clear expectations, performance goals, and development plans for direct reports.
• Support hiring, onboarding, training, and succession planning within the engineering organization.

· Promote and uphold a positive safety culture, ensuring personal and team compliance with all safety protocols, including those involving vendors and contractors.

• Foster a culture of ownership, continuous improvement, and collaboration.

Qualifications & Experience:

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Manufacturing, Industrial, Electrical, or related field).
• 7+ years of engineering experience in a manufacturing environment.
• 3+ years of engineering leadership or management experience.
• Proven track record managing complex, customer-facing manufacturing projects.
• Strong understanding of manufacturing processes, tooling, automation, and production systems.
• Experience developing project estimates and managing capital budgets.

Preferred

• Experience in plastics manufacturing, metal stamping, forming, assembly, or automated manufacturing environments.
• Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, or continuous improvement experience.

· Proven experience in thermoforming or plastics manufacturing strongly preferred.

• Familiarity with robotics, PLCs, controls, or advanced automation technologies.
• Project Management Professional (PMP) or similar certification.

Key Competencies:

• Strong project and program management skills
• Strategic thinker with hands-on execution capability
• Excellent cross-functional communication and leadership skills
• Data-driven decision-making and financial acumen
• Ability to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced environment