Director of Engineering & Quality

Worthington Enterprises is seeking a strategic and technically accomplished Director of Quality & Engineering to lead the engineering and quality functions within our Consumer Products Innovation organization. This leader will be responsible for driving the successful development, validation, launch, and continuous improvement of innovative consumer products across our portfolio of brands, including Coleman® Fuel, Bernzomatic®, Mag-`Torch®, General Tools®, Garden Weasel®, Level5®, and Halo®.

The Director will lead a multidisciplinary team of product design engineers and quality professionals responsible for delivering consumer-centric products that meet performance, safety, regulatory, cost, and quality objectives. This role serves as a key member of the cross-functional New Product Development Team and will support best-in-class product development processes, robust quality systems, and technical excellence from concept through commercialization.

The ideal candidate combines strong engineering leadership, deep expertise in product quality and manufacturing, and a proven track record of bringing innovative consumer products to market. This individual will partner closely with Brand Management, Industrial Design, Consumer Insights, Project Management, Marketing, Commercial, Operations, Supply Chain, Product Support Engineering, Quality Assurance, Environmental Health and Safety, Finance, and external strategic partners to deliver on our promises to our customers. 

Key Responsibilities

Product Development Leadership

• Lead and develop a high-performing team of product development engineers and quality professionals
• Drive the design, development, validation, and commercialization of new products and product enhancements across multiple categories
• Establish technical strategies, roadmaps, and engineering standards that support innovation and long-term business objectives
• Champion engineering excellence in product design with intentionality for market introduction through end-of-life while ensuring solutions meet customer, business, manufacturing, and regulatory requirements
• Review and guide technical decision-making and risk assessment during all phases of product development
• Build organizational capability through coaching, mentoring, succession planning, and talent acquisition

Quality Leadership

• Ensure products consistently meet quality standards; customer expectations, and business objectives
• Oversee and approve Advance Product Quality Planning (APQP) activities, including PFMEA, PCP, testing, design verification, reliability testing, and product qualification processes within the NPD framework  
• Lead root cause analysis, corrective and preventive actions (CAPA), and product performance improvement efforts
• Establish and monitor quality KPIs, providing actionable insights to leadership.
• Assist suppliers with the implementation of appropriate Quality/Manufacturing methods for suppliers to monitor critical characteristics including inspection plans, gauging methods, and other process controls
• Performs/participates in on-site supplier audits to qualify or verify supplier capabilities, processes, and quality systems

New Product Development Process Excellence

• Drive continuous improvement on how engineering and quality executes within Stage-Gate New Product Development process to increase speed-to-market, execution discipline, and project success rates
• Facilitate the definition of project scope, technical deliverables, resources, document requirements and specifications, timelines, budgets, and milestones in partnership with key stakeholders
• Ensure effective project governance, risk assessment and management, and cross-functional communication throughout development 
• Evaluate emerging technologies, materials, manufacturing methods, and industry trends to support innovation initiatives
• Facilitate design reviews, technical reviews, process reviews, and commercialization readiness assessments

Cross-Functional Leadership

• Serve as the primary technical and quality representative for CPG Innovation
• Partner with internal teams and external partners to ensure robust supplier development, evaluate quality systems, and ensure production readiness
• Collaborate closely with Brand Management, Marketing, Packaging, Industrial Design, Consumer Insights, Commercial, Operations, Supply Chain, Product Support Engineering, Quality Assurance, Environmental Health and Safety, Finance, IT, and external strategic partners to achieve business objectives
• Communicate complex technical information effectively to both technical and non-technical audiences
• Influence organizational priorities and build alignment among diverse stakeholders

Strategic Business Leadership

• Align engineering and quality resources to support growth initiatives, innovation priorities, and portfolio strategies
• Identify emerging technologies, materials, manufacturing processes and intellectual property opportunities for competitive advantages across the portfolio
• Develop annual operating plans, budgets, capital requests, and resource forecasts for the Engineering and Quality functions
• Contribute to long-term innovation strategy, technology roadmaps, and portfolio planning; make insights-informed recommendations to CPG leaders

Qualifications

Required

• Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Quality Engineering, or a related technical discipline
• 20+ years’ experience of stage-gate product development and quality leadership for consumer products, durable goods, industrial products, or related environment 
• Demonstrated success from conceptualization through commercialization
• Strong knowledge of product development methodologies; design verification and validation, manufacturing procedures, and quality processes; i.e., Engineering standards; CAD standards; Design reviews; Design for Manufacturing (DFM); Design for Assembly (DFA); Design for Cost (DFC); Platform architecture; Component reuse strategy; Technology roadmaps; Technical mentoring across all brands
• Experience managing cross-functional teams and complex development programs
• Proven ability to influence senior leaders and drive organizational change

Preferred

• Combined advanced degrees (M.S. or MBA)
• Experience with both domestic and global manufacturing and contract suppliers 
• Knowledge of quality management systems, reliability engineering, FMEA, DFSS, Six Sigma, Lean methodologies, and continuous improvement practices
• Professional certifications such as ASQ CQE, CRE, Six Sigma Black Belt, or PMP

Leadership Competencies

• Technical Excellence / Talent Developer
• Business Acumen / Strategic Thinker
• Customer Focused / Innovation Mindset
• Collaborative Influencer / Change Leadership
• Results Oriented / Problem Solver

Success Measures

• New products launched, contributions to revenue growth, and speed-to-market
• Product quality and reliability metrics
• Project delivery against budget and schedule
• Engineering and quality team engagement and development
• Continuous improvement and engineering excellence