Director of Electrical Engineering

Job Summary:

The Director of Electrical Engineering provides management and strategic leadership for the electrical engineering function. Day-to-day design and design review are handled by Lead Electrical Engineers and Engineers of Record (EORs); the Director operates above, closing gaps in coverage and capability, resolving technical disagreements, performing high-level review of large-dollar and high-risk projects, and setting the overall strategy for how projects are assigned across the team. The Director owns the integrity of the engineering data the team works from and produces, owns how engineering ties into company systems and processes (including Microsoft 365 and the platforms EE interfaces with), and drives the processes, standards, and tools that keep design quality and throughput consistent. This role works closely with manufacturing, mechanical engineering, quality, CAD, sales, and operations leadership to support operational excellence and new product introductions.

Key Responsibilities:

• Leadership & Management: Lead and manage the electrical engineering function, including staffing, development, performance management, and resource planning. Manage through the Lead EE and EOR structure rather than directing individual designs day to day.
• Project Assignment & Strategy: Set the overall strategy for assigning projects across the team, balancing workload, skill development, schedule risk, and project complexity. Make sure the right engineers are on the right projects.
• Gap & Escalation Management: Identify and close gaps in coverage, capability, or process. Serve as the final technical decision point on design disagreements, whether between Leads and EORs or across groups and teams (engineering, production, quality, sales), resolving disputes with sound engineering judgment and clear rationale.
• High-Level Design Review: Perform executive-level review of large-dollar, high-risk, or strategically significant projects. Routine drawing review and approval remains with Leads and EORs; the Director reviews where cost, risk, or customer exposure warrants it.
• Data Integrity: Own the quality and accuracy of engineering data, including drawings, BOMs, design calculators, and project records. Make sure the data the team designs from, and the data flowing to procurement, production, and customers, is correct and current.
• Process Development: Drive the development, standardization, and continuous improvement of engineering processes, including design workflows, drawing standards, review and approval procedures, and internal tools. Make sure processes are scalable, repeatable, and support design quality and throughput.
• Systems & Process Integration: Own how the electrical engineering function ties into company systems and workflows, including Microsoft 365 and the platforms EE interfaces with across production, procurement, and quality. Make sure engineering data, documents, and handoffs flow cleanly through these systems and drive improvements where the interfaces break down.
• Mentorship & Development: Develop Leads and EORs into stronger technical decision-makers. Raise the technical capability of the team through coaching, structured feedback, and clear standards rather than doing the work for them.
• Manufacturing & Testing Support: Support manufacturing and test teams on escalated electrical issues that impact safety, quality, uptime, or throughput, including escalations from Factory Witness Tests (FWT) and field validation.
• New Product Introduction (NPI): Collaborate with sales, project management, and product development on technical proposals and the transition of new designs from concept through production.
• Quality, Safety & Compliance: Make sure all designs comply with applicable codes and standards (NEC, UL, ANSI, IEEE) and company safety policies. Support audits, inspections, and regulatory reviews related to electrical systems.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Coordinate with production, procurement, quality, mechanical engineering, and project management to align engineering support with operational needs.
• Safety: Must comply with the company's safety policies.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or a related engineering discipline.
• 8+ years of progressive electrical engineering experience in a manufacturing or industrial environment, including experience designing power distribution systems, switchgear, or switchboards.
• Prior leadership or management experience overseeing electrical engineering teams.
• Strong technical judgment: able to review complex designs at a high level, spot risk, and resolve technical disagreements with authority.
• Strong knowledge of applicable electrical codes and standards (NEC, UL, ANSI, IEEE) related to switchgear and switchboard design.
• Experience developing and improving engineering processes, standards, and data management practices.
• Experience with controls, automation, and industrial control systems is a plus.
• Excellent leadership, project management, and problem-solving skills.
• Strong communication and interpersonal abilities.

Core Competencies:

• Team leadership through Leads and EORs
• Project assignment and resource strategy
• Technical escalation and dispute resolution
• High-level design review and risk assessment
• Engineering data integrity and management
• Process development and standardization
• Systems and process integration
• Codes, standards, and compliance knowledge
• Cross-functional collaboration and communication