Vice President Products & Technology, Protection Division

Career at Bourns

If working for an organization with a long history of technological innovation and high advancement potential in a supportive, collaborative, and positive work environment are top considerations for your next career move, then you need to look at the opportunities at Bourns.

Summary

Bourns was founded 75 years ago with the guiding principles of providing breakthrough technology solutions, high-quality products, responsive service, and exceptional value. Those principles still hold true today and have instilled a culture that is committed to excellence and ethical operations. As a leading provider of advanced components for power conversion, circuit protection, and motion control sensing solutions, Bourns employs more than 9,000 people in 21 countries and operates 17 manufacturing centers and 15 R&D facilities. Our customers and partners rely on Bourns to meet strict design requirements and satisfy international standards in a broad range of industries and applications. We achieve this stature because Bourns employees excel in the development of new products and continuous improvement processes that keep the company a global leader in delivering outstanding service.

SUMMARY OF POSITION

The Vice President of Products and Technology is a high-impact executive role responsible for the strategic vision, innovation, and global execution of the Division’s product portfolio. Focus on risk management and customer voice, this role ensures that technology roadmaps align with customer-specific requirements and global market trends while driving profitable growth. The VP acts as the bridge between R&D, operations, and sales to maintain market leadership in core electronics technologies.

Duties And Accountabilities

• Strategic Roadmap Leadership: Define and execute a multi-year technology and product roadmap for core lines (e.g., Semiconductors, GDT, MOV, and Resistors), ensuring alignment with the Division President’s growth goals.
• Global Innovation & R&D: Guide R&D efforts in resistors, ceramic materials, and next- generation circuit protection.
• Cross-Functional Operations: Collaborate with Operations to ensure manufacturability and cost efficiency.
• Customer & Market Intelligence: Act as a key technical executive for customer engagement, translating market insights into reference designs that resonate with target markets.
• Quality & Compliance Integration: Partner with the Quality Director to ensure all new product developments meet global standards (UL, IEC, AEC-Q200) and promote a "built- in quality" mindset.
• P&L & Portfolio Management: Monitor product line performance and drive margin improvement through value engineering and strategic pricing initiatives.
• Global Talent Development: Lead and mentor a high-performing team of Product Line Managers, Engineering Directors, and Market Directors across global regions.
• Ensure end-to-end customer satisfaction across the Protection Division's entire customer base.
• Drive standardization of business processes, systems, and best practices within all division functions.
• Manage risk and support business operations in compliance with all relevant internal and external quality standards, regulatory requirements, and customer specifications.
• Promote a zero-defect mindset throughout the division and encourage built-in quality in products and processes.
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives focused on fostering a customer-centric culture.

Education

BASIC JOB REQUIREMENTS

A Bachelor's Degree in Electrical Engineering, Materials Science, or Physics from an accredited university is required. A Master’s Degree (MS in Engineering or MBA) is highly preferred to bridge the gap between technical depth and business acumen. Professional affiliations with organizations such as IEEE are considered a plus.

Training And Experience

The role requires a minimum of 15+ years of progressive experience in the electronic components industry, with at least 10+ years in a senior executive or director leadership capacity. Candidates must demonstrate: A proven track record of managing global product portfolios exceeding $300M+ in revenue, Expert knowledge of circuit protection technologies, resistors and the global electronics supply chain. Deep experience in the New Product Introduction (NPI) process and Phase-Gate methodologies. Success in aligning technology roadmaps with the requirements of the AEC-Q (Automotive) and Industrial market sectors.

Other Skills

The VP must possess a unique blend of visionary thinking and meticulous analytical discipline. They must make data-driven decisions regarding product life cycles, sunsetting legacy lines, and investing in "blue ocean" technologies. Proficiency in business intelligence tools and financial modeling is required, alongside a commitment to the company’s core values of integrity and innovation.

Equipment Operated

Standard office equipment (PC, Laptop, Smartphone), advanced Collaborative Software (MS Teams, Miro), PLM (Product Lifecycle Management) systems, ERP (SAP/Oracle), and high-level Project Management tools

Interpersonal Skills

The Vice President of Products and Technology must possess world- class interpersonal skills to navigate and lead within a complex, global, multicultural organization. This role requires significant executive presence to engage effectively with the Division President, corporate leadership, and a global customer base of Tier 1 automotive and industrial OEMs. The VP must be a master of "technical translation “converting complex R&D roadmaps and materials science data into compelling business cases that drive multi-million-dollar investment decisions.

Beyond technical expertise, the VP must possess the high-level influence necessary to align cross- functional teams (Operations, Quality, Sales) toward a unified product vision without always having direct line authority over every function. As the primary Technology Ambassador for the division, they must professionally mediate high-stakes technical conflicts with customers and lead a globally dispersed team of Product Managers and Engineers, fostering a culture of innovation, high accountability, and continuous professional development.

Oral

The Vice President must possess superior negotiation and persuasive communication skills. They must be capable of presenting long-term technology roadmaps and disruptive market trends (e.g., electrification, IoT, 5G) to senior executives and board members. This role demands the ability to lead high-level technical symposiums and represent the division at international industry forums. The VP must be an expert coach, capable of inspiring global teams and facilitating difficult strategic sessions that resolve conflicting product priorities across different regions.

Written

This role requires the ability to synthesize complex technological shifts into clear, concise strategic documents and deal with ambiguity. The VP is responsible for authoring the Annual Technology & Product Strategy, preparing high-impact board presentations, and crafting formal technical agreements with strategic partners or joint ventures. They must ensure that all product specifications, technical white papers, and global patent filings are documented with precision to protect the company’s Intellectual Property (IP) and maintain market leadership.

Scheduling And Planning

The Vice President must excel at long-range strategic planning (3–5-year horizons) while managing a high volume of concurrent, short-term product launches. They are responsible for the Global Product Roadmap, prioritizing R&D resources across diverse technology platforms (e.g., Semiconductors, GDT, Resistors). This requires the strategic ability to lead massive cross-functional initiatives—such as the digital transformation of the R&D cycle or the integration of a new acquisition—ensuring that global resources are optimized and that "Time to Market" targets are met to support the division’s aggressive financial growth objectives.

Annual Operating Budget

The Vice President holds full financial stewardship for the Products and Technology budget. This involves developing and defending the annual R&D and Product Management budget to ensure adequate funding for disruptive innovation, advanced materials research, and the modernization of lab facilities. The VP is responsible for maximizing the Return on Innovation Investment (ROII), balancing the cost of new product development (NPD) against projected revenue growth. They must manage departmental expenses effectively, ensuring that technological excellence is delivered within the division’s established financial parameters and profit targets.

Working Environment

Normal office environment.

Hiring Range

$220,000 - $265,000 annually.

Incentive Eligibility

Eligible for 35% target MICP (Management Incentive Compensation Plan).

Bourns is an equal opportunity employer. At Bourns, we are committed to treating all Applicants and Employees fairly based on their abilities, achievements, and experience without regard to race, national origin, sex, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other classification protected by law. Qualified candidates must be able to perform the essential functions of this position satisfactorily with or without reasonable accommodation. Disclaimer: this job post is not necessarily an exhaustive list of all essential responsibilities, skills, tasks, or requirements associated with this position. While this is intended to be an accurate reflection of the position posted, the Company reserves the right to modify or change the essential functions of the job based on business necessity.

Equal Opportunity Employer: Minority/Female/Disability/Veteran

If you are results-oriented, have the drive to find industry-leading ways to meet ongoing technological challenges, and go the extra mile to maximize customer relationships, then we invite you to apply to join the Bourns team. Education Level: Bachelors

Experience: 10+ years