Senior Director, Manufacturing, Engineering & Quality

Corporate Burnsville, Minnesota Faribault, Minnesota

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Description

Lead the Future of Innovation, Manufacturing Excellence, and Product Quality at Northern Tool + Equipment

Northern Tool + Equipment is on a bold growth trajectory—and we’re looking for a transformational Senior Director of Engineering & Manufacturing to help shape the next era of our owned‑brand product portfolio. This is a rare opportunity for a visionary leader to own the full lifecycle of engineering, manufacturing, and product quality across a global footprint.
If you thrive on building world‑class teams, scaling operational excellence, and delivering products customers love, this role puts you at the center of Northern Tool’s strategic evolution. The salary for this role is highly dependent on qualifications and experience, and will be in the range of $170,000 to $220,000 per year.
 

What You’ll Lead

Engineering Leadership & Product Development

  • Direct global engineering teams—mechanical, systems, test, and CAD—to bring innovative products from concept to commercialization.
  • Accelerate development speed and reduce risk by enhancing tools, processes, and engineering capabilities.
  • Oversee product testing, reliability, and qualification to ensure world‑class performance.
  • Lead design priority of total cost improvement such as platforming, design for manufacturing and total cost of quality. 
  • Drive sustainment engineering for launched products, including value engineering, cost reduction, and lifecycle management.
  • Foster a culture of innovation, R&D exploration, and patentable ideas.
  • Ensure compliance with regulatory standards (EPA, CARB, CE, CSA, UL).

Manufacturing Leadership

  • Oversee manufacturing operations to achieve world class levels of safety, quality, delivery, and cost.
  • Advance the Northern Tool Manufacturing Operating System using lean principles.
  • Improve operational efficiency, reduce lead times, and expand capacity across all facilities.
  • Drive continuous improvement transformations aligned with business priorities.
  • Own the enterprise make‑vs‑buy strategy and develop scalable build‑model playbooks (MTO, MTS, ATO).
  • Establish KPIs that drive visibility, accountability, and year‑over‑year improvement.
  • Serve as the “Voice of Manufacturing” across Operations, Logistics, Merchandising, Marketing, and SIOP.

Product Quality Leadership

  • Own the global product quality strategy, systems, and performance across engineering, manufacturing, and suppliers.
  • Embed quality throughout the lifecycle—from concept and design to production and field performance.
  • Lead quality processes including DFMEA, PFMEA, DVPR, reliability testing, and corrective action systems.
  • Drive improvements in field failure rates, COPQ, defect rates, and customer satisfaction.
  • Partner cross‑functionally to resolve systemic quality issues using structured problem‑solving.
  • Champion a culture of proactive quality, accountability, and customer focus.

Strategic Planning & Organizational Leadership

  • Develop annual budgets for engineering and manufacturing, including capital and headcount planning.
  • Optimize global organizational structure to meet evolving customer needs and technology trends.
  • Build, mentor, and elevate high‑performing global teams and future leaders.
  • Maintain strong executive relationships and foster a culture of excellence and mutual respect.
  • Stay ahead of emerging technologies, regulatory changes, and industry best practices.

People Leadership & Communication

  • Provide clear expectations, coaching, and performance management for direct and indirect teams.
  • Ensure strong communication across departments and alignment with senior leadership.
  • Promote a safe working environment and a culture of safety awareness.
 

What You Bring

  • Bachelor’s degree in Engineering required; Master’s strongly preferred.
  • 15+ years of engineering, product development, and manufacturing leadership, including global teams.
  • Proven success leading customer‑centric product development and multidisciplinary engineering organizations.
  • Deep expertise in lean manufacturing, continuous improvement, and operational excellence.
  • Strong business acumen in budgeting, strategic planning, and resource allocation.
  • Ability to lead complex initiatives under tight timelines and budget constraints.
  • Exceptional communication, relationship‑building, and executive‑level influence.
  • Experience with CAD, PDM, and PLM systems.
  • Demonstrates Northern Tool + Equipment’s 12 Core Competencies.
 

Team Leadership Scope

  • Direct Reports: 3–5 exempt leaders
  • Indirect Influence: 100+ non‑exempt employees and 20–30 exempt employees across global operations
 

Why Northern Tool + Equipment?

This is more than a leadership role—it’s a chance to leave a lasting mark on a rapidly growing, privately held company with a strong entrepreneurial spirit. You’ll shape the future of our owned‑brand products, elevate global engineering and manufacturing capabilities, and build teams that deliver exceptional value to millions of customers.
If you’re driven by innovation, operational excellence, and the opportunity to build something enduring, Northern Tool + Equipment is ready for you.

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