Director of Application Engineering

Client

Our client is the premier supply chain partner for OEM manufacturers across various sectors, including off-highway equipment, off road vehicles, construction, recreational sports, agriculture, military, and other industries.

Summary

We seek a dedicated Director of Application Engineering to lead a team responsible for product sales’ technical aspects, ensuring manufacturing efficiency and cost-effectiveness. With many direct reports, including supervisors and estimating personnel, this role will streamline processes and standardize documents to enhance synergy across the organization. This role involves managing application engineers, defining quoting strategies, and providing valuable feedback to customers on product improvements and cost-saving measures. Collaborating closely with sales, the Director contributes to bid submissions, understands negotiation dynamics, and optimizes pricing strategies. Moreover, this role will spearhead special projects to assist customers in designing superior products, leveraging a deep understanding of our client’s manufacturing capabilities to drive value propositions and foster crucial relationships with clients and engineers.

Take your career to new heights, enjoy unparalleled professional growth, and be part of this company's success story. Apply now to elevate our client's sales achievements and leave a lasting legacy in the industry.

Location

Milwaukee, WI.

Compensation

Compensation comprises a lucrative Base Salary, Bonus, STI/LTI, 401K, Medical, Dental, Vision, Tuition Reimbursement

Primary Responsibilities

• Take the helm of guiding a team responsible for the technical aspects of product sales, ensuring efficiency and cost-effectiveness in manufacturing.
• Utilize an in-depth understanding of the company's manufacturing capabilities to enhance value propositions.
• Oversee application engineers, supervisors, and estimating personnel to achieve departmental objectives.
• Develop quoting strategies and ensure accurate, competitive pricing.
• Deliver valuable feedback to customers regarding product enhancements and cost-saving opportunities.
• Collaborate closely with sales teams to contribute to bid submissions and grasp negotiation dynamics.
• Fine-tune pricing strategies to optimize profitability while meeting customer requirements.
• Spearhead the strategic direction of the application engineering team, aligning it with company objectives and market demands.
• Direct the creation and maintenance of technical documentation, ensuring accuracy, clarity, and compliance with industry standards.
• Lead the evaluation and adoption of new technologies and methodologies to enhance product development and delivery processes.
• Provide leadership and mentorship to application engineers, fostering a culture of innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Act as a technical liaison between the engineering team and other departments, including sales, marketing, and customer support.
• Stay abreast of industry trends, emerging technologies, and best practices, incorporating relevant insights into the development of strategic plans and product roadmaps.
• Utilize sales data and customer feedback to pinpoint improvement areas and devise growth strategies

Education, Skills, and Experience

• Bachelor's degree in engineering or a related field.
• Proven track record of leadership and management in a technical environment, within a manufacturing or engineering company.
• Extensive experience in engineering, with a focus on application engineering, costing and quoting.
• Demonstrated understanding of engineered components and a strong mechanical aptitude.
• Experience in strategic planning, project management, and cross-functional collaboration.
• Basic CAD (SolidWorks & SolidWorks Modeling) skills.
• Deep understanding of manufacturing processes, including cost analysis, quality control, and process optimization.
• Strong leadership skills, with the ability to coach, lead and inspire a team, in strong decision-making skills and the capacity to drive change and innovation.
• Excellent problem-solving and negotiation skills, with the capacity to devise innovative solutions.
• Outstanding communication and presentation skills, capable of effectively interacting with customers at all levels.