Design Engineering Manager

The Design Engineering Manager leads the design, implementation, and analysis of technical products and systems, with a focus on connectorized solutions, manufacturability, and reliability. This role owns the performance and development of the Design Engineering team and partners closely with Product Management, Application Engineering, Operations, and Sourcing to deliver profitable, high-quality products to market.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership, direction, and day-to-day management for the Design Engineering team, including Design Engineer I–III roles.
• Set technical direction, design standards, and best practices for new product development and sustaining engineering activities.
• Oversee the design and development of products with a focus on connectorized solutions, production capabilities, and supporting infrastructure, ensuring projects meet cost, quality, and schedule targets.
• Coordinate engineering efforts with Product Management to translate market analysis, customer needs, and competitive insights into clear product requirements and engineering priorities.
• Drive cross-functional collaboration with Sourcing, Operations, Quality, and Suppliers to optimize designs for manufacturability, cost, compliance, and supply-chain robustness.
• Ensure engineering deliverables are complete and accurate, including drawings, models, product specifications, test plans, risk analyses, and documentation for compliance and regulatory requirements.
• Approve or review cost estimates, design concepts, and technical proposals for key projects, providing guidance on tradeoffs and risk mitigation.
• Champion continuous improvement in engineering processes, tools, and workflows (design reviews, DFMEA, design standards, CAD libraries, documentation, and change control).
• Support dual-sourcing and value-engineering initiatives by evaluating alternate materials, components, and suppliers and guiding the team through required design changes.
• Partner with Application Engineering and Quality to develop fixtures, test methods, and validation plans to confirm performance and reliability of products.
• Serve as an escalation point for complex technical issues and customer inquiries, guiding the team toward timely and effective resolutions.
• Plan and prioritize the engineering portfolio, allocate resources, and report project status, risks, and mitigations to leadership.
• Conduct regular coaching, performance reviews, and development planning for engineers; identify skill gaps and training needs.
• Support visits to supplier and customer sites as needed for design reviews, qualification builds, production launches, and issue resolution.
• Maintain an expert level of knowledge in materials, connector technology, manufacturing techniques, and industry best practices, and ensure this knowledge is shared across the team.

Key Competencies

• Strong people leadership skills, with the ability to?inspire?and develop high-performing engineering teams.
• Excellent collaborator and relationship builder with internal stakeholders, customers, and suppliers.
• Deep technical knowledge of mechanical/electrical design for connectorized solutions and related manufacturing processes.
• Strategic and critical thinker with the ability to balance technical rigor, speed, and business impact.
• Proven problem-solving skills and data-driven decision making.
• Strong ownership mentality and drive for results in a fast-paced environment.
• High level of technical and professional expertise combined with clear, concise communication skills.
• Ability to influence without direct authority and effectively manage conflict and tradeoffs.