Sr Director, Systems Engineering & Processes – Hybrid3 Days in Towson, Hybrid to Towson
Towson, Maryland, United States
The Job:As a Sr Director, Systems Engineering & Processes, you’ll be part of our Engineering & Technology – Americas & EMEA team working as a hybrid employee. This role will report directly to the Vice President, Engineering & Technology (Americas & EMEA) and will lead two sub-groups: a team of embedded Systems Engineers deployed to programs and the Engineering Processes & Quality group, which owns stage-gate technical readiness, engineering quality audits, and engineering standard work. You’ll get to:
- Build the Systems Engineering capability from the ground up by defining the operating model, the engagement model with programs, and the standard ways of working. Recruit, develop, and deploy embedded Systems Engineers who work alongside program teams to lead requirements decomposition, interface control, and integration analysis.
- Stand up the systems-engineering toolchain and model-based backbone by establishing requirements management, traceability, and model-based systems engineering practices from customer need through verification so requirements, interfaces, and test evidence are connected across mechanical, electrical, and software domains.
- Own the verification and validation strategy by defining how programs prove a design meets its requirements, including V&V planning, test coverage against CTQs, and evidence-based design-review gates so technical readiness at each gate is demonstrated, not assumed.
- Establish the design-risk and functional-safety analysis discipline by driving consistent hazard analysis, DFMEA, and fault-tree analysis across programs in partnership with Electrical Engineering and related functional teams so safety-critical requirements are identified and verified early.
- Own engineering process rigor across Americas and EMEA by leading the Engineering Processes & Quality group, including the stage-gate technical readiness framework, engineering quality audits, and engineering standard work, while partnering with the broader Design Quality organization to deploy quality capability into the design centers.
- Drive the Lead Project Engineer transformation by partnering with Design Center leaders and cross-functional engineering teams to expand the lead engineering mandate to full system ownership across mechanical, electrical, software, and industrial design. Coach the Lead PE population to internalize this rigor over time.
- Connect systems rigor to productivity outcomes by ensuring disciplined requirements, early architecture decisions, and design reuse translate into measurable design-to-value and cost-reduction results.
- Establish and own the leading indicators that show whether systems rigor is improving, including technical readiness at gate, design review effectiveness, requirements traceability, escape rate, and rework driven by integration failures.
- Operate as a peer to Design Center leaders and influence adoption of systems-engineering rigor through credibility, clarity, and practical implementation support rather than mandate alone.
The Person:You love to learn and grow and be acknowledged for your valuable contributions. You’re not intimidated by innovation. Wouldn’t it be great if you could do your job and do a world of good? In fact, you embrace it. You also have:
- Deep, practical systems engineering expertise spanning requirements decomposition and traceability, interface management, architecture definition, FMEA/DFMEA, fault-tree analysis, hazard analysis, and verification and validation.
- Hands-on command of systems-engineering and requirements tooling such as IBM DOORS, Jama, Polarion, Cameo, SysML, or similar platforms, with the judgment to apply model-based systems engineering at the right depth rather than as overhead.
- Experience in complex electromechanical product development environments such as cordless power tools, automotive, aerospace, industrial equipment, medical devices, or comparable industries where mechanical, electrical, and embedded software systems must integrate to demanding cost and reliability standards.
- Demonstrated leadership in platforming and modular architecture strategies that improve reuse and consistency across multiple programs.
- Strong knowledge of stage-gate development processes, design review governance, engineering standard work, and quality systems, with a bias toward rigor that is practical and sustainable for engineering teams.
- Demonstrated change leadership and the ability to drive transformation and cultural shifts across a complex organization.
- 10+ years of progressive engineering and technical leadership experience, including direct people leadership.
- A technical degree is required, and an advanced engineering degree is preferred.
- INCOSE certification or an equivalent systems engineering credential is a meaningful differentiator.
- Willingness to travel across Americas and EMEA design centers and manufacturing sites.
The Details:You’ll receive a competitive salary and a great benefits plan, including:
- Medical, dental, life, vision, disability, 401(k), Employee Stock Purchase Plan, paid time off, and tuition reimbursement in addition to programs and benefits in support of your well-being.
- Discounts on Stanley Black & Decker tools and other partner programs.
And More:We want our company to be a place you’ll want to be – and stay. Being part of our team means you’ll get to:
- Grow: Be part of our global company with 20+ brands to grow and develop your skills along multiple career paths.
- Learn: Have access to a wealth of learning resources, including our digital learning portal.
- Belong: Experience an awesome place to work, where we have mutual respect and a great appreciation for a wide range of perspectives and experiences.
- Give Back: Help us continue to make positive changes locally and globally through volunteerism, giving back, and sustainable business practices.
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