7-10 years of executive leadership experience in NPI and product industrialization
Strong background in mechanical, electrical, and power electronics engineering
Experience managing complex hardware businesses and supplier ecosystems
Proven track record of integrating acquisitions and technologies
Demonstrated ability to manage cost, quality, and capacity across multiple product lines
Experience building high-performing teams in a high-growth environment
Strategic mindset combined with detailed execution skills
Responsibilities
Lead the NPI process from R&D to supply chain handoff while ensuring continuous improvement
Enhance the stage-gate NPI and launch-readiness processes
Drive Design for Manufacturing principles into product development
Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure scalable products meet quality and cost goals
Establish launch metrics for accountability in schedule, cost, quality, and reliability
Advance quality and process capability goals in internal and supplier factories
Innovate NPI transitions, focusing on strategic sourcing and supplier risk mitigation
Benefits
High-performing, collaborative work culture
Opportunities for professional development and growth
Innovative, technology-driven environment
Impactful role in shaping product development and engineering practices
Cross-functional teamwork across various departments
Full Job Description
Job Description:
VP, Operations Engineering
Nextpower
Role Mission
Lead Nextpower's transformation from a portfolio of rapidly expanding technologies and acquired businesses into a scalable, integrated, and globally competitive product platform.
Distinctly focused on 1) New Product Introduction (NPI) and the product industrialization and engineering readiness of those new products for high volume manufacturing and 2) Operations Engineering to drive process capacity (CpK) that enable quality, cost, and cycle time goals. This role will continuously innovate and evolve the processes, systems, supplier strategies, and cross-functional operating model required to move products rapidly from concept through and into high volume commercial production with a high process capability and low defect rate.
Key Responsibilities
New Product Introduction & Industrialization
Own the NPI process from R&D (Product Engineering) handoff to the Supply Chain volume capable handoff, while partnering with Products Engineering, Supply Chain, Sales, and other functional groups for continuous improvement throughout the entire product development and go-to-market process.
Continuously improve the stage-gate NPI process, design reviews, configuration management, change control, and launch-readiness product introductions.
Own and Drive Design for Manufacturing, Assembly, Cost, Quality, Service, and Supply Chain (DFx) into product development.
Partner with Products, Manufacturing, Quality, and Supply Chain to ensure products are commercially scalable with an effective blend of quality, cost, and functionality -not simply technically complete.
Establish launch metrics and accountability for schedule, cost, quality, yield, reliability, and supply readiness.
Operations Engineering
Drive ongoing quality, process capability (CpK), and cost goals within the internal and supplier factories with direct engagement on supplier quality, means and methods, process and value engineering, should-cost analysis, and design-to-cost initiatives.
Establish critical node control points and data acquisition (EDI/API) and establish and maintain a Statistical Process Control (SPC) monitoring and control program.
Integrate supplier strategy into product development and NPI from the earliest design stages.
Innovate and streamline NPI transitions to Supply Chain for the following aspects: Strategic sourcing, supplier qualification, dual-sourcing, localization, capacity planning, and supply-risk mitigation strategies for critical components.
Partner with Supply Chain and Operations to establish financially effective cost, availability, lead time, quality, and geopolitical requirements as product-design inputs.
Establish and ensure supplier tooling, capacity, quality, and production readiness are aligned with product launch requirements.
Organization & Leadership
Build a high-performing, cross-functional Ops Engineering organization capable of rapidly ramping and commercializing new products (NPI) and driving operational engineering improvements that improve process CpK, quality, cost, and cycle time
Develop engineering talent, processes, and organizational capabilities required to support Nextpower's growth.
Develop a seamless connectivity between Products Innovation and Supply Chain high volume processes.
Foster a highly accountable, high ownership, biased-for-action organization that thrives on delighting our Customers by partnering with them to deliver high quality, on-time new products.
Measures of Success
Reduced concept-to-commercial and volume-launch cycle time
Improved on-time NPI and production launches
Improved first-pass qualification, production yield, reliability, and field performance
Reduced cost and engineering changes following production release
Increased process Capability (CpK) within factories
Increased supplier readiness and qualified/dual-source coverage
Improved product cost, lead time, and supply availability
Increased component commonality and platform reuse
Successful integration of acquired technologies and organizations
Increased domestic/localized supply capability where strategically advantageous
Establishment of a scalable engineering operating model capable of supporting Nextpower's growth
Leadership Profile
Proven executive leadership in NPI, product industrialization, engineering, manufacturing, and/or supply chain within complex hardware businesses.
Experience taking products from development through qualification, production ramp, and commercial scale.
Strong understanding of mechanical, electrical, power electronics, controls, software, manufacturing, and supplier ecosystems.
Demonstrated success integrating acquisitions, technologies, suppliers, and organizations.
Strong commercial orientation with experience managing cost, quality, schedule, capacity, and supply risk.
Ability to operate strategically while driving detailed execution across multiple product lines and business units.
Experience building organizations and operating processes in a high-growth environment.
