Chief Executive Officer (CEO) / Managing Director (MD)

Weiss Technik North America, Inc.•Cincinnati, OH

4d•Onsite

About The Position

The Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”) leads the North American division of a German-owned, privately held global corporation specializing in environmental test chambers and related testing solutions. The CEO is accountable for strategic direction, operational excellence, financial performance, and organizational leadership while ensuring alignment with global corporate objectives. This executive must be adept at managing a complex, engineering‑driven business within a multinational structure—balancing local agility with global coordination across product development, supply chain, and commercial strategy. Weiss Technik North America (“WNA”) has four facilities: one in Cincinnati, OH (“WNA-CI”), one in Grand Rapids, MI (“WNA-GR”), one in Hingham, MA (“Dynavac”), and one sales and service company in Guadalajara, Mexico (“WMX”). At the end of 2025, WNA had about 530 employees and realized over $142M revenue in North-America. The CEO is the highest ranked officer at the company, managing the WNA Executive Team, and overseeing all tactical and strategic aspects of the business in the North-American territory—from Engineering, Manufacturing and Logistics, to Finance, Sales, Marketing, Service, and R&D—ensuring the company delivers high‑performance, reliable test systems that meet the demanding needs of e.g. the aerospace, automotive, electronics, defense, and pharma industries, all while increasing the company’s market share and providing sufficient net profit for the German holding company. This role requires a strategically thinking leader, with many years of general management experience at an executive level, who understands complex engineered products, thrives in a precision‑driven manufacturing environments, understands the challenges of successfully selling, producing, and servicing high value, capital equipment, and who can guide the organization through innovation, operational excellence, continuous improvement, and market expansion.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree (or higher) in Engineering (Mechanical, Electrical, or related field strongly preferred), and/or a bachelor’s degree (or higher) in Business Administration.
15+ years of successful general management experience at an executive level in manufacturing and sales company, preferably dealing with low volume, high-end engineered products, and sales and service of capital equipment.
Proven success managing multi‑site manufacturing operations and sales teams at $100M+ scale
Strong technical aptitude with the ability to understand complex products and customer requirements.
Strategic thinker with strong analytical skills and a proven ability to grow specialized industrial businesses.
Excellent communication and relationship‑building skills with technical and non‑technical stakeholders.
Financially savvy, data‑driven decision maker.
Strong interpersonal, leadership and management skills.
Strong negotiation skills
Skilled at leading cross‑functional teams in a fast‑paced, engineering‑centric environment.
A pro-active, hands-on, results-driven individual. Quick thinking and effective multitasking required.
Strong computer related skills, including Windows Office programs. Microsoft Word, Excel and Power Point proficiency required. Knowledge of SAP is appreciated.
In possession of valid driver’s license and passport
U.S. citizenship or Permanent Resident status

Nice To Haves

Experience with environmental test chambers, HVAC systems, refrigeration, product testing in general, or any experience in applying, manufacturing or sales of other types of advanced heating or cooling equipment is preferred.
Experience with sales and account management in the automotive, electronics, aerospace, or defense industries is highly desirable.

Responsibilities

Develop and execute the company’s long‑term strategy for growth in the North-American environmental testing market, including product innovation, service expansion, and geographic growth.
Lead strategic planning, annual budgeting, and multi‑year investment planning across all four facilities.
Identify foreseeable threats and opportunities for the company and address these in a timely and highly effective way, assuring the company has the required organizational structure, processes and resources for success. This can concern but is not limited to; emerging technologies, new or changing customer applications, competitors’ activities, changing legislation and technical standards, everything impacting WNA’s sales price, cost price, and availability of necessary raw materials and skilled personnel.
Assure sustainable growth of market share and excellent profitability, together with excellent profitability.
Establish and retain a productive and pleasant company environment, managed by a high-performance leadership team that supports and exemplifies the company culture characterized by: innovation, integrity, cross-functional collaboration, attention for quality, safety, entrepreneurship, accountability, customer-focus, and low employee turnover.
Manage, collaborate with, and give guidance to WNA’s Executive Team
Represent the company with key customers, suppliers, regulatory bodies, competition, and industry associations.
Report to the German Business Unit Environmental Simulation management (and when required, the Schunk Board of Directors) on WNA’s business status, strategic actions & progress, threats, opportunities, and financial performance.
Have full P&L responsibility of WNA and its associated companies..
Monitor financial performance, including Net Working Capital, together with the CFO, and implement corrective actions when needed
Set annual budgets, using the templates and in accordance with the procedures as set out by German HQ.
Ensure compliance with environmental, safety, and export regulations, as demanded by U.S. law
Ensure compliance with all guidelines of Schunk GmbH.
Approve capital investments in equipment, facilities, and R&D.
Manage the activities and management of Weiss Technik Mexico, located in Guadalajara
Assess and initiate acquisition and merger proposals