Director, Engineering

Nidec•Hoffman Estates, IL

About The Position

Nidec is the world's No.1 comprehensive motor and drive manufacturer handling "everything that spins and moves", miniature to gigantic. Nidec is a global enterprise comprised of over 300 subsidiaries/affiliates. We are a leading manufacturer of commercial motors, industrial motors, appliance motors, and controls. Nidec motors can be found in products that range from cell phones, computers and home appliances to industrial and mining equipment – and everything in between. Our product line features a full line of high efficiency motors for industrial applications in water treatment, mining, oil and gas, and power generation, and for commercial applications such as pool and spa, condensers, cooling towers and large refrigeration units. From keeping us comfortable in our homes to pumping clean water to making our cars more safe, electric motors are an indispensable part of our daily lives. At Nidec, our employees are on the forefront of developing new motor technologies. As we move deeper into the age of robotics, the impact of motors will only increase. With over 140,000 employees stationed worldwide, Nidec continues to be a unique organization, and each location maintains its individual personality.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in engineering or a related field
Requires 3+ years of managerial experience.
Typically 10–15+ years of progressive engineering experience
Significant experience leading engineering teams, managers, and complex technical programs
Broad knowledge of engineering principles, systems, and development methodologies
Proven people-leadership and organizational-development capability
Strong strategic thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making skills
Ability to influence executive leadership and cross-functional stakeholders
Experience managing complex projects, trade-offs, and technical risk
Executive-level communication and presentation skills
High integrity, accountability, and results orientation

Responsibilities

Define and execute engineering strategy aligned with business goals, product roadmaps, and operational needs
Establish engineering priorities, roadmaps, and investment plans
Ensure alignment between engineering execution and enterprise standards, safety, and quality expectations
Oversee delivery of engineering projects, programs, and initiatives
Establish and enforce engineering standards, design practices, and review processes
Ensure engineering outputs meet performance, reliability, regulatory, and customer requirements
Support development and optimization of products, processes, or systems across the lifecycle
Partner with Product, Manufacturing, or Operations on new introductions, scale-ups, and continuous improvement
Evaluate and adopt new technologies, tools, or methodologies to enhance engineering effectiveness
Lead, mentor, and develop engineering managers, engineers, and technical specialists
Establish performance expectations, capability models, and succession plans
Foster a culture of technical excellence, accountability, collaboration, and innovation
Collaborate with Product Management, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Quality, EHS, and IT
Support enterprise initiatives such as growth, transformation, digitalization, and M&A integration
Ensure engineering activities comply with safety, regulatory, and quality requirements
Identify and mitigate technical, operational, and execution risks
Support investigations and corrective actions for significant technical or quality issues
Establish KPIs to measure engineering performance, quality, delivery, and efficiency
Use data and analytics to drive decisions and continuous improvement
Standardize processes and improve engineering productivity and scalability
Own engineering budgets, forecasts, and resource planning
Balance cost, schedule, and performance priorities across programs
Ensure effective utilization of engineering talent and external partners