Director, Industrial Design

Fortune Brands • Riverwoods, IL

89d • $140,000 - $220,000

About The Position

As the Director of Industrial Design, you will manage, guide, and scale a world-class industrial design team that shapes thoughtful, meaningful product experiences across our Outdoors, Security, and Connected Water product categories. This role focuses on nurturing a creative team, supporting effective execution, and evolving design practices in ways that align with both user needs and business goals. We're looking for someone who brings expertise in industrial design, a strong understanding of user experience (UX), and the ability to create bridges between physical and digital design. This person will support cross-functional collaboration, uplift team members, and contribute to the company's long-term innovation strategy through empathy, adaptability, and clear communication. We value individuals who can Think Fast by integrating design thinking with business strategy and leveraging technology to enhance creativity and accelerate impact; Work It Together by building trust-based relationships across cross-functional teams to ensure alignment on roadmaps and innovation pipelines; and Make the Hard Call by confidently navigating ambiguity, prioritizing work with clarity, and balancing creative vision with execution realities.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Industrial Design or a related field.
• 15+ years of experience in industrial design, with a strong portfolio of consumer or durable goods.
• 5+ years leading and mentoring design teams, with a focus on growing talent and team capability.
• Experience taking physical products from concept to launch, including connected or digitally enabled products.
• Solid understanding of UX principles and experience working with UX and digital teams.
• Proficient in design tools like SolidWorks, Keyshot, Adobe Creative Cloud, and familiar with VR/AR or AI-enhanced design tools.

Nice To Haves

• Experience designing for smart home, IoT, or connected products.
• Knowledge of design systems, visual brand language, and working across multiple brands.

Responsibilities

• Build, inspire, and manage a collaborative and energized industrial design team.
• Foster a culture where designers feel fulfilled, motivated, and empowered to grow.
• Set clear goals, secure needed resources, and enable the team to succeed.
• Celebrate successes and foster continuous learning and feedback.
• Champion an integrated Experience Brand approach that bridges Visual Brand Language (VBL) and User Experience (UX).
• Guide and manage design strategy and execution for Outdoor, Security, and Connected Water product categories.
• Deliver outstanding product and experience design that advances brand relevance and business growth.
• Oversee design execution across strategic product roadmaps, innovation pipelines, and ID-led initiatives.
• Ensure alignment with VP/GM-level stakeholders and support business unit goals.
• Work It Together with the Innovation Team to align on emerging initiatives and concept development.
• Directly lead key initiatives, managing internal and external resources to fulfill a robust design roadmap.
• Inspire and advance connected product design, ensuring a seamless end-to-end user experience across multiple touchpoints.
• Establish and evolve best-in-class design processes, methods, and tools.
• Advance adoption of design methodologies such as User-Centered Design, Design Thinking, and Trend Research.
• Embrace and implement new technologies including AI-augmented design tools and emerging platforms.
• Lead by example in technical tools including CAD (SolidWorks), Adobe Creative Cloud, Keyshot, and VR environments.
• Encourage skillsets that blend technical craft with empathy, creativity, and strategic collaboration.

Benefits

• Comprehensive health plans.
• Market-leading 401(k) program with a company contribution.
• Product discounts.
• Flexible time off benefits (including half-day summer Fridays per policy).
• Inclusive fertility / adoption benefits.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Industry: Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing
• Education Level: Bachelor's degree