Director, Manufacturing Excellence

David Yurman Enterprises•New York, NY

1d•Onsite

About The Position

David Yurman is seeking a Director, Manufacturing Excellence to join their NY Design and PD teams. This role will assist in engineering new products, troubleshooting engineering challenges from design inception, and participating in DFM (Design for Manufacturing) and CTM (Concept to Manufacturing) meetings. The Director will collaborate with the DY Shop to ensure final production methods are considered during development and oversee all ECN Projects. They will work closely with manufacturing partners, both remotely and on-site, to uphold engineering standards. This hands-on technical leader will also provide bench-level support for the Women’s Mainline project, work with vendors across the US and Europe, and mentor the junior Manufacturing Excellence team member in NY.

Requirements

Four-year BA or BS degree in Mechanical Engineering/Industrial Design
Minimum 8+ years of practical Jewelry Manufacturing experience (including production manufacturing) OR equivalent tenured jewelry manufacturing experience
Extensive hands-on model making and jewelry assembly experience in sterling silver, gold alloys, platinum, Titanium and Aluminum
Extensive knowledge of Jewelry casting, including rubber mold and wax production
Extensive knowledge of Stone Setting Techniques including Hand Pave, Pin Set, Bezel Setting, Prong Setting, baguette setting and invisible setting. Hands on experience preferred
A thorough knowledge of Electro-plating with White and Black Rhodium including both pen plating and bath plating
Experience with multiple finishing techniques such as Oxidation on Silver, Satin, Burnished and Mechanical Finishing
A high level of understanding of RHINO 3D Version 8 and Rapid Prototyping
A strong understanding of jewelry mechanisms such as clasps, hinges, and springs
A keen understanding of Stamping and Machining techniques
Ability to troubleshoot problems at every stage of the jewelry manufacturing process
A good sense of Design
Familiarity with Rhino, Proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook and mechanical drawing software and /or Adobe Photo Deluxe
Demonstrated hands-on bench jewelry manufacturing experience with the ability to analyze complex product construction, manufacturing methods, and engineering challenges.
Proven ability to mentor and develop engineering talent while providing technical leadership across cross-functional teams.

Responsibilities

Work closely with NY based design leadership early in the development process to ensure engineering needs are met
Serve as a hands-on bench partner on the Women’s Mainline project, validating construction, finishing, and manufacturing methods while supporting the NY design and product development teams.
Work daily with BKK ME Team to promote inter-office cohesion
Coordinate closely with the Bangkok Manufacturing Excellence team to align technical standards, share learnings, and support a consistent global manufacturing strategy.
Work closely with Product Development Team to evaluate and determine best practices for producing David Yurman Jewelry
Provide direct technical coaching and mentoring to the junior Manufacturing Excellence team member in New York, including training in problem-solving, vendor communication, and engineering best practices.
Interact closely with vendor base (with focus on domestic and Italian vendors) to guarantee understanding of first sample execution, troubleshoot manufacturing challenges, ensure QC standards are met and communicate learnings to cross functional teams
Expand direct technical support to vendors across the US and Europe, with a hands-on role in resolving sample issues, improving manufacturability, and closing the loop on critical engineering actions.
Document best practices in a Manufacturing Excellence Manual with ongoing revisions and updates as needed
Participant in the R&D, DFM & CTM Committees
Partner with R&D team to vet manufacturing feasibility
Partner with the DY Shop on creating prototypes and reference samples for design consideration and vendor reference during sampling phase
Own ECN projects including vendor communication, inspecting models and assembly methods, coming up with solutions or alternatives to correct known issues, obtain final updated vendor samples that pass DY QC and communicate to repair team when solutions are implemented
Keep up to date on new manufacturing techniques and technologies