Head of Engineering Operations

Daimler Truck • Portland, OR

1d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Executive of Engineering Operations leads the processes, systems, documentation, vehicle configuration, production-support, technology-partnership, and AI capabilities that enable Product Engineering to deliver accurate, manufacturable, and sustainable solutions throughout the product lifecycle. This position oversees engineering release processes, drawing and part quality, vehicle configuration systems, engineering systems, the representation of Engineering needs to IT, and support for production operations and Truck Equipment Manufacturers (TEMs). The Executive also serves as the Engineering & Technology AI Ambassador, developing the functional AI strategy in alignment with DTG and DTNA AI strategy and championing responsible, value-focused adoption across the organization. As a member of the Product Engineering leadership team, the Executive partners across Engineering, Production, Sales and Marketing, IT, Data and AI teams, Compliance, Service and Aftermarket, Lifecycle Management, Product Strategy, and SpecPro to strengthen execution, improve engineering quality, and ensure effective support across product development, launch, and lifecycle management. Role Mission: Enable Product Engineering execution through reliable systems, strategic IT partnership, responsible AI adoption, accurate documentation, validated configurations, and responsive production support.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering or a closely related technical discipline and 10 years experience
• Significant progressive leadership experience in product engineering, engineering operations, manufacturing engineering, engineering systems, configuration management, documentation, digital transformation, or a related technical function.
• 4 year's demonstrated experience leading managers, technical professionals, or multidisciplinary engineering teams.
• Strong knowledge of product-development and engineering-release processes.
• Experience translating functional business needs into technology priorities, roadmaps, or investment decisions.
• Demonstrated ability to lead across organizational boundaries and resolve complex cross-functional issues.
• Strong strategic thinking, execution, communication, and stakeholder-management skills.

Nice To Haves

• Advanced degree in Engineering, Business Administration, or a related field.
• Experience in the commercial-vehicle, automotive, transportation, or complex manufacturing industry.
• Experience supporting production operations and resolving engineering issues in a manufacturing environment.
• Knowledge of vehicle configuration, customized chassis applications, engineering documentation, and release-management practices.
• Experience leading AI strategy, digital transformation, engineering-system modernization, workflow automation, data-quality, or enterprise technology initiatives.
• Knowledge of responsible AI, data governance, cybersecurity, and organizational change considerations associated with enterprise AI adoption.
• Continuous-improvement, Lean, or Six Sigma experience.

Responsibilities

• Lead Engineering Systems activities by improving engineering processes, maintaining critical infrastructure, customizing tools, and driving sustainable system initiatives.
• Serve as the primary liaison between Engineering and IT, translating engineering priorities, pain points, infrastructure needs, and future capability requirements into a clear and prioritized demand portfolio.
• Partner with IT to align system roadmaps, architecture, support models, cybersecurity, data access, compute capacity, and investment priorities with Engineering business and technical requirements.
• Provide Engineering sponsorship and governance for major IT initiatives, ensuring clear business ownership, measurable outcomes, effective adoption, and sustained value realization.
• Promote effective use of engineering tools, infrastructure, data, and workflows across the organization.
• Develop and maintain the Engineering & Technology AI strategy in alignment with DTG and DTNA AI strategy, governance, architecture, security, compliance, and responsible-AI principles.
• Serve as the AI Ambassador for Engineering & Technology, establishing vision, direction, priorities, and an adoption roadmap for AI-enabled engineering capabilities.
• Identify and prioritize high-value AI use cases that improve engineering productivity, quality, speed, knowledge reuse, decision-making, and employee experience.
• Partner with DTG, DTNA, IT, Data and AI teams, functional leaders, and use-case owners to coordinate solution development, deployment, scaling, and lifecycle governance.
• Establish transparent value-assessment, prioritization, risk-management, and performance-measurement mechanisms for the Engineering & Technology AI portfolio.
• Champion AI literacy, responsible experimentation, change leadership, and broad adoption while ensuring appropriate human oversight and protection of company data and intellectual property.
• Lead vehicle configuration-management activities supporting accurate and validated product configurations.
• Oversee configuration support for pricing and exemptions, module orders, bill-of-material approvals, chassis calculations, and specification accuracy.
• Oversee engineering documentation and release processes, ensuring the accuracy and quality of engineering drawings and parts.
• Provide effective tools, standards, training, and operational support; align documentation standards globally where applicable; and support audits, reporting, and governance.
• Drive standardized processes and documentation that improve consistency and reduce defects and rework.
• Lead the liaison between Production and Engineering to support timely resolution of product and manufacturing issues.
• Drive product-design improvements based on production experience and operational feedback.
• Oversee shopcall management and related issue-resolution processes.
• Ensure effective engineering support for production facilities and Truck Equipment Manufacturers and promote innovation across the production-engineering interface.
• Integrate Engineering Operations activities with project timelines, vehicle scope, design requirements, and product-development priorities.
• Partner with Product Strategy, Sales, SpecPro, Engineering across DTNA, TBB, and FCCC, Compliance, Production, IT, Service and Aftermarket, and Lifecycle Management.
• Represent Engineering Operations in cross-functional governance, readiness, investment-prioritization, and issue-resolution forums.
• Provide strategic direction and leadership for the Engineering Operations organization.
• Develop leaders and technical professionals across Engineering Systems, AI enablement, vehicle configuration, engineering documentation, and Liaison Engineering.
• Establish clear priorities, accountability, and performance expectations while fostering execution excellence, inclusion, collaboration, continuous improvement, innovation, and customer focus.
• Build organizational capability through talent development, succession planning, and knowledge-sharing.

Benefits

• annual variable pay bonus program
• company paid company vehicle with insurance and fuel card
• 401k company contribution with company match up to 6% as well as non-elective company contribution of 3 - 7% depending on age
• non-qualified deferred compensation plan with company contribution of 7% of variable pay
• starting at 4 weeks paid vacation
• 13+ holidays per calendar year
• Paid parental leave
• employee assistance program
• comprehensive health care plans and wellness programs
• onsite fitness (at some locations)
• tuition assistance program
• volunteer paid time off
• short-term and long-term disability plans

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Executive