Focal Point is seeking a Director – Product Development & Research to lead the product development team within the Engineering department and to focus on building the foundation for exploring new technologies and their application within Focal Point’s products. The research portion of the role will evolve, starting with a roll-up-the-sleeves approach as the technical lead for exploring new technologies, and growing into a strategic role to help the company stay current and innovate in step with advancements in the lighting systems market. This role reports to the VP of Engineering.
This role requires stellar capabilities in talent management, program and project execution, technical leadership, and strategy development and deployment. The Product Development team is a key part of the company’s performance engine, supporting Product Leadership, Sales, and Customer Service to deliver products and solutions that deliver increasing levels of performance, quality, and value. Developing internal technical capabilities and strengthening/expanding external relationships will be important success factors in establishing the research function.
This position provides leadership to three key functions: Product Development, Product Architecture, and Electrical Engineering.
Role & Responsibilities:
General:
- Budget (headcount, consulting, prototyping, equipment, travel, professional development, patent, etc.)
- Hire, evaluate, train, and support the development of staff at every levelResearch
- Direct, support, and monitor department managers to accomplish goals, consistent with established manufacturing and safety procedures.
Research:
- Lead organic efforts to drive the investigations, investments, development, and integration of new technologies that align with market needs related to LED sources, LED drivers, control systems, and advanced light quality features
- Provide technical and operational leadership to the Electrical Engineering function
- Provide guidance and insight, influencing Focal Point’s integrated technology strategy
- Work with controls suppliers and industry organizations to engage in the developments in the lighting controls arena – products, technologies, standards, trends, rebates, etc.
- Actively engage with standards, regulatory, or other industry groups to advance the field of lighting
- Work with Product Leadership to define the scope and specification for the integration of controls with Focal Point products, with a focus on link to revenue growth and profitability
- Lead the creation and deployment of training within Focal Point to increase technical knowledge and expertise to further support our customer
Product Architecture:
- Lead the technical integration of electrical and • mechanical components
- Lead the definition of product architectures, • including scoping and roadmaps
- Ensure that FMEA and DVP&R activities are executed Product Development
- Own quality metrics and corrective action resolution for product architectures
- Own cost control for product architecture
Product Development:
- Lead product and feature development activities • across multiple product portfolios
- Oversee project management and
- Develop and enforce best practices
- Coordinate across departments to ensure that products are launched on time, with the desired features and performance, and at the agreed-upon cost
- Develop roadmap and plan for post-launch cost- down activities Research
- Refine and manage the product development process, including stage gates, validation planning and execution, and coordination of launch activities with Engineering Operations, Supply Chain, and Manufacturing
- Consistently drive improvements in key metrics, including speed-to-market, spec-achievement, first-pass quality, and schedule attainment. Evaluate and optimize metrics to ensure that the impact to the company’s success is being appropriately monitored
Research:
- Lead organic efforts to drive the investigations, • investments, development, and integration of new technologies that align with market needs related to LED sources, LED drivers, control systems, and advanced light quality features
- Provide technical and operational leadership to the Electrical Engineering function
- Provide guidance and insight, influencing Focal Point’s integrated technology strategy
- Work with controls suppliers and industry organizations to engage in the developments in the lighting controls arena – products, technologies, standards, trends, rebates, etc.
- Actively engage with standards, regulatory, or other industry groups to advance the field of lighting
- Ability to drive complex change and manage key
Competencies:
- Skilled at managing multiple simultaneous work streams
- Proven capability to plan at both strategic and operational/tactical levels with clear links to the company’s goals of increasing sales, shortening lead times, and improving on time performance
- Demonstrated success in building and sustaining high-performing teams through leveraging and developing talent
- Demonstrated communication and interpersonal skills, honed through leading teams and mitigating conflict
- A distinct openness to new ways of thinking
- Ability to drive complex change and manage key stakeholders
- Exceptional analytical skills as demonstrated through a history of generating and implementing elegant solutions to complex problems
- Strong project/program management skills, with the ability to organize and mobilize cross-functional teams to support multiple simultaneous priorities
- Game-changing mindset with a mind to innovate and implement best practices
- Relentless customer focus combined with a strong commitment to continuous improvement
Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s Degree (Master’s preferred) in Engineering
- Minimum 15 years of direct experience in managing engineering and/or research and development teams, with advanced leadership experience in progressively responsible positions
- Demonstrated experience in forming and leading high-performance teams
- Well-versed in leveraging ISO 9001 standards to achieve best in class performance
- A passion for safety with personal accountability and proven ability to drive positive change throughout the organization
Key Performance Indicators:
- Speed-to-market
- Spec-achievement
- First-pass quality
- Schedule attainment
The Company:
Focal Point is a Chicago-based family owned and operated architectural lighting manufacturer. Our vertically integrated manufacturing facilities are fine-tuned to produce high quality products with short lead times. Using the most advanced equipment and processes, Focal Point delivers a superior luminaire. Focal Point’s specification grade products are suited for a broad range of applications, and we’re always reaching out to new markets with innovative designs that are engineered by our own experts.
To apply: www.focalpointlights.com/careers
Why choose Focal Point? Watch this video to find out!