Vice President, Innovation & Productivity

Position Overview

This executive role is responsible for shaping and accelerating the strategies for innovation, product development, and engineering in a global enterprise. The Vice President will spearhead the development of distinctive solutions, enhance product performance, and promote sustainable business growth through innovation. Combining technical expertise with strategic foresight and operational leadership, this role transforms client needs into market-leading products by leading multidisciplinary teams, refining development workflows, and fostering a culture of creativity and continual improvement. The role also involves close collaboration with senior leadership and multiple functions, influencing organization-wide projects in complex manufacturing environments.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and implement a comprehensive innovation and new product development strategy aligned with business growth targets.
• Lead, mentor, and build a high-achieving engineering team, including specialized advanced engineering groups focused on manufacturing technologies.
• Collaborate with executive leadership to identify market opportunities and prioritize innovation investments.
• Manage cross-functional product development projects from ideation through commercialization and launch.
• Apply structured development methodologies such as stage-gate or agile to reduce time-to-market.
• Drive rapid prototyping, iterative designs, and enhancements in manufacturability to improve efficiency.
• Design and execute value analysis and value engineering programs to lower costs, increase margins, and optimize product design.
• Conduct cross-functional workshops targeting product improvement, cost reduction, and innovation exploration.
• Lead customer voice initiatives and market research to discover unmet needs guiding product direction.
• Partner with product, sales, and marketing teams to ensure successful product positioning and launches.
• Manage post-launch assessments and continuous improvement activities to maximize product success.
• Develop partnerships with universities, research institutes, and technology providers to fuel external innovation.
• Oversee intellectual property management including developing patents and protecting proprietary innovations.

Required Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering is mandatory; a Master's degree or MBA is preferred.
• Minimum of 10 years of progressive leadership experience in engineering, innovation, product development, or related manufacturing sectors.
• Proven track record in leading new product development efforts and delivering commercially successful products.
• Experience in implementing value analysis/value engineering programs and driving productivity improvements.
• Solid understanding of materials science, particularly metals and plastics, with experience in compliance-driven industries.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and lead high-performing technical teams.
• In-depth knowledge of structured innovation processes, product lifecycle management, and commercialization strategies.
• Customer-centric mindset with capability to translate market demands into technical solutions.
• Excellent communication, collaboration, and stakeholder management at the executive level.
• Preferably experienced in safety-related, industrial, or regulated sectors.

Compensation and Benefits

• Competitive executive base salary ranging between $220,000 and $250,000 annually.
• Eligibility for annual incentive plans linked to business and financial performance.
• Flexibility to work remotely with options for alternative work arrangements.
• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance packages.
• 401(k) retirement plan with company matching contributions.
• Company-covered short-term and long-term disability insurance.
• Generous paid time off and personal days.
• Employee wellness programs to support overall health and well-being.
• Opportunity to lead impactful innovation initiatives with significant business outcomes.
• Prospects for career advancement within a global, technology-driven organization.

Additional Information

This position is managed by a partner company which handles the application process and subsequent steps independently. The role offers an exceptional chance for a senior innovation-focused leader to operate within complex manufacturing domains and influence broad organizational innovation strategies.