Director of Engineering, APAC

Primary Function:

Lead the APAC Engineering team and take full accountability for its overall operation and a member of the Asia Pacific Leadership Team (APLT). Core responsibilities include but are not limited to new product development (NPD), new product introduction (NPI) and maintenance, localization & cost optimization, advanced production application support, customer-centric product design, regional codes & certifications, advanced manufacturing process support, and lab management. Collaborate with cross-functional leaders to execute corporate strategy and annual strategic thrusts; prioritize team building and talent development to drive sustained business growth.

Principal Duties & Responsibilities:

Strategy & Resource Management

• Develop regional strategies and for NPD, NPI, Product Engineering, Quality Engineering, Engineering Systems, and advanced manufacturing technologies, and aligned with marketing and global engineering strategies.
• Lead and manage current and future headcount planning; work with team members to set annual objectives aligned with business plans and track progress throughout the year.

Team & Talent Leadership

• Provide functional leadership to the APAC Engineering team: oversee recruitment, talent development, team engagement, skill enhancement, and mentoring.
• Foster a positive culture; develop employees technical and behavioral competencies via targeted plans (leveraging strengths and addressing gaps); drive key talent retention.

Operational Enablement

• Collaborate closely with other functions (manufacturing, marketing and sales) to deliver annual WIGs; maintain high team productivity.

Continuous Improvement

• Lead continuous improvement across all APAC Engineering areas: develop creative solutions for unstructured product/system design issues; optimize team participation in engineering activities.
• Instill rigorous target cost management and market awareness in the team to build differentiated products and enhance customer experience.

Technical & Business Support

• Provide technical leadership for APAC markets to support long-term sustainable development: assist Manufacturing, Sourcing, Service, Supplier Quality Engineering, and aftermarkets with existing product-related needs.
• Prepare integrated technical-business analyses for cross-functional leadership discussions; review other engineers technical work for accuracy when required; act as a key technical decision-maker for business growth.

Additional Responsibilities

• Participate in frontline engineering, cost calculation, or project management work to support project teams when necessary.
• Serve as an internal trainer for advanced applications; and engage with customers directly.
• Drive advanced manufacturing process improvement and development.
• Represent the company in industrial associations and participate in the formulation/review of national codes and standards.
• As a member of APAC Leadership Team (APLT) to contribute to key decision-making.

Qualifications / Knowledge /Skills:

• Education: Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering, Power Engineering, or Refrigeration. Advanced Engineering degrees (e.g., Master's/PhD) and/or additional Business degrees are preferred.
• Years of Experience: Minimum 15 years of professional experience, with mandatory engineering background and minimum 5 years of team leadership experience. Preferred additional experience in: Sales/Marketing/Applications; or Refrigeration, industrial cooling, and heat exchange industries.
• Systems Proficiency: Mandatory: Intermediate Excel skills, CAD-related skills, ERP knowledge. Preferred: Advanced Excel, advanced PowerPoint, expert-level CAD/ERP skills.
• Project Management: Allocate resources for parallel task execution; Understand critical path analysis (result-oriented). Preferred: Prior project management experience.
• Communication: Effective written/oral communication in English (mandatory presentation skills); Ability to engage with teams, cross-functional heads, and senior management; Experience in external communication across different cultures (vendors, customers, designers).
• Management skills: Effectively manage team size, skill composition and organization structure. Proficient in scientific and modern management methods. Possess a customer centric and result driven mindset.
• People Management /Leadership skills: Ability to assess the strengths and weaknesses of team members. Ability to motivate team members to maximize performance. Ability to articulate a clear vision and manage stakeholder expectations. Coaching-style leadership experience preferred across a diversified culture in Asia Pacific.

KEY RELATIONSHIPS

• Global Engineering, Marketing and Manufacturing Leadership Teams
• Global VP & Head of APAC
• Asia Pacific Leadership Team (APLT)
• Potential external consultants