Director, Advanced Tooling, Advanced Manufacturing & Automation

CSP; Auburn (AL); On-site; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Affordable medical

Dental insurance

Vision care

Flexible spending accounts

Life insurance

401k with company match

Job summary

CSP in Auburn, AL seeks a Director of Advanced Tooling for Advanced Manufacturing & Automation. This role leads standards, tooling design, and automation development across multiple sites, with accountability for ROI, program governance, and Capital Expenditure management.

The position focuses on cutting-edge tooling, Industry 4.0 adoption, and scalable manufacturing solutions, guiding teams toward reliable, on-time program launches with stakeholder alignment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Industrial, Manufacturing, or Electrical Engineering or equivalent.
• 10+ years in tooling design, advanced manufacturing, automation, or industrial engineering; 5+ years in leadership.

Responsibilities

• Establish enterprise-wide standards for tooling and automation governance across sites.
• Oversee RFQ, cost breakdowns, and standardization of tooling quotes and equipment.
• Lead design, development, and validation of advanced tooling for composites and automation systems.
• Develop and implement Industry 4.0 tools, automation, and predictive maintenance initiatives.
• Ensure compliance with controls standards, cybersecurity, and documentation across projects.
• Manage budgets, track spend, and report program readiness and risks to leadership.

Skills

Tooling design

Automation integration

Robotics

Controls architecture

Leadership

Vendor management

Strategic thinking

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical/Industrial/Manufacturing/Electrical Engineering

Tools

Allen-Bradley/Rockwell

Siemens

Job description

## Director, Advanced Tooling, Advanced Manufacturing & AutomationApplylocations: Auburn Hillstime type: Full timeposted on: Posted 2 Days Agojob requisition id: JR101308CSP is the industry leader in the formulation and molding of lightweight, advanced composite components for the transportation industries. As an innovative, full-service Tier One supplier, we offer an entrepreneurial environment where you’re only limited by your own imagination. In addition to our team-focused environment, we provide industry-leading benefits, called BENEfits4U. Our comprehensive offering includes: affordable medical, dental, and vision care; flexible spending accounts; life insurance; 401k with company match and much, much more.**Job Description**## **1. Department Standards & Governance*** Establish and own the enterprise-wide standards framework for the Advanced Tooling and Automation department, including equipment standards, design standards, build standards, and maintenance standards.* Develop, document, and enforce Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for all core department functions, including:* Tooling quote scope-of-work development* Tooling lineup planning and structuring* Cost breakdown methodology and templates* Vendor selection and evaluation criteria* Tooling and equipment acceptance/runoff criteria* Create and maintain a performance governance model — defining how standards are audited, how compliance is measured, and how deviations are escalated and corrected.* Serve as the final authority on tooling and equipment standards across all sites, ensuring consistency, cost control, and quality.## **2. Tooling Quoting & Cost Standards*** Define the standard format and process for tooling quote scope of work, ensuring quotes are complete, comparable across suppliers, and aligned to program requirements.* Establish standardized tooling lineup structures (e.g., mold sets, fixtures, secondary equipment, automation cells) for consistent program planning.* Develop standardized cost breakdown structures (material, labor, engineering, controls, freight, contingency, etc.) to improve quote accuracy, cost transparency, and negotiation leverage.* Own the RFQ process for tooling and capital equipment, ensuring apples-to-apples supplier comparisons.## **3. Advanced Tooling Design & Development*** Lead design, development, and validation of advanced tooling for composite molds, secondary equipment, and automation systems.* Oversee tooling readiness for new program launches, ensuring durability, repeatability, and on-time delivery.* Drive innovation into the tooling portfolio — evaluating new materials, processes, and design methodologies (e.g., additive manufacturing, simulation-driven design, modular/reconfigurable tooling) to improve cost, speed, and performance.## **4. Advanced Manufacturing & Automation Development*** Develop and implement advanced manufacturing technologies, including automation, robotics, predictive maintenance, and Industry 4.0 tools.* Lead automation development end-to-end: concept, business case, design, integration, validation, and scale-up to full production.* Validate new processes and automated systems through pilot lines, ensuring scalability and reliability prior to full deployment.* Identify and prioritize automation opportunities based on labor efficiency, ergonomics, throughput, and ROI.## **5. Controls Standardization*** Establish enterprise-wide controls standards (PLC platforms, HMI design, safety architecture, network/communication protocols, naming conventions, documentation standards) to ensure consistency, maintainability, and reduced spare-parts complexity across sites.* Partner with controls engineering and IT/OT teams to ensure new automation and tooling projects comply with controls standards from concept through commissioning.* Drive standardization of controls documentation, change management, and cybersecurity practices across all automated systems.## **6. Supplier & Vendor Management*** Partner with suppliers to deliver best-in-class tooling and automation solutions within budget and timing requirements.* Develop and administer a formal vendor evaluation program — scoring suppliers on quality, cost, delivery, engineering capability, and responsiveness — to guide sourcing decisions and build a preferred supplier base.* Lead supplier performance reviews and drive corrective action when standards are not met.## **7. Continuous Improvement & Manufacturing Standards*** Drive continuous improvement initiatives focused on throughput, scrap reduction, labor efficiency, and ergonomics.* Define and deploy enterprise standards for manufacturing layouts, material flow, ergonomics, and process optimization.* Benchmark industry trends and emerging technologies to keep the enterprise at the forefront of composite manufacturing and automation.## **8. Cross-Functional Partnership*** Work closely with Product Development, Facilities, and Asset Management to align tooling and equipment strategy with long-term business objectives.* Partner with Finance to validate ROI and payback for capital equipment, tooling, and process investments.* Collaborate with Quality to ensure advanced manufacturing processes meet customer standards and regulatory requirements.## **9. Financial & Program Management*** Manage budgets for tooling, equipment, and process engineering, including capital expenditures (CapEx).* Track project spend against budget and forecast, and report variances to leadership.## **10. Performance Metrics & Reporting*** Define and monitor department and program KPIs, including:* Tooling readiness (on-time, first-pass acceptance)* Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE)* Scrap and quality escape reduction* ROI on capital projects* Vendor performance scores* Controls standardization compliance* Report regularly to executive leadership on program readiness, risks, and performance against standards.## **11. Team Leadership & Personnel Management*** Build, lead, and develop the Advanced Tooling and Automation team, setting clear expectations and standards for individual performance.* Conduct structured personnel evaluations, including performance reviews, development planning, and succession planning for key roles.* Coach and mentor engineers and program leads to build technical depth in tooling, automation, and controls.* Foster a culture of accountability, innovation, and continuous improvement within the department.**Qualifications****Education*** Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Industrial, Manufacturing, or Electrical Engineering required; or equivalent work experience.* **Experience*** 10+ years of progressive experience in tooling design, advanced manufacturing, automation, or industrial engineering, including 5+ years in a leadership role.* Proven track record of leading tooling and automation programs from concept through production launch.* Experience with composite manufacturing tooling strongly preferred.* Demonstrated experience developing standards, SOPs, and governance frameworks at an enterprise or multi-site level.* Experience managing capital budgets and evaluating ROI on equipment/automation investments.* Experience with controls platforms (e.g., Allen-Bradley/Rockwell, Siemens) and Industry 4.0/data integration tools preferred.**Skills & Competencies*** Strong technical knowledge of tooling design, robotics, automation integration, and controls architecture.* Skilled in supplier negotiation, vendor management, and cost analysis.* Strong leadership, coaching, and organizational development skills.* Excellent communication skills, with ability to present to executive leadership.* Strategic thinker with hands-on execution capability.*If you enjoy innovation, and an opportunity to learn and contribute to a growing organization, CSP is the place for you!*