Director of Engineering

Korn Ferry; Williamsburg (VA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive medical, dental, and VIs

Job summary

Korn Ferry, in partnership with a confidential client, seeks a Director of Engineering in Williamsburg, VA to lead the electrical engineering organization and drive design excellence on strategic programs.

You will collaborate with Sales, Production, and Quality to ensure compliant, on-time product delivery while balancing technical and business objectives.

Qualifications

• ABET-accredited Electrical Engineering degree required.
• 10+ years of electrical engineering experience.
• 5+ years of engineering leadership or management experience.

Responsibilities

• Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing team of electrical engineers.
• Establish departmental goals, priorities, and resource plans.
• Serve as the primary technical authority for electrical power distribution systems.

Skills

Leadership

Electrical engineering

Project management

Communication

Strategic thinking

Mentoring

Safety culture

Education

B.S. in Electrical Engineering

M.S. preferred

Tools

E-Plan

Promis-e

AutoCAD Electrical

Microsoft Office

Job description

Korn Ferry has partnered with our client on their search for Director of Engineering

CONFIDENTIAL CLIENT SEARCH

Position Overview

As the Director of Engineering, you will lead and oversee the engineering organization, ensuring technical execution aligns with business objectives. This leadership role partners closely with Sales, Project Management, Procurement, Production, and Quality to drive innovation, operational excellence, and successful product delivery.

You will guide engineering efforts from concept through commercialization, ensuring designs meet customer requirements, regulatory standards, quality expectations, and project timelines. Success in this role requires exceptional leadership, technical expertise, and strategic thinking.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing team of electrical engineers while fostering a collaborative engineering culture.
• Establish departmental goals, priorities, and resource plans aligned with company strategy.
• Serve as the primary technical authority for electrical power distribution systems and related products.
• Partner with executive leadership, Sales, and Project Management to support customer engagement, proposals, and business development initiatives.

Electrical Design Oversight

• Oversee all electrical design activities, including single-line diagrams, Bills of Materials (BOMs), wiring diagrams, and engineering documentation.
• Standardize engineering processes, tools, and documentation to improve quality, efficiency, and consistency.
• Ensure compliance with all applicable electrical codes, regulations, and UL standards.
• Promote and enforce a strong culture of electrical safety throughout the organization.
• Lead design reviews and provide technical guidance on complex engineering challenges.
• Support key customer meetings and resolve high-level technical issues.

Project & Product Delivery

• Direct engineering execution to ensure projects meet scope, schedule, quality, and budget objectives.
• Oversee development and approval of Factory Acceptance Tests (FAT) and Site Acceptance Tests (SAT).
• Drive designs that optimize manufacturability, reliability, maintainability, and cost effectiveness.
• Lead prototype development, product testing, and validation activities.
• Provide engineering leadership during manufacturing, commissioning, and product launch.
• Manage engineering change control and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Ensure timely completion of all engineering deliverables, including technical proposals, Bills of Materials, drawing packages, product manuals, and project close-out documentation.
• Analyze project performance and implement process improvements.
• Recruit, develop, coach, and retain engineering talent while supporting succession planning.
• Travel as required to support customers, projects, and manufacturing operations.

Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering from an ABET-accredited program required.
• Master's degree preferred.

Experience

• 10+ years of electrical engineering experience.
• 5+ years of engineering leadership or management experience.
• Strong background in electrical power distribution systems.
• Proven success leading engineering teams through complex product-development programs.

Technical Expertise

• Thorough knowledge of UL standards, including UL 891, UL 1558, UL 67, UL 857, and UL 1008.
• Expertise in electrical system design, schematics, and troubleshooting.
• Experience with E-Plan, Promis-e, AutoCAD Electrical, and Microsoft Office Suite.
• Strategic leadership with strong business acumen.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills.
• Strong organizational and decision-making abilities.
• Proven ability to balance technical excellence with commercial objectives.
• Experience building and developing high-performing engineering organizations.
• Comprehensive Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance.