Regional Director – Metal Stamping Engineering, North America

000305 Freudenberg-NOK General Partnership; Bristol (VA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Freudenberg-NOK General Partnership seeks a senior engineering leader to drive North American metal stamping strategy, aligning regional initiatives with global objectives. You will lead plant and regional teams, standardize stamping processes, and guide tooling, die systems, and governance to improve safety, quality, and productivity.

Responsibilities include developing regional technology roadmaps, overseeing capital investments in automation, and partnering with cross-functional teams to

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical/Manufacturing/Industrial Engineering or related field.
• Significant experience in metal stamping manufacturing, tooling, press systems, and die technologies.
• Proven leadership of engineering teams across multiple sites or regions.

Responsibilities

• Lead NA metal stamping engineering strategy, translating global objectives into regional initiatives that improve safety, quality, delivery, productivity and profitability.
• Provide leadership for plant and regional engineering teams, build capability, succession plans, and a culture of accountability and CI.
• Standardize and optimize stamping processes across sites, including tooling, die systems, press operations, process controls, and governance.
• Drive OE initiatives to improve OEE, reduce scrap and downtime, increase throughput, extend tool life, and lower costs.
• Develop regional technology and capital investment roadmaps: automation, digital manufacturing, analytics, and smart manufacturing.
• Partner with cross-functional teams to ensure launches, transfers, capacity expansions, tooling readiness, and ramp-up activities.
• Serve as primary engineering liaison between North America and global leadership, providing direction and investment recommendations.

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or related technical discipline

Job description

Responsibilities

Lead the North American metal stamping engineering strategy, translating global objectives into actionable regional initiatives that improve safety, quality, delivery, productivity, and profitability. Provide leadership and development for plant and regional engineering teams, building technical capability, strengthening succession plans, and fostering a culture of accountability and continuous improvement. Standardize and optimize stamping processes across multiple manufacturing sites, including tooling, die systems, press operations, process controls, maintenance practices, and engineering governance. Drive operational excellence initiatives focused on improving OEE, reducing scrap and downtime, increasing throughput, extending tool life, and lowering total manufacturing costs. Develop and execute regional technology and capital investment roadmaps, including automation, digital manufacturing, advanced sensing, analytics, and smart manufacturing solutions. Partner with cross-functional teams to ensure successful product launches, manufacturing transfers, capacity expansions, tooling readiness, process validation, and operational ramp-up activities. Serve as the primary engineering liaison between North America and global leadership, providing strategic direction, performance visibility, investment recommendations, and technical expertise.

Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or a related technical discipline; advanced degree preferred. Significant experience in metal stamping manufacturing, including expertise in stamping processes, press systems, tooling, and progressive and/or compound die technologies. Proven leadership experience managing engineering teams across multiple manufacturing sites, business units, or regions within a matrixed organization. Demonstrated success improving manufacturing performance through lean manufacturing, continuous improvement, statistical analysis, root-cause problem solving, and process optimization. Experience leading new product introductions, tooling launches, equipment installations, manufacturing transfers, and process validation activities. Strong business and financial acumen, with experience developing capital plans, building investment business cases, evaluating risk, and validating return on investment. Exceptional communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence senior leaders, lead transformation initiatives, and travel regularly throughout North America.

The Freudenberg Group is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity and inclusion. Employment opportunities are available to all applicants and associates without regard to race, color, religion, creed, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, or related medical conditions), gender identity or expression, national origin, ancestry, age, mental or physical disability, genetic information, marital status, familial status, sexual orientation, protected military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

Freudenberg-NOK General Partnership Welcome to Freudenberg Without Freudenberg, indoor air would not be as clean, cars would not drive and wounds would not heal as quickly. And these are just three examples from thousands of our applications. Working at Freudenberg: "We will wow your world!" This is our promise. As a global technology group, we not only make the world cleaner, healthier and more comfortable, but also offer our 51,000 employees a networked and diverse environment where everyone can thrive individually. Be surprised and experience your own wow moments.