VP of Engineering

basspro; Springfield (MO); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

White River Marine Group seeks a Vice President of Engineering to provide strategic leadership across all engineering functions, aligning product development with manufacturing capabilities and regulatory compliance.

You will lead multi-disciplinary teams, drive innovation, optimize design for manufacturability, and manage budgets and KPIs to deliver best-in-class marine products.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in engineering or related field required.
• Minimum 15 years of progressive engineering leadership experience.
• Experience in manufacturing environment and product development lifecycle.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute the engineering strategy, technology roadmap, and innovation initiatives.
• Lead all engineering functions to ensure innovative, compliant, and manufacturable products.
• Provide executive leadership for the product development lifecycle from concept to launch.
• Establish engineering standards, processes, governance, and best practices across the organization.
• Partner with Operations and Manufacturing to optimize designs and change management.

Skills

Engineering leadership

Strategic planning

Product development

Budget management

Regulatory compliance

Cross-functional collaboration

Manufacturing knowledge

Stakeholder management

Education

Bachelor's Degree

Master's Degree in Engineering

Job description

POSITION SUMMARY

The Vice President of Engineering provides strategic leadership and enterprise-wide oversight for all engineering functions across White River Marine Group. This role is responsible for establishing and executing the engineering vision that supports the company's product innovation strategy, brand differentiation, operational excellence, regulatory compliance, and long-term business objectives.The VP of Engineering leads multi-disciplinary engineering teams responsible for marine systems, components, product integrity, manufacturing engineering support, and new product development. This leader serves as a key member of the WRMG leadership team, collaborating closely with Product Management, Manufacturing, Operations, Quality, Supply Chain, and Brand Leadership to deliver best-in-class products that exceed customer expectations while driving profitability and market leadership.The position is accountable for fostering a culture of innovation, engineering excellence, continuous improvement, and talent development across the organization while ensuring alignment between product strategy, engineering execution, and manufacturing capabilities.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Develop and execute the engineering strategy, technology roadmap, and innovation initiatives that support White River Marine Group's business objectives, product portfolio, and long-term growth.
• Lead all engineering functions, ensuring the development of innovative, reliable, compliant, and manufacturable products that meet customer expectations, quality standards, and business performance goals.
• Provide executive leadership for the product development lifecycle, including concept development, design, testing, validation, launch, and ongoing product improvement.
• Establish and maintain engineering standards, processes, governance, and best practices that drive consistency, efficiency, quality, and continuous improvement across the organization.
• Partner with Operations and Manufacturing leadership to optimize product designs, improve manufacturability, support production performance, and ensure effective engineering change management.
• Champion innovation through the evaluation and integration of emerging technologies, materials, systems, manufacturing methods, and industry best practices.
• Ensure compliance with applicable safety, regulatory, environmental, and industry standards while promoting a culture of product quality, reliability, and risk management.
• Collaborate with executive leadership, Product Management, Operations, Supply Chain, and other key stakeholders to align engineering priorities, investments, and resources with organizational objectives.
• Serve as the primary engineering advisor to executive leadership on product development, technology strategy, manufacturing capabilities, and industry trends.
• Build, develop, and lead a high-performing engineering organization through effective talent management, succession planning, leadership development, and employee engagement.
• Develop and manage engineering budgets, capital investments, and organizational resources to maximize operational effectiveness and return on investment.
• Establish and monitor key performance indicators to measure engineering effectiveness, project execution, innovation outcomes, product quality, and overall business impact.
• ALL OTHER DUTIES AS ASSIGNED

EXPERIENCE/QUALIFICATIONS

• Minimum Degree Required: Bachelor's Degree
• Preferred Degree: Master's Degree in Engineering or a related technical field
• Years of experience: Minimum 15 years of progressive engineering leadership experience, including senior leadership responsibility within a manufacturing environment.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITY

• Proven success leading large, multi-disciplinary engineering organizations and delivering innovative products from concept through production.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and execute engineering strategies that align with business objectives, drive innovation, and support operational excellence.
• Strong knowledge of product development, systems engineering, manufacturing operations, quality systems, and engineering best practices.
• Experience leading organizational transformation, process improvement, and standardization initiatives across complex, multi-site operations.
• Knowledge of regulatory compliance, product safety, testing, certification, and risk management practices.
• Exceptional leadership, communication, and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence and collaborate effectively across executive leadership teams and matrixed organizations.
• Strong business and financial acumen, including experience managing budgets, capital investments, and resource planning.

TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS

• Ability to travel as needed to support manufacturing facilities, suppliers, customers, and business operations.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• Regularly sits and works on a computer.
• Occasionally stands and walks.
• Seldom/never lifts up to 50 lbs.

INDEPENDENT JUD