What are the responsibilities and job description for the Director of Engineering, North America position at ASSA ABLOY Group?
Role Summary
The Director of Engineering leads the North American Engineering organization for ASSA ABLOY Entrance Systems, overseeing Mechanical Design Engineering (R&D) and Technical Product Specialists. This role is responsible for driving engineering innovation, product quality, technical expertise, and lifecycle support for Sliding, Swing, Folding, ICU, and Revolving (non-security) product lines.
This leader partners closely with the Product Management organization but does not own product management strategy, product roadmaps, or commercial prioritization. Instead, the Director ensures seamless technical collaboration in support of product managers, operations, sales, and global engineering teams across Europe and China.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Leadership & Innovation
Our people have made us the global leader in access solutions. In return, we open doors for them wherever they go. With nearly 63,000 colleagues in more than 70 different countries, we help billions of people experience a more open world. Our innovations make all sorts of spaces – physical and virtual – safer, more secure, and easier to access.
As an employer, we value results – not titles, or backgrounds. We empower our people to build their career around their aspirations and our ambitions – supporting them with regular feedback, training, and development opportunities. Our colleagues think broadly about where they can make the most impact, and we encourage them to grow their role locally, regionally, or even internationally.
As we welcome new people on board, it’s important to us to have diverse, inclusive teams, and we value different perspectives and experiences.
The Director of Engineering leads the North American Engineering organization for ASSA ABLOY Entrance Systems, overseeing Mechanical Design Engineering (R&D) and Technical Product Specialists. This role is responsible for driving engineering innovation, product quality, technical expertise, and lifecycle support for Sliding, Swing, Folding, ICU, and Revolving (non-security) product lines.
This leader partners closely with the Product Management organization but does not own product management strategy, product roadmaps, or commercial prioritization. Instead, the Director ensures seamless technical collaboration in support of product managers, operations, sales, and global engineering teams across Europe and China.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Leadership & Innovation
- Lead engineering responsibilities within PPI (Pre-Product Innovation), NPI (New Product Innovation), and CPI (Continuous Product Innovation), and VAVE activities.
- Partner with Product Management to support the development and execution of the North America Product Roadmap, ensuring engineering alignment with global platforms.
- Champion a culture of innovation, technical excellence, and problem-solving across engineering teams.
- Oversee engineering inputs into the NA Product Council and Gateway Process, ensuring compliance with governance requirements.
- Direct Mechanical Design Engineering teams responsible for new product development, sustaining engineering, and cost/quality improvements.
- Lead engineering project execution, timelines, technical feasibility, and resource planning.
- Maintain engineering documentation standards, revision control, and technical accuracy.
- Drive engineering excellence through standardization, validation, and robust testing methodologies.
- Provide leadership to Technical Product Specialists, ensuring strong technical support for product managers, sales, operations, and customers.
- Serve as the senior engineering authority for Sliding, Swing, Folding, ICU, and Revolving entrance systems.
- Oversee creation of technical documentation including application guidelines, data sheets, installation constraints, and specification reviews.
- Support competitive product comparisons, root-cause analyses, field investigations, and market-driven engineering improvements.
- Collaborate closely with Product Management on product requirements, technical feasibility, value engineering, and lifecycle support.
- Serve as a key technical liaison to Sales, Marketing, Key Accounts, and major customers to ensure engineering solutions meet market needs.
- Align with European and Chinese engineering/R&D teams on shared platforms, dual-brand requirements, and future innovations.
- Partner with Operations and Supply Chain to support manufacturability, sourcing, cost optimization, and quality improvements.
- Ensure all products meet North American safety, certification, and legal compliance requirements.
- Represent the company on relevant standards committees (ANSI, UL, IBC, ADA, etc.) and influence emerging industry standards.
- Lead engineering support in product liability investigations, corrective actions, and risk mitigation.
- Conduct contract reviews, custom development approvals, and technical application risk assessments.
- Build, mentor, and develop a high-performing engineering organization with strong technical depth.
- Manage engineering budgets, staffing plans, tools, testing equipment, and capital investments.
- Foster a culture of innovation, accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
- Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or related technical field (Master’s preferred).
- 10 years of engineering leadership experience, preferably in electromechanical, building products, or automation.
- Demonstrated success leading cross-functional engineering/project teams.
- Strong knowledge of product lifecycle, certifications, codes, and safety standards.
- Experience working within global, multi-site engineering environments.
- Strong financial acumen with experience managing engineering budgets.
- Excellent communication, leadership, and customer‑facing skills.
- Experience with automated door systems, industrial entrance solutions, or building access technologies.
- Knowledge of UL, ANSI, IBC, ADA, and regional certification standards.
- Experience supporting Sales/Marketing and performing customer-facing technical work.
- Expertise in stage-gate NPI processes and VAVE methodology.
Our people have made us the global leader in access solutions. In return, we open doors for them wherever they go. With nearly 63,000 colleagues in more than 70 different countries, we help billions of people experience a more open world. Our innovations make all sorts of spaces – physical and virtual – safer, more secure, and easier to access.
As an employer, we value results – not titles, or backgrounds. We empower our people to build their career around their aspirations and our ambitions – supporting them with regular feedback, training, and development opportunities. Our colleagues think broadly about where they can make the most impact, and we encourage them to grow their role locally, regionally, or even internationally.
As we welcome new people on board, it’s important to us to have diverse, inclusive teams, and we value different perspectives and experiences.