What are the responsibilities and job description for the Director of Engineering position at Gomez Partners?
About Miller Electric
Headquartered in Appleton, Wisconsin, Miller Electric Manufacturing Co. is a global leader in arc welding and cutting equipment. Founded in 1929 and a wholly owned subsidiary of Illinois Tool Works (ITW), Miller serves diverse industries including manufacturing, construction, aviation, agriculture, motorsports, and marine. Known for innovation, reliability, and its iconic “Power of Blue®” brand, Miller continues to lead the industry through a strong focus on quality, safety, and customer-driven product development.
The Opportunity
Miller is seeking an Engineering Director to join its Commercial Solutions Division as a key member of the Divisional Leadership Team (DLT).
This role leads a cross-disciplinary engineering organization responsible for both:
- New Product Development (NPD)
- Standard Product Support Engineering
The Engineering Director will drive innovation and organic growth through ITW’s Customer Back Innovation (CBI) framework, shaping and executing a long-range product roadmap that defends and grows market share in consumer and light industrial welding equipment.
This leader will oversee approximately 35 engineers and technical professionals (4–5 direct reports), spanning:
- Electrical & Power Electronics Engineering
- Mechanical Engineering
- Software Engineering
- Quality Engineering
- Laboratory & Documentation Teams
This is a high-impact leadership role with direct influence on product strategy, R&D execution, and divisional growth.
What You’ll Do
Strategic Leadership
- Develop and execute a divisional technology vision aligned with ITW’s long-range strategic plan.
- Lead the Customer Back Innovation (CBI) pipeline from discovery through deployment.
- Build and manage a strategic product roadmap that drives organic growth and product differentiation.
- Contribute to annual planning, long-range planning, and engineering budget oversight.
Innovation & Product Development
- Drive disciplined execution of NPD initiatives with a focus on time-to-market and customer value.
- Lead Value Analysis / Value Engineering (VAVE) initiatives.
- Monitor key innovation metrics including pipeline health, product vitality, and IP development.
- Oversee the division’s intellectual property strategy in partnership with ITW legal.
Cross-Functional & Cross-Divisional Collaboration
- Partner closely with Sales, Marketing, Product Management, Operations, Welding Engineering, and Segment Leadership.
- Serve as the primary technical liaison across ITW Welding divisions.
- Ensure regulatory compliance and alignment with industry standards.
- Support development of holistic welding system solutions across platforms.
Talent Development & Organizational Excellence
- Lead and develop a high-performing, multidisciplinary engineering team.
- Build succession pipelines and cultivate future engineering leaders.
- Foster a culture of collaboration, safety, accountability, and innovation.
- Align resources and priorities between Product Support and NPD to maintain execution cadence.
Qualifications
Required
- Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or Engineering Management (Electrical, Power Electronics, Mechanical, Software, or Welding Technology focus).
- 3 years of engineering leadership experience.
- 5 years of manufacturing experience.
- Demonstrated success leading cross-functional product development initiatives.
- Strong mechanical aptitude and understanding of materials and manufactured products.
Preferred
- MBA or advanced engineering management degree.
- Experience leading innovation through ITW’s CBI framework (or similar NPD methodology).
- Experience within welding equipment, industrial equipment, automation, or related manufacturing sectors.
- Familiarity with regulatory compliance and IP strategy.
- Experience with product lifecycle management and engineering documentation systems.
What Success Looks Like (80/20 Outcomes)
- A robust and disciplined CBI pipeline delivering differentiated, high-quality products.
- A clear long-range product strategy aligned to customer needs and growth objectives.
- Strong collaboration across ITW divisions driving system-level solutions.
- A strengthened engineering organization with depth, capability, and succession strength.
- Measurable organic growth and product vitality improvements.