Position Title: Director, Tooling Engineering

Client Company: TPI Composites

Job Scope: TPI Composites is the world’s only independent manufacturer of composite wind blades for the high-growth wind energy market with a global footprint.  The company operates ten wind blade manufacturing plants, with one more under construction, two transportation facilities, and four tooling and R&D facilities and advanced engineering centers across six countries: United States, Mexico, Denmark, Germany, China, Turkey, and India.

The Director, Tooling Engineering is responsible for ensuring the availability of the tooling and equipment to support reliable blade manufacturing and on time delivery – in close cooperation with the Tooling Manufacturing Sites and the plant operational teams.

The Director, Tooling Engineering will be involved in all phases of the project – from tooling quotes to installation and commissioning of the tools. Key emphasis will be on the appropriate involvement and ownership with the key stakeholders and ensuring that tools are delivered to the sites that meet both the customers and TPI’s technical expectations. Strong technical skills, knowledge of composites and blade tooling, and the ability to work with both internal and external stakeholders are preferred for this role.

Candidate Placement: White Hat Executive Search successfully placed an 18-year experienced manager with strong engineering fundamentals and well-rounded skills in all areas of business with proven track record of delivering results. The successful candidate held a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering and a master’s degree in Advanced Manufacturing Technology and Systems Management. He was a resourceful planner and coordinator with extensive knowledge of manufacturing processes, management and planning and control techniques. An articulate and presentable, good listener and communicator with excellent customer-facing skills and an aptitude for problem solving. Finally, he held a good understanding of business processes, finance, budgets, and planning.

Key Accountabilities:

• Ensure product tooling requirements are understood, quoted, and managed in production. Work with customers to position The Company as the “go to” technology resource for assuring tooling. Ensure future product needs are anticipated and our tooling technology is advanced to support them.
• Interface with program/project management, design teams and functional engineering organizations to obtain agreement on tooling requirements and resolve/clarify/revise program requirements issues and ambiguities in design during the program development phase.
• Monitor the quality of the tools developed at the manufacturer with design reviews and supplier quality checklists, preventive maintenance, recommended repairs, etc.
• Develop standard processes for comprehensive work instructions and quality procedures to build the tools, standardized tooling handover procedures and site acceptance criteria that are applicable globally.
• Interface with suppliers, customers and external events to identify new and emerging tooling technologies and products and assesses their relevance and potential value.
• Standardize tooling approach across operational sites. Assure best practices are assimilated across sites.
• Develop innovative design capabilities for Jigs and Fixtures. Leverage synergies from other industries like automotive/aerospace to enhance Jigs and Fixtures functionality.
• Collaborate with suppliers to design and develop large scale composite tools.
• Develop a technology roadmap for Tooling that leverages contemporary technologies to provide competitive advantage.
• Monitor the product and process arena to gain knowledge and understanding of new and emerging tooling technologies.
• Ensure the required standards are met
• Ensure the team is staffed with top talent globally.  Makes hiring and employment decisions based on ability of talent to increase the overall performance of the global team.
• Manages direct and provides oversight to indirect members of the team.  Ensures that all team members are receiving feedback, setting measurable goals, receiving performance reviews, have development plans, and receive the appropriate training.
• Acts as a senior technical mentor for the organization.

Skills, Qualifications & Competencies:

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering required, BS Mechanical Engineering (or other related disciplines) preferred.
• MBA with sound understanding of financial concepts related to contracts, quotation, budgets, and negotiations with tooling suppliers preferred.
• 10+ years total professional experience, especially with international organizations, is required.
• 5+ years engineering management/supervision experience is required; heavy industrial equipment industry preferred.
• 5+ years large scale tooling experience required; composite experience preferred.
• Experience with CAD systems, FEA (finite element analysis) is required.
• Availability for travel of approximately 50% both domestic and international.

• Provide leadership, communicates effectively, overcomes obstacles, detail-oriented, disciplined and quality-focused
• Takes creative action in solving problems
• Assertiveness and common sense
• Demonstrated ability to break down complex problems and put them into manageable goals.
• Act as trouble-shooter
• Employ a collaborative approach
• Strong personal ethics; a trusted member of the team.