Director - Engineering, Mechanical

Director Engineering, Mechanical CoE (Transit Engineering)

Role Summary & Overview:

As the Director of Engineering for the Mechanical Center of Excellence (CoE) within WITEC's Transit Engineering team, you will lead the strategic, technical, and organizational development of mechanical engineering capabilities across global transit programs. This role is pivotal in shaping the future of mechanical design and innovation, ensuring delivery of high-quality, cost-effective, and scalable solutions. You will be responsible for building a world-class engineering organization, driving technology roadmaps, and fostering a culture of excellence, collaboration, and continuous improvement.

Key Responsibilities:

• Strategic & Technical Leadership:

• Define and execute the Mechanical CoE vision aligned with WITEC's global transit engineering strategy.

• Lead innovation, standardization, and continuous improvement across mechanical design, analysis, and product development.
• Oversee technology roadmaps to address current and future capability gaps.
• Establish global design standards and modular platforms to accelerate product development.
• Implement predictive engineering analytics to improve design accuracy and reduce rework.

• Drive sustainability initiatives by integrating eco-friendly materials and energy-efficient design practices.

• Organizational Development:

• Build, mentor, and retain a high-performing team of engineering leaders and specialists.

• Promote knowledge sharing, best practices, and cross-functional collaboration across global teams.

• Drive resource strategy, balancing internal talent and external partnerships (PSAs) to support multiple programs.

• Program & Stakeholder Management:

• Partner with global business units and product line teams to understand strategic needs and deliver scalable engineering solutions.

• Ensure timely execution of engineering deliverables with a focus on quality, cost, and speed.

• Represent the Mechanical CoE in executive forums, program reviews, and customer engagements.

• Technical Oversight:

• Provide governance across mechanical design, CAD/CAE, finite element analysis, and product validation.

• Ensure compliance with industry standards, safety regulations, and engineering best practices.

• Guide teams in the use of advanced tools such as SolidWorks, Creo, CATIA, AutoCAD, and PLM platforms.

• Operational Excellence:

• Lead process optimization, value engineering, and cost reduction initiatives.

• Establish and monitor performance metrics across engineering functions.
• Drive digital transformation and adoption of modern engineering workflows.

Leadership Impact:

• Visionary Thinking: Ability to define and communicate a compelling vision for the Mechanical CoE and inspire teams to achieve it.
• Strategic Influence: Proven capability to influence senior stakeholders and align cross-functional teams toward common goals.
• People Leadership: Strong track record in developing leaders, building diverse teams, and fostering a culture of inclusion and performance.
• Execution Excellence: Skilled in balancing strategic priorities with operational execution, ensuring delivery of high-impact outcomes.
• Change Leadership: Comfortable leading transformation initiatives and navigating ambiguity in a fast-paced, global environment.
• Collaborative Mindset: Ability to build trust and partnerships across geographies, functions, and cultures.
• Resilience & Agility: Demonstrates adaptability, decisiveness, and composure under pressure.

Qualifications / Requirements:

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering or related discipline from an accredited institution.
• Minimum 15+ years of engineering experience, with at least 7 years in senior leadership roles.
• Proven experience in leading large-scale mechanical engineering teams in transit, rail, automotive, or aerospace domains.
• Strong expertise in mechanical systems design, analysis, and product lifecycle management.
• Demonstrated ability to lead global teams and drive cross-functional collaboration.
• Excellent strategic thinking, communication, and stakeholder management skills.
• Proven ability to connect with international teams

Preferred Skills & Experience:

• Experience in establishing and scaling Centers of Excellence or similar engineering organizations.
• Familiarity with Six Sigma, Lean, or other process improvement methodologies.
• Strong understanding of PLM systems and digital engineering workflows.
• Exposure to global regulatory standards and compliance frameworks in transit or rail systems.
• Experience in leading cost optimization and value engineering initiatives.