Description
Vice President of Engineering
đź“Ť Toronto, Canada (Relocation Supported)
This position is advertised across the EU to engage senior engineering leaders from European OEM environments who are willing to relocate to Canada.
A leading international manufacturer of advanced packaging and automation machinery is seeking a Vice President of Engineering to join its Canadian executive leadership team.
This is a critical senior leadership role responsible for driving engineering strategy, technical excellence, and product innovation across a multidisciplinary organisation delivering complex, custom-engineered capital equipment solutions.
The successful candidate will play a central role in shaping technology direction, developing high-performing teams, and ensuring the successful execution of customer projects across design, development, industrialisation, and commissioning.
The Role
As Vice President of Engineering, you will be accountable for the overall performance, capability, and strategic direction of the engineering function, covering product development, application engineering, project engineering, and technical standards.
You will partner closely with Sales, Operations, Project Management, and Service to ensure that solutions are technically robust, commercially competitive, and delivered on time, on budget, and to the highest quality standards.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Leadership
- Define and execute the engineering strategy aligned with business objectives.
- Contribute to long-term planning, budgeting, and executive decision-making.
- Champion innovation, continuous improvement, and operational excellence.
Engineering & Technology Leadership
- Lead multidisciplinary engineering teams through all stages of the product lifecycle.
- Establish and evolve design standards, technical guidelines, and best practices.
- Drive product and platform development, modularisation, and cost optimisation initiatives.
- Oversee technical concept development during proposal and project phases.
Project & Customer Delivery
- Ensure technical execution of international customer projects in end-of-line packaging and automation.
- Oversee development, build, installation, and commissioning in line with quality, schedule, and financial targets.
- Support technical customer engagement, including FAT/SAT and design reviews.
People & Organisation Development
- Build, mentor, and retain high-performing engineering leaders and teams.
- Set clear objectives, performance expectations, and development plans.
- Foster a culture of accountability, ownership, and collaboration.
Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Partner closely with Sales, Operations, Supply Chain, Quality, and Service.
- Ensure smooth transfer of new designs into manufacturing and aftersales support.
- Act as senior technical escalation point for complex issues.
Governance & Continuous Improvement
- Strengthen engineering processes, tools, and systems.
- Lead change initiatives across methods, standards, and digitalisation.
- Promote Lean, structured problem solving, and risk management.
Background & Experience
- Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or similar (Master’s / MBA preferred).
- 10+ years in progressive engineering leadership roles within capital equipment, automation, or industrial machinery.
- Strong understanding of packaging machinery, special-purpose machinery, or industrial automation.
- Experience leading project-based engineering organisations.
- Familiarity with ISO 9001, Lean, Six Sigma, and modern product development methodologies.
- Comfortable operating in an international, matrixed environment.
- Fluent English required; German beneficial.
- Willingness to travel internationally on a limited basis.
Personal Attributes
- Strategic yet hands-on leadership style.
- Strong communicator with executive presence.
- Structured, analytical problem solver.
- Customer-focused and commercially aware.
- Resilient and adaptable in a dynamic environment.
