Vice President, Engineering

20600 Emerald Parkway, Cleveland, Ohio 44135 United States of America

Why Oatey?

Since 1916, Oatey has provided reliable, high-quality products for the residential and commercial plumbing industries, with a commitment to delivering quality, building trust and improving lives. Today, Oatey operates a comprehensive manufacturing and distribution network comprised of industry leading family of companies: Oatey, Cherne, Keeney, Quick Drain, Hercules, Dearborn, Oatey Canada, William H. Harvey, Masters, Contact, Belanger, Lansas, and Durgo.

At Oatey, we're doing big things — and by joining us, you'll have the chance to do big things too. You can build a strong career in an innovative, inclusive, high-performance environment, with the confidence that your company cares — about you, our customers and our world. Ready to make an impact in a place where you matter?

Position Summary:

The Vice President (VP), Engineering, has the opportunity to shape the future of our company’s product innovation, quality standards, and value engineering while truly making a difference. Reporting directly to the COO, this position plays a pivotal role in defining and executing the strategy that will ensure our products continue to meet the highest standards of excellence while optimizing efficiency and cost across our engineering and quality functions. This role is at the helm of driving strategic initiatives that align with our long-term business objectives, delivering both top-tier product performance and enhanced profitability. This position requires a results-driven leader with a deep technical foundation, proven executive experience, and the ability to inspire teams to achieve ambitious goals. In a dynamic, forward-thinking environment, this position can make a measurable impact, and has the opportunity to lead and innovate at the highest level.

Position Responsibilities:

Engineering Leadership & Strategy

As the leader overseeing the Engineering function, the VP will set the strategic direction for engineering, ensuring the development of innovative products that align with market demand and corporate objectives. The role focuses on optimizing engineering resources and promoting collaboration across the business as well as new product development.

• Strategic Leadership: Define and implement the strategic vision for the company’s engineering function, ensuring alignment with business goals and market opportunities.
• Product Development Oversight: Lead product development initiatives that drive innovation and meet cost, quality, and performance standards, while ensuring timely market delivery.
• Engineering Resource Optimization: Ensure efficient use of engineering resources across the company, establishing clear roles and responsibilities aligned with strategic priorities.
• Technology and Innovation: Promote the use of cutting-edge engineering technologies to enhance innovation, streamline processes, and reduce costs.
• Executive Collaboration: Collaborate with senior leadership across product management, sales, marketing, manufacturing & HR to ensure engineering solutions align with market demands and customer needs.
• Talent Leadership: Build and sustain a high performing engineering organization through intentional focus on talent development, engagement, and retention, in partnership with HR.
• Risk Management: Strategically assess and mitigate risks related to engineering, including technological and regulatory risks, and product lifecycle management.

Quality Assurance

The Quality function ensures that the company's products meet the highest standards of quality and compliance. While Quality Assurance does not report directly to this role, the VP will partner closely with Quality leadership/COO to drive continuous improvement and regulatory adherence across the supply chain.

• Quality Strategy: Help define the company’s quality strategy, ensuring alignment with corporate objectives and regulatory requirements.
• Regulatory Compliance: Ensure that all products comply with relevant industry regulations and certifications, proactively managing risks.
• Cross-Functional Quality Integration: Foster collaboration across teams, ensuring that quality processes are integrated across the supply chain to maintain product consistency.

Value Engineering & Cost Optimization

The Value Engineering function focuses on driving cost efficiencies without compromising product quality. The VP will work in conjunction with the Value Optimization Office (VOO) and related functions to optimize costs through smart engineering decisions, process improvements, and strategic partnerships.

• Cost Optimization Leadership: Help develop a value engineering strategy that achieves cost reductions while maintaining product performance and quality.
• Cross-Functional Alignment: Collaborate with sourcing, supply chain, and operations teams to implement cost-saving initiatives in alignment with business objectives.
• Profitability Improvement: Drive profitability by identifying opportunities for product redesign, material improvements, and process enhancements.

Knowledge and Experience:

• Minimum of 15 years of experience in engineering, or related fields, with at least 10 years in a leadership role.
• Proven experience leading and optimizing engineering functions in a complex manufacturing environment; experience working closely with quality functions is preferred.
• Demonstrated success in driving cost optimization and value engineering initiatives that deliver measurable results.
• Strong executive presence with the ability to influence and collaborate at all levels of the organization.
• Exceptional leadership and decision-making skills, with the ability to drive strategic initiatives across engineering, quality, and value engineering functions.
• SAP experience preferred.
• Ability to travel up to 25% to support key operations and corporate initiatives.

Education and Certification:

• Bachelor of Science degree in engineering, chemistry, or a related field, or relevant equivalent experience in lieu of degree required
• Master’s degree preferred

Compensation Range for the Position:

$172,886.00 - $229,073.50 - $285,261.00 USD

Target Cash Profit Sharing for the Position:

25.00%

Offer amount determined by experience and review of internal talent.

Oatey Total Rewards

• Generous paid time off programs and paid company holidays to support flexibility and work-life balance
• Annual Discretionary Cash Profit Sharing
• Immediate eligibility and vesting in 401(k), including 100% company match, up to 5% of eligible compensation
• Market leading health insurance including medical, dental, vision, and life insurance offerings for associates and qualified dependents
• Significant company contribution to Health Savings Account with a High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP)
• Short-Term and Long-Term Disability income protection coverage at no cost to associates
• Paid Maternity and Paid Parental Leave
• Tuition reimbursement
• A strong set of complementary resources to support associate well-being, including resource groups, EAP, and dedicated mental health support.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The Oatey family of companies are an equal opportunity employer committed to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. We recruit, employ, promote, and offer competitive pay for all jobs without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Protect Yourself from Recruitment Scams

Oatey is committed to a safe and transparent hiring process. Please be aware of fraudulent recruiting communications.

How to recognize official Oatey communication:

• Emails will come from @oatey.com or [email protected]
• We do not use unofficial or misspelled domains

What Oatey will never do:

• Ask for payment or fees at any stage
• Request sensitive personal or financial information early in the process
• Make a job offer without interviews

If something seems suspicious, do not engage. Instead, verify roles through our careers site and please make us aware by contacting [email protected].

At Oatey we are committed to help our Associates grow their career. Apply today and grow with Oatey!