Primary Function:
Lead the APAC Engineering team and take full accountability for its overall operation and a member of the Asia Pacific Leadership Team (APLT). Core responsibilities include but are not limited to new product development (NPD), new product introduction (NPI) and maintenance, localization & cost optimization, advanced production application support, customer-centric product design, regional codes & certifications, advanced manufacturing process support, and lab management. Collaborate with cross-functional leaders to execute corporate strategy and annual strategic thrusts; prioritize team building and talent development to drive sustained business growth.
Principal Duties & Responsibilities:
Strategy & Resource Management
Develop regional strategies and for NPD, NPI, Product Engineering, Quality Engineering, Engineering Systems, and advanced manufacturing technologies, and aligned with marketing and global engineering strategies. Lead and manage current and future headcount planning; work with team members to set annual objectives aligned with business plans and track progress throughout the year.
Team & Talent Leadership
Provide functional leadership to the APAC Engineering team: oversee recruitment, talent development, team engagement, skill enhancement, and mentoring. Foster a positive culture; develop employees’ technical and behavioral competencies via targeted plans (leveraging strengths and addressing gaps); drive key talent retention.
Operational Enablement
Collaborate closely with other functions (manufacturing, marketing and sales) to deliver annual WIGs; maintain high team productivity.
Continuous Improvement
Lead continuous improvement across all APAC Engineering areas: develop creative solutions for unstructured product/system design issues; optimize team participation in engineering activities. Instill rigorous target cost management and market awareness in the team to build differentiated products and enhance customer experience.
Technical & Business Support
Provide technical leadership for APAC markets to support long-term sustainable development: assist Manufacturing, Sourcing, Service, Supplier Quality Engineering, and aftermarkets with existing product-related needs. Prepare integrated technical-business analyses for cross-functional leadership discussions; review other engineers’ technical work for accuracy when required; act as a key technical decision-maker for business growth.
Additional Responsibilities
- Participate in frontline engineering, cost calculation, or project management work to support project teams when necessary.
- Serve as an internal trainer for advanced applications; and engage with customers directly.
- Drive advanced manufacturing process improvement and development.
- Represent the company in industrial associations and participate in the formulation/review of national codes and standards.
- As a member of APAC Leadership Team (APLT) to contribute to key decision-making.
Qualifications / Knowledge / Skills:
Education: Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, Power Engineering, or Refrigeration. Advanced Engineering degrees (e.g., Master’s/PhD) and/or additional Business degrees are preferred.
Years of Experience: Minimum 15 years of professional experience, with mandatory engineering background and minimum 5 years of team leadership experience. Preferred additional experience in: Sales/Marketing/Applications; or Refrigeration, industrial cooling, and heat exchange industries.
Systems Proficiency: Mandatory: Intermediate Excel skills, CAD-related skills, ERP knowledge. Preferred: Advanced Excel, advanced PowerPoint, expert-level CAD/ERP skills.
Project Management: Allocate resources for parallel task execution; Understand critical path analysis (result-oriented). Preferred: Prior project management experience.
Communication: Effective written/oral communication in English (mandatory presentation skills); Ability to engage with teams, cross-functional heads, and senior management; Experience in external communication across different cultures (vendors, customers, designers).
Management skills: Effectively manage team size, skill composition and organization structure. Proficient in scientific and modern management methods. Possess a customer centric and result driven mindset.
People Management / Leadership skills: Ability to assess the strengths and weaknesses of team members. Ability to motivate team members to maximize performance. Ability to articulate a clear vision and manage stakeholder expectations. Coaching-style leadership experience preferred across a diversified culture in Asia Pacific.
KEY RELATIONSHIPS
- Global Engineering, Marketing and Manufacturing Leadership Teams
- Global VP & Head of APAC
- Asia Pacific Leadership Team (APLT)
- Potential external consultants
