Senior Director of Modular Product Platform Design – Plymouth, MN- Hybrid

Make your mark at the world’s largest HVAC company

As the Senior Director of Modular Product Platform Design, you will lead the strategic development and implementation of platform architecture and design practices that enable scalable, modular, and cost-effective product solutions. Your focus will be on driving platform architecture synthesis, product design, should-cost analysis, and Design for X (DFX) methodologies to ensure that our product platforms are adaptable, efficient, and meet both customer and business needs. You will work closely with cross-functional teams to ensure that platform solutions are not only innovative but also optimized for manufacturing, cost, quality, and sustainability.

Location: Hybrid, Plymouth, MN

What you will do:

Platform Architecture Synthesis: Lead the creation of scalable, flexible, and modular product platforms that meet both short-term and long-term business objectives. Drive architecture decisions that ensure product scalability, maintainability, and integration across multiple product lines Product Design Leadership: Oversee the product design process to ensure it aligns with platform strategies and supports modularity, reusability, and cost-efficiency. Promote the use of common components and design principles across multiple product variants Should-Cost Analysis: Conduct and lead should-cost analysis initiatives, collaborating with cross-functional teams to assess cost drivers, optimize design for manufacturability, and identify opportunities for cost reductions across the product lifecycle Design for X (DFX): Champion Design for Excellence (DFX) principles, including Design for Manufacturability (DFM), Design for Assembly (DFA), Design for Sustainability (DFS), and Design for Cost (DFC). Ensure product designs consider ease of production, assembly, maintenance, and end-of-life factors Cross-Functional Collaboration: Collaborate closely with engineering, manufacturing, supply chain, and marketing teams to align on product platform strategies and ensure designs meet performance, quality, and cost targets Platform Evolution & Roadmap: Define and manage the product platform roadmap to ensure that platform designs evolve with market needs and technological advancements while minimizing redesign efforts and optimizing the use of shared components Technology Integration & Innovation: Lead efforts to integrate new technologies and innovations into the platform design, ensuring that the platform is future-proof and adaptable to emerging market trends Stakeholder Engagement: Engage with key stakeholders, including business leaders, product managers, and customers, to gather and translate requirements into platform design specifications. Ensure designs meet customer needs, regulatory standards, and business objectives Performance Metrics: Establish and track key performance indicators (KPIs) for platform design effectiveness, cost reduction, product performance, and cross-functional alignment. Regularly report on platform performance and provide actionable insights for continuous improvement

 

Key Knowledge Areas:

Platform Architecture Design and Synthesis Modular Product Design and Product Line Strategy Should-Cost Analysis and Cost Optimization Design for X (DFM, DFA, DFC, DFS, etc.) Cross-Functional Team Leadership and Stakeholder Engagement Product Lifecycle Management and Platform Evolution

 

Key Deliverables:

Comprehensive platform architecture and modular product designs that drive cost efficiency and scalability across product lines Detailed should-cost analysis reports and cost-reduction strategies Design specifications and recommendations that incorporate DFX principles and reduce production costs Platform roadmap that outlines the strategic evolution of product platforms in line with business goals and technological advancements Performance reports on platform effectiveness, including cost savings, design efficiency, and cross-functional alignment

Key KPIs:

Successful delivery of platform designs that meet quality, cost, and schedule targets Reduction in product development costs and time-to-market through platform reusability and modularity Increased alignment between engineering, manufacturing, and supply chain teams on platform strategies Improvement in product quality and performance through the application of DFX principles Stakeholder satisfaction with platform solutions, including customers, business leaders, and internal teams

What’s in It For you:

Medical/Dental/Vision coverage, PTO, 401K match, support for community involvement and much more! The ability to make an impact and shape your career with a company that is passionate about growth The support of an organization that believes it is vital to include and engage diverse people, perspectives, and ideas to achieve our best

Minimum Qualifications:

Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Industrial Design, or a related field; 10+ years of proven experience in modular product platform design, systems engineering, or product architecture, with a focus on cost optimization and design for manufacturability Strong background in conducting should-cost analysis and driving cost reduction initiatives in a product development environment Expertise in Design for X methodologies (DFM, DFA, DFC, DFS, etc.) and the application of these principles to product design Experience managing cross-functional teams and engaging with multiple stakeholders, including business leaders, product managers, and customers Strong leadership skills with a track record of driving innovation, platform evolution, and continuous improvement in product design processes Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills 

Preferred Qualifications:

Master’s degree in Engineering, Industrial Design, or a related field