VP, Engineering

Are you seeking an opportunity to join a company, which provides an unparalleled experience for our customers and values employees that produce our luxury pontoon boats? Do you want to be able to drive continuous improvement and make an impact? Barletta Pontoons is seeking a Vice President of Engineering based in Bristol, IN. This role will play a pivotal role in driving the quality, innovation, and technical excellence of our pontoon boat manufacturing processes from prototype to production. This position requires a strategic leader with a deep understanding of marine engineering or related experience in durable goods manufacturing, a proven track record of supporting a highly collaborative product development process, and the ability to inspire and lead a high-performing engineering team. If you thrive as a member of a highly collaborative leadership team, are passionate about pushing the boundaries of marine engineering while driving quality, innovation, and service in the pontoon industry, we invite you to join our dynamic team at Barletta and be a key player in shaping the future of recreational boating.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Develop and execute a forward-looking engineering strategy aligned with Barletta's overall goals and vision to be the best pontoon boat manufacturer in the industry.
• Works closely with Product Development leadership to drive innovation in design, materials, and manufacturing processes to maintain a competitive edge in the market.
• Ensures the ongoing development and evolution of best-in-class engineering project management and execution processes aligned to Barletta's strategy.
• Lead and inspire a multidisciplinary engineering team, fostering a culture of collaboration, creativity, and continuous improvement.
• Ensures the engineering organizational structure and resources are allocated appropriately to meet the needs of key project timelines and deliverables.
• Provide mentorship and professional development opportunities to cultivate a high-performing and highly engaged team.
• Serves as a member of a highly collaborative Product Development team to support the product development lifecycle, from conceptualization and prototyping to production, ensuring the delivery of high-quality, innovative pontoon boats.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including design, manufacturing, and marketing, to ensure Barletta brings new products to market successfully, within budget, and aligned to product launch timelines.
• Ensure seamless integration of engineering specifications with innovative design concepts, optimizing both functionality and aesthetics.
• Work closely with manufacturing teams to align engineering processes with production capabilities, streamlining the transition from design to manufacturing.
• Work with project teams to establish realistic timelines and milestones, coordinating efforts across departments to meet project deadlines and business goals.
• Stay abreast of industry trends and emerging technologies to identify opportunities for technological advancements in pontoon boat manufacturing.
• Evaluate and implement cutting-edge engineering solutions to enhance product performance, safety, and sustainability.
• Maintains knowledge and awareness of emerging advanced technology and trends (ex. electronics integration, electric propulsion, batteries, etc.) to ensure Barletta is positioned to integrate emerging technologies seamlessly into design and manufacturing processes.
• Establish and maintain rigorous quality control processes to ensure the highest standards of craftsmanship and product reliability.
• Implement testing protocols to validate designs and manufacturing processes, addressing any issues proactively.
• Engage with legal and regulatory affairs teams to navigate and interpret complex maritime regulations, ensuring that pontoon boat designs meet and exceed safety and compliance standards.
• Stay informed about changes in regulations and proactively adapt engineering processes to meet new requirements.
• Proactively partner with Winnebago enterprise-level teams for any significant regulatory compliance concerns
• Ensures quality assurance teams establish and implement rigorous testing procedures, addressing compliance issues promptly.
• Leverages Winnebago resources (ex. Advanced Technology Group) at both an enterprise and business unit level.
• Address production challenges by collaborating with manufacturing and operations teams, finding engineering solutions that enhance efficiency and quality without compromising safety or design integrity.
• Work with supply chain and procurement teams to identify and qualify new materials and components, optimizing the supply chain for cost-effectiveness and sustainability.
• Partner with sales teams to understand customer requirements and market demands, aligning engineering efforts with business strategies to meet sales objectives.
• Gains insights from sales, customer service, and marketing teams to understand market trends and customer feedback, incorporating insights into the engineering process to create market-leading products.
• Aligns engineering initiatives with budgetary considerations, ensuring cost-effective solutions without compromising on product quality or innovation.
• Supports a Barletta Safe culture by adhering to and advocating for the safest behaviors and proactively identifies opportunities to mitigate job-related risks and hazards.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor's or advanced degree in Engineering, Naval Architecture, or a related field with equivalent work experience.
• Proven experience in a leadership role within the marine engineering or boat manufacturing industry is preferred; will consider outside industry experience in durable goods manufacturing.
• Strong technical expertise in design, materials, and manufacturing processes.
• Demonstrated ability to align culture and values to develop a highly engaged team.
• Demonstrated success in bringing innovative products to market.