Product Design Supervisor

Napoleon leads the way with innovative engineering, advanced manufacturing techniques, unsurpassed customer service and remarkable product quality. Our award-winning products offer a best-in-class experience for all customers’ home comfort needs. While we are proudly Canadian, Napoleon is also fortunate to operate on a world-wide scale.

The warmth and experience that a Napoleon product brings to the homes of our customers transcends borders, language, and cultures to enhance everyday living across the globe. Throughout North America, Europe, South America and Asia, Napoleon creates memorable moments through our stunning designs and innovative technologies.

Reports to: Product Engineering Manager

Key Responsibilities and Accountabilities:

1. Assist with the specification of market requirements, (physical, technical and aesthetic), for current and future products by conducting comprehensive market research, supported by ongoing visits/meetings to/with customers, (internal and external) and non-customers, (associations, bodies, etc.).
2. Make recommendations based on research for the development and ongoing maintenance of a detailed and overarching product portfolio strategy and product roadmap.
3. Develop hands-on, in-depth knowledge of competitive products, organizing relevant benchmarking and maintain technical analysis of competitive strengths and weaknesses of current and planned product portfolio.
4. Support market assessments and competitive analyses to identify product opportunities whether new or redesigned to address different/future needs.
5. Research to be conducted both independently and collaboratively with other cross functions.
6. Define the technical concept that will meet the technical requirements, aesthetics and target production cost.
7. Review the design to ensure progress to technical goals and deadlines.
8. Ensure that design and peer reviews are completed prior to each stage gate and after each test phase.
9. Document all issues and where necessary defines recovery plans to resolve.
10. Manage design team to ensure design for manufacture, design for service and design for installation are optimized during development, including obtaining cross functional input, (internal and external) and personally validating the suitability of the designs.
11. Work with the validation team and Customer Solutions to analyze similar products to understand and implement product improvements and where applicable solicits end Customer feedback.
12. Conduct risk assessments and recommend appropriate plans.
13. Ensure the design teams focus on design to cost, initiating the necessary activities throughout the development process to establish production costs and take corrective actions as necessary to achieve target cost. This includes consistently estimating and then maintaining cost from conception to production.
14. Use excel or other tools such as “quote master” to build up preliminary cost estimates for Gate 1 and work with finance to develop maturity for Gate 2. Work with the cross functional team and, where applicable, the project launch manager to address parts suitable for outsourcing to reduce cost, (or improve capacity utilization).
15. Additionally work with purchasing to identify parts that have long lead items, special requirements, processes or may require new vendors.
16. Plan and manage prototype phase(s).
17. Assist in the creation and assembly of a functional prototype, and fabricated prototype parts and models.
18. Review test results prepared by development team and make alterations to prototype to address any test failures.
19. Evaluate using tools as "test to failure", early phase field testing, analyzing similar product, customer solutions data, ensuring lessons learnt and design checklists.
20. Collaborate closely with quality, validation and product evaluation team.
21. Plan and manage engineering production run and/or samples to validate the product design and drawings. Partner with the project launch manager / project administrators, where applicable, to successfully complete the process run, (where the intended process is validated), focusing on the technical readiness, (launch manager focusing on system readiness).
22. Ensure all proposed design changes are documented and implemented in sufficient time to complete production run. Provide technical support for the remainder of the launch and production run, as required.
23. Responsible to ensure new product introductions meet WSL expectations for aesthetic appearance, consistent fit and finish and robust operation, by evaluation at each phase of development; using tools as "test to failure", early phase field testing, analyzing similar product, customer solutions data, ensuring lessons learnt and design checklists.
24. Collaborate closely with quality, validation and product evaluation team to ensure the product is confirmed in a timely manner.
25. Manage stage gates deliverables have been completed up to Gate 3 and support the project launch manager, where applicable, with gate 4 and 5. Schedule stage gate reviews and chair meeting for assigned projects. Manage scope creep by documenting all requested changes, identifying impacts to the project and validating approval change requests.
26. Responsible to research and develop product specific knowledge of technical standards, regulatory requirements, safety and emissions requirements and ensure that the product design will meet these requirements currently and in the future.
27. Work collaboratively with QA to fully define component notes and specifications. Provide guidance to designers.

Education and Experience:

1. Must have minimum 3 year College Diploma in mechanical or electrical engineering, (or equivalent). A University Degree in a relevant field would be considered as an asset. Directly applicable work experience and / or skilled trade qualifications may be also be considered.
2. Minimum five years demonstrated work experience in a directly related industry, (i.e. design, development or manufacturing), with a minimum of 3 years technical design required. Must possess knowledge and some practical experience of material and manufacturing processes. Some "hands on" mechanical or fabrication experience.
3. C.E.T. preferred. P. Eng. license, or working towards, is considered an asset. A willingness to work toward industry recognized certification, (where applicable). Superior candidates will have valid Gas Fitters license (G3) for gas products, or valid WETT certification for wood products; when working with electrical products, have completed courses in PLC logic and electronic circuitry. Refrigeration license (313) is considered an asset for refrigeration products. PMP designation would be considered an asset.
4. Must be proficient in Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, and Excel). Superior candidates will be proficient in Microsoft project.
5. Demonstrated proficiency in 3-D modeling software, (e.g. Solidworks etc.). CSWA, (Certified Solidworks Associate), or willingness to achieve this requirement within six (6) months of the onboarding process.
6. Knowledge and understanding of metal fabricating and processing, injection molding, die casting and other manufacturing processes.
7. Understanding of thermodynamics, gas dynamics and fluid dynamics.
8. Understanding of market functions, needs and concepts.
9. Knowledge with load calculations, energy modeling and designing mechanical systems.
10. Knowledge of electrical and control systems.
11. Skilled in manufacturing and assembly processes, familiar with DFM, DFA, DFS, DFQ.
12. Project Management.
13. Code practices an asset.

IGNITE YOUR CAREER, Some of our competitive benefits include:

1. Competitive Compensation / Wages
2. Medical, dental, and vision insurance
3. Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP/DPSP)
4. Life insurance and disability coverage
5. Associate Purchase Programs, Product Discounts, In-house Sales
6. Appreciation Events, Raffles, Draws, Fundraising, BBQ’s, Competitions
7. Napoleon Cares – Associates helping Associates
8. Employee Assistance Plan
9. Napoleon Recognition Program
10. And more

The Napoleon Group of Companies is committed to fair and accessible employment practices that attract and retain Associates with disabilities. This includes providing accessibility across all stages of the employment cycle. Accommodation is available upon request.

We thank you for your interest in The Napoleon Group of Companies and for participating in our competition. Only those candidates selected for consideration will be contacted.