Director Engineering Jobs in Cleveland, TN (NOW HIRING)

We're looking for people who put their innovation to work to advance our success - and their own. Join an organization that ensures a more secure world through connecting and protecting our customers with inventive electrical solutions.

At nVent, we are a leading provider of engineered control buildings and electrical equipment enclosures, supporting mission-critical applications across power utilities, data centers, and infrastructure markets. Our solutions are highly customized and often integrate sophisticated electrical systems including control panels, switchgear, and cabling.

As a project-driven, engineered-to-order (ETO) business, we deliver high-touch, tailored solutions to long-standing customers with demanding technical and schedule requirements. The business is scaling rapidly, including the integration of multiple sites across nVent Trachte and the Avail EPG acquisition.

To support this growth, we are evolving from a fragmented, site-based model toward a more unified and scalable engineering system-improving speed, quality, and repeatability while maintaining flexibility.

We are seeking a senior engineering leader to lead and transform engineering across the Engineered Building Solutions (EBS) business.

This role owns engineering across multiple sites and is accountable for both execution and transformation. The successful candidate will build a unified engineering operating model across people, process, product, and technology-enabling scale while maintaining strong customer responsiveness.

• Drive standardization without losing ETO flexibility
• Build a high-performance, multi-site engineering organization
• Improve engineering velocity, quality, and capacity
• Operate effectively across a matrixed environment

The role demands equal strength in critical thinking and hands-on execution, with a strong bias for results.

• Lead Engineering Transformation:Define and implement the strategy to evolve EBS engineering into a unified, scalable framework spanning multiple sites, balancing standardization with ETO responsiveness.
• Standardize Engineering Processes:Establish consistent, end-to-end engineering processes from intake and quoting through development, release, and documentation, improving efficiency, accuracy, and consistency.
• Develop a High-Performing Organization:Build a flexible, multi-site engineering organization with stronger resource sharing, clear roles, and robust leadership bench strength and succession planning.
• Drive Modular Product Strategy:Transition the business toward modular, configurable platforms with standardized architectures and reusable design elements while maintaining customer-specific flexibility.
• Enable Tools & Digital Capability:Rationalize engineering tools and drive adoption of digital and AI-enabled solutions to improve productivity, design reuse, and overall engineering efficiency.
• Deliver Engineering Performance:Improve important measures including lead time, efficiency, first-pass yield, and overall build quality while supporting business growth and backlog execution.
• Strengthen Multi-Functional Execution:Partner closely with program management, product management, operations, and commercial teams to ensure alignment and successful delivery of complex customer programs.
• Drive Continuous Improvement:Apply Lean and structured problem-solving to engineering processes, increasing efficiency, scalability, and predictability across the organization.
• Engage Customers & Support Growth:Represent engineering in key customer interactions, bids, and blocking issues, ensuring technical excellence and responsiveness support business wins.
• Ensure Quality & Compliance:Maintain strong engineering rigor, ensuring all builds meet applicable codes, standards, and regulatory requirements across all sites.

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering; a Master's degree or equivalent experience is preferred.
• 15+ years of engineering experience, with 8+ years in a leadership role.
• Experience in engineered-to-order (ETO) or project-based businesses such as control buildings, modular structures, switchgear, panel shops, or similar.
• Strong background in electro-mechanical, structural, and/or electrical systems.
• Consistent track record in standardizing engineering processes and improving performance in complex, project-based environments.
• Systems thinker who can integrate people, process, product, and technology into a cohesive operating model.
• Proven track record to lead transformation in complex, fragmented environments.
• Experience leading multi-site or matrixed engineering organizations.
• Excellent leadership and social skills. Ability to influence key partners with a heavy emphasis on change leadership.
• Ability to travel domestically 30%, and up to 50% the first year in role.

WE HAVE:

• A dynamic global reach with diverse operations around the world that will stretch your abilities, provide plentiful career opportunities, and allow you to make an impact every day

  • nVent is a leading global provider of electrical connection and protection solutions. We believe our inventive electrical solutions enable safer systems and ensure a more secure world. We design, manufacture, market, install and service high performance products and solutions that connect and protect some of the world's most sensitive equipment, buildings and critical processes. We offer a comprehensive range of systems protection and electrical connections solutions across industry-leading brands that are recognized globally for quality, reliability and innovation.

  • Our principal office is in London and our management office in the United States is in Minneapolis. Our robust portfolio of leading electrical product brands dates back more than 100 years and includes nVent CADDY, ERICO, HOFFMAN, ILSCO, SCHROFF and TRACHTE. Learn more at www.nvent.com.

• Commitment to strengthen communities where our employees live and work

  • We encourage and support the philanthropic activities of our employees worldwide

  • Through our nVent in Action matching program, we provide funds to nonprofit and educational organizations where our employees volunteer or donate money

• Core values that shape our culture and drive us to deliver the best for our employees and our customers. We're known for being:

  • Innovative & adaptable

  • Dedicated to absolute integrity

  • Focused on the customer first

  • Respectful and team oriented

  • Optimistic and energizing

  • Accountable for performance

• Benefits to support the lives of our employees

Benefit Overview

At nVent, we value our people and their health and well-being. We provide a broad benefits package with meaningful programs for eligible full-time employees that includes:

• Medical, dental, and vision plans along with flexible spending accounts, short-term and long-term disability benefits, critical illness, accident insurance and life insurance.

• A 401(k) retirement plan and an employee stock purchase plan - both include a company match.

• Other supplemental benefits may include tuition reimbursement, caregiver, personal and parental leave, back-up care services, paid time off including volunteer time, a well-being program, and/or legal & identity theft protection.

At nVent, we connect and protect our customers with inventive electrical solutions. People are our most valuable asset. Inclusion and diversity means that we celebrate and encourage each other's authenticity because we understand that uniqueness sparks growth.