Programs Director Jobs in Tupelo, MS (NOW HIRING)

Let's Drive New Way Fearlessly Forward!

Continuing to move Fearlessly Forward New Way Trucks was founded in 1971 in Scranton, IA. Today, New Way Trucks has multiple refuse production and parts facilities throughout Iowa and Mississippi, with equipment operating in all 50 states, as well as Canada, Latin America, Asia, and beyond. We combine small town values with cutting-edge technology to deliver excellence in heavy manufacturing. Come build your future with us at New Way Trucks, apply today!

New Way Trucks is currently seeking a highly dedicated and skilled Director of Engineering-New Product as a leader for the engineering team responsible for translating product strategy, customer requirements, and market opportunities into innovative, manufacturable, and serviceable refuse truck products. This role owns the technical direction for new product development from concept through launch, including architecture, design, prototype builds, validation, regulatory readiness, cost targets, and successful handoff into production. The position partners closely with Product Management, Manufacturing, Quality, Supply Chain, and the commercial organization to deliver best-in-class products that improve performance, reliability, safety, sustainability, and customer value.

Your Role in Our Mission:

Supervisor Responsibilities:

• Recruits, interviews, hires, trains, coaches, and develop engineering staff supporting new product development and product design.
• Oversee the workflow, priorities, resource allocation, and technical output of the New Product Engineering team.
• Provides constructive and timely performance evaluations and establishes clear expectations for technical quality, project execution, collaboration, and launch readiness.
• Partners with Human Resources on employee relations matters, including discipline and termination, in accordance with company policy.

Key Responsibilities:

• Develop and execute a New Product Engineering strategy aligned with company goals, product roadmap priorities, customer needs, and long-term platform direction.
• Lead the design, development, prototype build, testing, validation, and launch readiness of new refuse collection vehicle products, components, systems, and product platforms.
• Translate voice-of-customer insights, product requirements, competitive benchmarking, field performance trends, and warranty feedback into actionable engineering specifications and design solutions.
• Own the technical execution of new product development programs, including product architecture, system integration, design reviews, design risk assessments, design verification, validation planning, and release readiness.
• Drive innovation in performance, reliability, safety, sustainability, manufacturability, serviceability, and total cost of ownership for new refuse truck products.
• Partner with Product Management to define product requirements, evaluate business cases, prioritize roadmap opportunities, and support make/buy, platform, and feature decisions.
• Collaborate with Manufacturing Engineering, Operations, Quality, Supply Chain, Service, Warranty, and Sales to ensure new designs are production-ready, cost-effective, serviceable, and aligned with customer and operational requirements.
• Establish and maintain a disciplined stage-gate product development process that improves project visibility, decision-making, technical discipline, and cross-functional accountability.
• Manage new product engineering project schedules, budgets, design deliverables, technical resources, prototype plans, and launch milestones to deliver programs on time and within approved scope.
• Ensure new product designs comply with applicable industry standards, regulatory requirements, safety expectations, internal quality standards, and documentation requirements.
• Lead regular design reviews, technical problem-solving sessions, risk assessments, and lessons-learned reviews to identify issues early and drive continuous improvement.
• Build a culture of technical excellence, collaboration, accountability, and practical innovation within the engineering team.
• Stay current on industry trends, emerging technologies, electrification and alternative power, materials, automation, and vehicle design practices that may influence the future product direction.

To Perform this Job Successfully:

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or related field required; Master’s degree or advanced technical degree preferred.
• Eight or more years of progressive engineering experience, including at least three years leading engineering teams, with direct new product development experience in vehicles, heavy equipment, specialty vehicles, or complex manufactured products.
• Demonstrated ability to lead products from concept through launch, with strong understanding of product development discipline, design controls, prototype builds, validation, change management, and launch readiness.
• Strong technical expertise in mechanical and/or electrical engineering principles, system integration, CAD, design analysis, engineering documentation, and product lifecycle management practices.
• Experience with ERP-integrated engineering and bill of material management (Epicor/similar) preferred.
• Experience applying design-for-manufacturability, design-for-serviceability, design-for-quality, and cost-management principles to new product designs.
• Strong project leadership skills, including the ability to manage priorities, schedules, budgets, technical tradeoffs, risk, and cross-functional alignment.
• Ability to evaluate customer needs, field performance, warranty trends, regulatory considerations, and competitive information and convert them into product improvements or new product opportunities.
• Excellent leadership, coaching, communication, and team-building skills with the ability to influence stakeholders across all functions and with senior leadership.
• Solid understanding of regulatory requirements, safety expectations, and industry standards applicable to heavy manufacturing and vehicle design.
• Practical, hands-on engineering mindset with the ability to balance innovation, manufacturability, quality, cost, reliability, and speed to market.

Why New Way Trucks?

• Midwest Values: Integrity, hard work, and community from the core of our operations.
• Innovation at Heart: We are committed to staying ahead of the curve and continually investing in technology and our people.
• Competitive Benefit Package: Competitive wages, comprehensive benefits, and opportunity for professional growth.

Are you ready to build your future with New Way? Apply now!

This job description describes the general nature and level of work expected of a person assigned to this position. All job requirements listed indicate the minimum level of knowledge, skills and/or ability deemed necessary to perform the job proficiently. Employees may be required to perform any other job-related duties as requested by their supervisor.

This position is eligible for relocation.