Director of Engineering - Complete Seats & Manufacturing

Forvia, a sustainable mobility technology leader

We pioneer technology for mobility experience that matter to people.

Your mission, roles and responsibilities

The Director of Complete Seat & Manufacturing Engineering leads the North America Operations (NAO) engineering team for Complete Seats, Comfort, and Foam, based at the Forvia North America Headquarters. This role is accountable for delivering development and serial life programs on time, within budget, and to the highest quality standards, while ensuring customer satisfaction remains a priority. The Director maintains strong OEM relationships, drives team performance, manages the cost center budget, and fosters effective collaboration across functions and regions, including Mexico and Europe. 

The main missions of the role are:

• Deliver programs on time, within budget, and to quality standards, ensuring customer satisfaction throughout development and serial life.
• Lead all design and development activities for Complete Seats, Comfort, and Foam within the NAO perimeter.
• Manage technical and delivery expectations with OEM customers, from acquisition through serial life, including escalation resolution.
• Ensure consistent use of development tools such as calculations, FMEA, and value analysis to support robust designs.
• Drive continuous improvement in processes, tools, and team performance, implementing action plans for measurable results.
• Lead, coach, and develop engineering talent, fostering collaboration, technical expertise, and professional growth.
• Coordinate cross-functional and cross-regional activities, working closely with colleagues in Mexico and Europe to ensure seamless program execution.
• Plan and allocate team resources to balance workload, maintain efficiency, and ensure a positive work environment.
• Own and manage the cost center budget, including OPEX and CAPEX, meeting financial targets and program cost objectives.
• Manage Manufacturing Engineering teams.

Your profile and competencies to succeed

Qualifications:

Minimum Education Level: Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering or related field.

Experience:

• 7+ years in the automotive industry, with experience in seating or complex mechanical systems preferred.
• Minimum 3 years in leadership roles, managing multi-disciplinary engineering teams.
• Proven track record in program delivery, meeting quality, cost, and timing targets for OEM customers.
• Experience in design and development engineering, with strong knowledge of complete seats, comfort, and or foam products.
• Demonstrated success in cross-functional collaboration, including coordination with global or multi-site teams.

Skills & Competencies:

• Strong leadership abilities with proven success in motivating and developing high-performing engineering teams.
• Excellent communication skills for engaging effectively with OEM customers and internal stakeholders.
• Results-oriented mindset with the ability to drive programs to meet quality, cost, and timing goals.
• Solid technical foundation in seating systems, comfort features, or foam product development.
• Financial acumen to manage cost center budgets and support program cost control.
• Problem-solving capability to address technical, operational, and customer challenges effectively.
• Skilled in cross-cultural collaboration, working seamlessly with global engineering teams.
• Commitment to the highest ethical standards and willingness to adhere to Faurecia’s Code of Ethics and Code of Management

This position is not eligible now or in the future for Visa sponsorship and relocation. 

What we can do for you

• At Forvia, you will find an engaging and dynamic environment where you can contribute to the development of sustainable mobility leading technologies.  
• We are the seventh-largest global automotive supplier, employing more than 157,000 people in more than 40 countries which makes a lot of opportunity for career development. 
• We welcome energetic and agile people who can thrive in a fast-changing environment. People who share our strong values. Team players with a collaborative mindset and a passion to deliver high standards for our clients. Lifelong learners. High performers. Globally minded people who aspire to work in a transforming industry, where excellence, speed, and quality count. 
• We cultivate a learning environment, dedicating tools and resources to ensure we remain at the forefront of mobility.  Our people enjoy an average of more than 22 hours of online and in-person training within FORVIA University (five campuses around the world) 
• We offer a multicultural environment that values diversity and international collaboration. We believe that diversity is a strength. To create an inclusive culture where all forms of diversity create real value for the company, we have adopted gender diversity targets and inclusion action plans. 
• Achieving CO2 Net Zero as a pioneer of the automotive industry is a priority: In June 2022, Forvia became the first global automotive group to be certified with the new SBTI Net-Zero Standard (the most ambitious standard of SBTi), aligned with the ambition of the 2015 Paris Agreement of limiting global warming to 1.5°C. Three principles guide our action: use less, use better and use longer, with a focus on recyclability and circular economy. 

Why join us

FORVIA is an automotive technology group at the heart of smarter and more sustainable mobility. We bring together expertise in electronics, clean mobility, lighting, interiors, seating, and lifecycle solutions to drive change in the automotive industry.

With a history stretching back more than a century, we are the 7th largest global automotive supplier, employing more than 157,000 people in 43 countries. You'll find our technology in around 1 out of 2 vehicles produced anywhere in the world.

In June 2022, we became the 1st global automotive group to be certified with the SBTI Net-Zero Standard. We have committed to reach CO2 Net Zero by no later than 2045.

As technological innovation and the need for sustainability transform the automotive industry, we are ideally positioned to deliver solutions that will enhance the lives of road-users everywhere.