Tooling Engineering Manager

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STRIVE is a specialist recruitment firm offering professional recruitment services across Accounting & Finance, Corporate Administration, Operations, and Technology. We pride ourselves on delivering a highly personalized, transparent, and relationship-driven recruitment experience for both clients and candidates. At STRIVE, we don’t just fill roles — we partner with organizations and individuals to build long-term success.

THE ROLE

Our client is an established organization with a strong presence in the North American market, specializing in the development and manufacturing of customized solutions for a diverse range of commercial customers. With a strong focus on innovation, quality, and operational efficiency, the company combines technical expertise with tailored product development to meet evolving customer needs.

The client is looking for a Tooling Engineering and Design Manager to lead its Engineering and Tooling functions and oversee technical development initiatives at the facility in Coquitlam. Shift times run from Monday to Friday with a 6 AM or 7 AM start until 2:30 PM or 3:30 PM, with flexibility for overtime work when needed.

Reporting directly to the CEO, this individual will be responsible for managing technical personnel, guiding product development projects, overseeing tooling operations, and ensuring designs meet customer expectations while supporting efficient manufacturing processes.

This is a hands-on leadership opportunity for someone who combines mechanical design expertise, project management, team leadership, and manufacturing knowledge.

Regular follow-ups with the team are required; therefore, a strong leadership presence is desired!

The successful candidate will work closely with Production, Sales, Quality, and Procurement to drive innovation, improve processes, and ensure projects are delivered to established quality and performance standards.

The ideal candidate is a proactive, technically strong leader who can balance strategic planning with practical engineering involvement and contribute to the organization's continued growth. Preference is given to those with customizable manufacturing experience in the sheet metal, extrusion, plastics, and similar industries.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Lead and develop multidisciplinary technical teams across engineering design, product development, and tooling operations.
• Oversee daily departmental activities, establish priorities, and allocate personnel and technical resources to meet project deadlines.
• Manage customer projects from initial concept through design, development, testing, and manufacturing implementation.
• Guide the development of new products while maintaining and improving existing product offerings.
• Ensure product designs are practical to manufacture, cost-effective, functional, and compatible with tooling and production capabilities.
• Provide hands-on support with mechanical design, technical problem-solving, and product development activities.
• Oversee tooling operations and coordinate activities related to tool design, machining, maintenance, and plant improvements.
• Establish consistent engineering practices and quality standards for designs, technical drawings, CAD files, and supporting documentation.
• Conduct technical evaluations, assess project risks, and address design or production challenges before they affect project outcomes.
• Collaborate with suppliers and external partners to evaluate materials, review technical specifications, coordinate testing, and identify development opportunities.
• Work cross-functionally with Production, Quality, Sales, and Procurement to align technical deliverables with customer requirements and business objectives.
• Participate in customer meetings and technical reviews to clarify requirements, present solutions, and resolve engineering-related concerns.
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives focused on product performance, manufacturing efficiency, tooling effectiveness, and process optimization.
• Monitor project timelines, departmental performance indicators, resource utilization, and budgets to ensure objectives are achieved.
• Communicate project progress, risks, deviations, and recommendations to executive leadership and relevant stakeholders.
• Promote a collaborative, accountable, and solutions-oriented environment that encourages technical development and ongoing improvement.

REQUIREMENTS:

• Post-secondary education in Engineering Design, Mechanical Engineering, Product Development, or a related technical discipline.
• Extensive experience in mechanical design, product development, engineering project management, or a comparable technical role.
• Previous experience leading technical teams, ideally involving design engineering, tooling, machining, or product development.
• Demonstrated experience managing customer-driven projects from concept through development and implementation.
• Strong understanding of design for manufacturing, tooling requirements, production processes, and material selection.
• Experience with mechanical design, technical drawings, CAD documentation, and product development processes.
• Strong mechanical and mathematical aptitude, with the ability to assess technical challenges and develop practical solutions.
• Excellent analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills, with the ability to manage multiple projects and competing priorities.
• Strong computer literacy and confidence working with engineering design software and technical documentation.
• Proven leadership abilities, including team development, resource allocation, and cross-functional coordination.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to work effectively with technical teams, customers, suppliers, and executive leadership.
• Commercial awareness and an understanding of how engineering decisions affect production costs, efficiency, product quality, and customer satisfaction.
• A proactive, hands-on, and continuous-improvement mindset, with the ability to balance technical detail with broader business objectives.
• Product launching.

COMPENSATION:

• $120,000 to $135,000 depending on experience.
• Discretionary annual bonus depending on individual performance.
• Health benefits coverage including long term disability.
• RSP matching contributions.
• Opportunities for growth in a rapidly growing global organization.
• Stability of work with multiple projects coming in on the horizon.
• Ability to influence product development, engineering processes, tooling capabilities, and overall operational performance.
• Opportunity to lead a multidisciplinary team and contribute directly to the company's continued growth and success.

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