The Austworld group is made up of multiple companies that provide plumbing solutions, with over 30 years of experience

With headquarters based in Australia, Austworld is responsible for continued development of products and distribution of products in Australia and New Zealand.

While Ottimo is the Chinese operations which is responsible for manufacturing, quality control and warehousing.

Job Profile:

Position Title:

Engineering Manager – Product Development & Manufacturing

Department: Engineering / Operations

Reports To: General Manager – Operations

Direct Reports:

Manufacturing Engineers, Product Development Engineers, Drafting & CAD Technicians

Purpose of the Role:

 The Engineering Manager is responsible for leading and coordinating the full product development lifecycle — from concept and design through to production release, continuous improvement, and product obsolescence. This role ensures that new and existing products meet design, quality, cost, and performance targets while maintaining accurate Bill of Materials (BOMs), routing data, and production processes within the ERP system.

 The position also manages a team of manufacturing and development engineers, ensuring effective collaboration with departments such as Procurement, Quality, Production, Sales, and Supply Chain to deliver projects on time and within scope.

Job Details:

Responsibilities:

Key Responsibilities

1. Product Development & Lifecycle Management

 Oversee the end-to-end product development process including concept design, prototyping, validation, and release to manufacturing.

 Ensure all introduction of New Product Designs (NPD) follow structured stage-gate processes- DFM- Design for manufacturing.

 Apply engineering methods (DFMEA & PFMEA) to ensure all design & process failure modes are identified & controlled.

 Maintain product lifecycle documentation (drawings, revisions, engineering change control).

 Drive product cost optimization and continuous improvement of existing product lines.

 Liaise with suppliers and external tooling/manufacturing partners as required.

2. BOM and Routing Management

 Create, review, and maintain accurate Bill of Materials (BOMs) and Routes within Dynamics 365 Finance & Operations (F&O).

 Ensure routing data accurately reflects manufacturing processes, machine times, and labor requirements.

 Coordinate with Production and Planning teams to validate time studies and optimize route efficiency.

 Manage engineering change requests and ensure all BOM updates are version-controlled and approved before release.

3. Team Leadership & Development

 Lead, mentor, and develop the engineering and manufacturing team to ensure high technical capability and performance.

 Including product & process training for manufacturing staff.

 Set clear objectives and KPIs aligned with company goals.

 Promote a culture of safety, innovation, accountability, and continuous improvement.

4. Cross Department Coordination

 Collaborate with Procurement on new materials, tooling, and supplier development- audits.

 Support Production with creation of control plans, process improvement, work instructions, and root cause analysis.

 Work with Quality to identify & resolve design or process non-conformances by implementing permanent corrective actions.

 Provide technical input for Sales and Marketing for new product feasibility and customer requirements.

 Ensure IT/ERP teams are provided with structured engineering data to support automation and reporting.

5. Compliance & Standards

 Ensure all product designs meet relevant Australian and international standards (WaterMark, WELS, ISO, AGA etc.).

 Maintain compliance documentation for regulatory and internal audits.

 Champion sustainable engineering practices and material efficiency.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

 On-time delivery of product development milestones.

 Accuracy and completeness of BOMs and routing data in ERP.

 Reduction in engineering change errors or rework.

 Product cost vs target variance.

 Team performance, training completion, and engagement.

 Manufacturing efficiency improvements driven by engineering.

Qualifications:

Skills & Qualifications

Essential

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Manufacturing, or Industrial Engineering.

• Minimum 5 years’ experience in product development and manufacturing leadership.

• Strong understanding of ERP systems (preferably Microsoft Dynamics 365 F&O).

• Proficient in CAD software (SolidWorks, AutoCAD, or similar).

• Proven ability to manage multiple projects and cross-functional teams.

• Willing & able to travel internationally.

• Proven ability to work with offshore stakeholders.

Desirable

• Experience in plumbing, valves, or metal component manufacturing.

• Understanding of quality and compliance standards (ISO9001, WaterMark, WELS).

• Knowledge of lean manufacturing and process improvement methodologies.

Attributes

• Strong analytical and problem-solving mindset.

• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.

• Attention to detail with a structured, process-driven approach.

• Ability to balance strategic direction with hands-on technical involvement.

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