Director of Product Development

Job Description

The Director of Product Development, LaCantina Doors, will lead the engineering and product development function for LaCantina’s premium large-opening door systems, including folding, sliding, swing, screen, servery window, V2 Direct Set, and zero-post corner door platforms. This leader will be responsible for advancing the product roadmap, driving new product development, supporting VAVE and manufacturing improvement initiatives, and ensuring products are effectively designed, tested, documented, launched, and supported across the organization.

This role requires a highly technical, hands-on product development leader who can operate at the intersection of engineering, manufacturing, sales, marketing, customer service, operations, and IT. The successful candidate will bring strong engineering discipline, deep manufacturing acumen, and the leadership capability to build and develop a high-performing team while supporting LaCantina’s reputation for innovative, high-quality door systems that create open spaces and deliver exceptional customer value.

Responsibilities Include:

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the Product Development and Engineering function for LaCantina Doors, ensuring the team is aligned to the company’s product roadmap, business priorities, and stage-gate requirements.
• Develop and execute new product development initiatives that support growth, product line expansion, manufacturing readiness, and long-term profitability.
• Direct NPD and VAVE projects from concept through validation, launch, and production support, with a focus on cost savings, quality improvement, manufacturability, and customer value.
• Lead the design, validation, and continuous improvement of new, custom, and legacy products and processes in partnership with Manufacturing, Operations, Sales, Customer Service, Marketing, and IT.
• Ensure product development initiatives support LaCantina’s position in large opening door systems across folding, sliding, and swing product platforms.

Technical Design, Documentation, and Product Systems

• Oversee the use of CAD design tools, including SolidWorks, Autodesk, AutoCAD, and related file formats, to support product development, design validation, and production documentation.
• Lead development and maintenance of technical documentation, including product drawings, schematics, installation instructions, initial work instructions, production paperwork, and interactive NPD hardware manuals.
• Develop, validate, and maintain BOMs for NPD, VAVE, custom orders, and production support.
• Partner with IT and commercial teams to create and validate rules, formulas, and product build logic in BOM Manager, Confluence, and quoting software systems. Lead UAT and validation of quoting software outputs, including manufacturing paperwork, BOMs, and order-related documentation, with redlines and corrections submitted to IT as required.

Certification, Testing, and Product Validation

• Manage, coordinate, schedule, and support product testing and certification activities, including structural, thermal/NFRC, sound transmission class/STC, and impact zone/HVHZ testing for new and existing products.
• Ensure product certification, recertification, validation, and production implementation requirements are completed in alignment with internal standards and business needs.
• Partner with corporate resources to submit and manage ECR/ECN requests, testing requests, new die order requests, FAI approval submissions, DCNs, TDRs, and related documentation.
• Support production validation of new products and system changes to ensure smooth transition from development into manufacturing.

Manufacturing, Operations, and Continuous Improvement

• Work closely with Manufacturing, Operations, Production, and Work Center Managers to ensure engineering activities are executed in a timely, cost-effective manner.
• Drive VAVE, continuous improvement, part identification, jig and fixture review, process improvement, and manufacturing readiness initiatives.
• Establish, track, and improve departmental performance across safety, quality, production support, technical responsiveness, and project execution.
• Support safety, preventative maintenance, and compliance processes in partnership with plant leadership and applicable health and safety standards.
• Build effective engineering work center processes that support product quality, production efficiency, documentation control, and cross-functional accountability.

 Custom Order and Commercial Support

• Support Sales, Customer Service, Marketing, Operations, and Production with existing products, new products, custom parts design, product line training, and customer-specific technical requests.
• Quote and support custom order requests, including custom order feasibility, BOM support, production paperwork validation, inventory assessment, and conversion of custom order build documentation into production-ready orders.
• Provide technical and product expertise to help commercial and customer-facing teams accurately position, quote, support, and service LaCantina products.
• Partner with Sales and Marketing to translate product capabilities, technical documentation, and product updates into clear customer and channel-facing support materials.

Team Leadership and Department Management

• Hire, lead, develop, and coach engineering and product development team members, building a culture of accountability, technical excellence, safety, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Manage departmental meetings, safety meetings, change control board participation, performance management, administrative processes, and cross-functional operating rhythms.
• Develop, control, and manage the department budget in support of NPD, VAVE, testing, certification, staffing, and stage-gate initiatives.
• Coach technical and managerial personnel, reinforce cultural values, and build team capability through training, problem solving, and continuous improvement practices.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Business, or a related field; or an Associate’s degree in a related field with significant applicable managerial experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• 7 to 10 years of experience in an engineering, product development, R&D, manufacturing engineering, or technical manufacturing environment.
• Demonstrated experience leading product development, manufacturing engineering, or technical teams in a complex product environment.
• Strong working knowledge of CAD design programs, engineering principles, product drawings, schematics, quality systems, and manufacturing process improvement.
• Experience with BOM development, quoting system support, product configuration logic, technical documentation, and product validation processes.
• Experience supporting product testing, certification, and compliance requirements, including structural, thermal, STC, and impact-related testing.
• Strong understanding of LEAN manufacturing, continuous improvement, Tollgate/Stage Gate processes, GD&T, GPS standards, and production process improvement methods.
• Knowledge of plant safety, OSHA standards, and health and safety compliance expectations. Proficiency with Microsoft Office and applicable business, engineering, documentation, and product management systems.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in windows, doors, fenestration, building products, architectural products, or engineered-to-order manufacturing.
• Experience with premium or highly configurable product lines serving architects, builders, dealers, homeowners, and commercial customers.
• Familiarity with folding, sliding, swing, multi-slide, large-opening, or indoor-outdoor living product systems.
• Experience integrating engineering documentation, manufacturing systems, BOM logic, and sales quoting platforms.
• Experience leading cross-functional product launches in a stage-gate environment.
• Experience supporting NFRC, STC, HVHZ, structural, thermal, or other building product certification processes.

Travel

• Ability to travel up to approximately 15%, based on business needs.