Director of Solutions Engineering

Job Title

Director of Solutions Engineering

Job Description

About Vanderlande

Vanderlande is a global leader in logistics process automation for airports, parcel, and warehousing. We design, develop, and deliver integrated automated systems and technology that help our customers improve operational performance, increase efficiency, and manage the growing demands of their businesses.

Within our Airports business, Vanderlande partners with airports, airlines, and other aviation stakeholders to design and implement solutions that support the movement of passengers and baggage. Our solutions span baggage handling, airport logistics, automation, software, and integrated systems that help airports operate safely, efficiently, and reliably.

As our Airports business continues to grow across North America, we are looking for a Director of Solutions Engineering Leader to lead our regional Solutions Engineering organization and help shape the solutions we bring to our customers.

About the Role

As Director of Solutions Engineering, North America – Airports, you are responsible for leading the regional Solutions Engineering organization comprising Controls, HLC, R&D, Lead Engineers, Site Based Integration, Solutions Architects and ensuring the development of high-quality, competitive, and customer-focused solutions.

You will work closely with Sales, Service, Project Execution, Product Management, and customers to translate business and operational needs into technical concepts and solution designs that create value and support sustainable growth.

In this role, you lead with ownership and empower teams to develop best-in-class solutions that balance customer requirements, technical excellence, operational performance, and business objectives.

You will serve as a key binding agent between Sales and Project Execution, ensuring continuity and consistency throughout the customer journey and enabling effective handovers from concept development through delivery. You will help ensure that we can execute and service what we sell—and execute and service what we sold.

Based in our Marietta, GA or Dallas, TX location, the role will require travel between our engineering locations in Dallas and Vancouver, as well as the locations of our customers and project/service sites.

Working closely with the Director of Project Engineering, North America, you will ensure a seamless handover between disciplines and the continuity and consistency of our delivery.

This is a highly collaborative leadership role that requires a strong understanding of complex technical solutions, customer environments, commercial processes, and project execution.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the North America Airports Solutions Engineering organization, collaborating with project engineering, sales concepting, sales engineering, and project execution capabilities across the customer solution lifecycle.
• Lead the development of high-quality solution concepts that address customer needs, operational requirements, technical considerations, and business objectives.
• Support strategic customer engagements by translating operational challenges and customer requirements into compelling solution concepts and value propositions.
• Working with sales concepting and sales engineering, support solution development throughout the sales process, ensuring technical quality, competitiveness, scalability, and alignment with Vanderlande standards.
• Act as a key binding agent between Sales, Project Engineering, Service, Project Execution, and Product Management to ensure continuity and effective knowledge transfer.
• Establish clear processes and expectations for handovers between solution development and project execution, ensuring that solutions can be consistently and efficiently delivered, supported, and serviced.
• Lead, coach, and develop Engineering Managers and multidisciplinary engineering teams, creating a high-performing, collaborative, and accountable organization.
• Drive continuous improvement, standardization, and knowledge sharing across the North America Solutions Engineering organization and the broader global Airports community.
• Collaborate with Sales and customers on complex and strategic opportunities, including large-scale airport programs, tenders, and competitive pursuits.
• Ensure solution designs appropriately balance customer value, technical feasibility, operational performance, serviceability, risk, and commercial competitiveness.
• Partner with global Product Management and Engineering teams to leverage existing solutions, technologies, and capabilities while identifying opportunities for innovation.
• Lead resource planning and capability development to ensure the organization has the expertise and capacity required to support current and future business opportunities.
• Develop talent and succession plans within Solutions Engineering and build a strong pipeline of technical and commercial engineering leadership capability.
• Monitor North American airport market developments, customer trends, competitive activity, and emerging technologies to strengthen Vanderlande's solution offering and market position.
• Promote collaboration between regional and global teams to ensure North America benefits from Vanderlande's global expertise while addressing specific customer and market requirements.
• Ensure compliance with Health, Safety and Environment standards while promoting a strong safety culture across the organization.
• Lead teams located in multiple centers of expertise, ensuring that standards, culture, ownership, accountability, and focus are consistent across all locations and projects.
• Have experience developing new, innovative, and effective products, tools, and solutions.
• Be comfortable taking initiative, in line with the company vision, mission, and values, to ensure that the customer experience (internal and external) remains the focus of your team.

Requirements

Education & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Systems Engineering, Computer Science, Industrial Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
• Significant experience leading engineering, solutions engineering, system design, technical consulting, or a comparable technical organization within a complex industrial or technology-driven environment.
• Experience leading teams responsible for developing complex technical solutions in a customer-facing environment.
• Experience supporting complex sales opportunities, customer engagements, tenders, or major projects.
• Demonstrated experience leading, coaching, and developing multidisciplinary technical teams.
• Experience working across commercial, technical, operational, and executive stakeholder groups.
• Experience balancing customer requirements, technical risks, operational considerations, and business objectives when making decisions.
• Experience leading leaders in a high-pressure, challenging environment, with schedule and resource pressure being the focus.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in airport automation, baggage handling systems, material handling, logistics automation, warehouse automation, parcel, industrial systems, or a comparable technology-driven environment.
• Experience working with airports, airlines, baggage handling, or other aviation-related customers.
• Experience leading solutions engineering or system engineering organizations through complex, multi-million-dollar sales opportunities.
• Experience with large-scale airport projects, tenders, RFPs, or competitive solution development.
• Experience working within a global organization and collaborating across regional and international teams.
• Experience managing teams across multiple locations within North America.
• Understanding of automation, controls, software, systems integration, and/or complex material handling solutions.

Additional Desired Skills

• Ability to translate customer and operational requirements into practical, value-driven technical solutions.
• Strong understanding of the connection between solution design, commercial strategy, project execution, and long-term serviceability.
• Effective communication skills with the ability to influence stakeholders across different functions, organizational levels, and cultures.
• Strong leadership capability with a customer-focused and results-oriented mindset.

Your Team

You will lead the North America Airports Solutions Engineering organization and work closely with Sales Leaders, Service Leaders, Project Execution teams, Product Management, Engineering specialists, and global support functions.

You will also work closely with airport customers and other key stakeholders throughout the solution development process.

Together, we develop solutions that help airports across North America improve baggage handling performance, operational efficiency, reliability, and the overall passenger experience.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Diversity & Inclusion

Vanderlande is committed to creating an inclusive workplace where everyone can contribute, develop, and succeed. We are an equal opportunity employer and consider qualified applicants without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability status, or any other legally protected characteristic.