Director Strategic Initiatives
Ashton North LLC, Champaign, IL, United States
Director – Strategic Initiatives (Director Track)
Manufacturing | Engineering | Product Development
Champaign, IL Area (Onsite) | Relocation Available
$175K–$225K Base + Bonus | U.S. Citizenship Required
This is not a traditional Director role.
We are specifically targeting a
Senior Program or Project Manager
with a strong engineering and manufacturing background who is ready to step into their first enterprise-level leadership position. This role reports directly to executive leadership and will lead high-impact initiatives across manufacturing, engineering, product development, and commercial teams. It is designed for someone who has been driving complex programs and is now looking for broader scope, visibility, and influence across the business. If your background includes leading complex, cross-functional initiatives across plant operations, engineering, product development, and commercial teams—and you have hands-on experience with new product development (NPI) and delivering measurable business results—this is where that experience gets leveraged at a higher level.
What You’ll Be Responsible For Lead and execute cross-functional programs across manufacturing, engineering, R&D, and product development Drive new product introduction (NPI) and commercialization efforts within a manufacturing environment Partner with plant operations, engineering teams, and commercial leadership to ensure execution alignment Support initiatives tied to revenue growth, margin improvement, and operational performance Implement tools, systems, and process improvements to enhance visibility and execution discipline Deliver clear, data-driven updates to executive leadership on progress, risks, and outcomes This is an execution-focused role. You will be expected to drive results, not just build strategy.
What Tends to Work in This Role 10–15 years of experience in program or project management within a manufacturing or engineering environment Strong exposure to product development, R&D, or engineering-driven programs Experience leading NPI, product launches, or complex cross-functional initiatives Solid understanding of manufacturing operations, plant environments, and supply chain coordination Must bring strength in at least one of the following areas: Commercial sales or go-to-market initiatives (channel programs, pricing, customer engagement) R&D or engineering-led development environments Product development and commercialization (NPI, product launches, lifecycle management) Ability to influence across teams without direct authority Track record of delivering measurable outcomes across multiple initiatives
Must-Have Requirements Bachelor’s degree required No sponsorship available – U.S. Citizenship required Background in manufacturing (electronics or engineered products preferred, not required) Demonstrated strength in Commercial Sales, R&D, and/or Product Development environments is required Demonstrated career stability, typically reflected by 5–7+ years with each organization, along with clear progression and increasing responsibility over time Onsite role – relocation required if not local
This Role Is Likely NOT a Fit For Current Directors or VPs with large team ownership Candidates focused primarily on strategy without hands-on execution Program managers without manufacturing or engineering experience Candidates without exposure to commercial, R&D, or product development environments Individuals seeking remote or highly flexible work arrangements
Why This Role Direct exposure to executive leadership and company decision-making Opportunity to step into a Director-level path without needing prior Director title Ownership of high-impact initiatives across engineering, manufacturing, and product development Environment focused on execution, accountability, and measurable results
We are specifically targeting a
Senior Program or Project Manager
with a strong engineering and manufacturing background who is ready to step into their first enterprise-level leadership position. This role reports directly to executive leadership and will lead high-impact initiatives across manufacturing, engineering, product development, and commercial teams. It is designed for someone who has been driving complex programs and is now looking for broader scope, visibility, and influence across the business. If your background includes leading complex, cross-functional initiatives across plant operations, engineering, product development, and commercial teams—and you have hands-on experience with new product development (NPI) and delivering measurable business results—this is where that experience gets leveraged at a higher level.
What You’ll Be Responsible For Lead and execute cross-functional programs across manufacturing, engineering, R&D, and product development Drive new product introduction (NPI) and commercialization efforts within a manufacturing environment Partner with plant operations, engineering teams, and commercial leadership to ensure execution alignment Support initiatives tied to revenue growth, margin improvement, and operational performance Implement tools, systems, and process improvements to enhance visibility and execution discipline Deliver clear, data-driven updates to executive leadership on progress, risks, and outcomes This is an execution-focused role. You will be expected to drive results, not just build strategy.
What Tends to Work in This Role 10–15 years of experience in program or project management within a manufacturing or engineering environment Strong exposure to product development, R&D, or engineering-driven programs Experience leading NPI, product launches, or complex cross-functional initiatives Solid understanding of manufacturing operations, plant environments, and supply chain coordination Must bring strength in at least one of the following areas: Commercial sales or go-to-market initiatives (channel programs, pricing, customer engagement) R&D or engineering-led development environments Product development and commercialization (NPI, product launches, lifecycle management) Ability to influence across teams without direct authority Track record of delivering measurable outcomes across multiple initiatives
Must-Have Requirements Bachelor’s degree required No sponsorship available – U.S. Citizenship required Background in manufacturing (electronics or engineered products preferred, not required) Demonstrated strength in Commercial Sales, R&D, and/or Product Development environments is required Demonstrated career stability, typically reflected by 5–7+ years with each organization, along with clear progression and increasing responsibility over time Onsite role – relocation required if not local
This Role Is Likely NOT a Fit For Current Directors or VPs with large team ownership Candidates focused primarily on strategy without hands-on execution Program managers without manufacturing or engineering experience Candidates without exposure to commercial, R&D, or product development environments Individuals seeking remote or highly flexible work arrangements
Why This Role Direct exposure to executive leadership and company decision-making Opportunity to step into a Director-level path without needing prior Director title Ownership of high-impact initiatives across engineering, manufacturing, and product development Environment focused on execution, accountability, and measurable results