Sr. Manager Industrial Design

About the role

The Toyota Material Handling North America is seeking a Senior Manager – Industrial Design to lead the Industrial Design team within the Corporate Engineering department. This role involves driving product design strategy, brand identity, and user-centered innovation across Toyota and Raymond forklift product lines.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage a team of engineers and industrial designers in the development and visualization of innovative product concepts using CAD and advanced digital design tools.
• Drive industrial design strategy including form development, aesthetics, CMF development, branding, and ergonomics for powered industrial trucks and forklift products.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with Engineering, R&D, Product Management, Manufacturing, Marketing, and global partners to deliver production-ready solutions.
• Plan, assign, and monitor personnel and project commitments; oversee technical progress and adjust direction to meet engineering, product performance, quality, and business objectives.
• Serve as technical lead or project director for major new product development programs and platform initiatives.
• Evaluate technical outcomes of research and development efforts; prepare and deliver executive-level presentations with actionable recommendations.
• Align engineering and industrial design initiatives with corporate strategy; provide input and thought leadership to senior and executive leadership teams.
• Lead workforce planning including hiring, performance management, succession planning, mentoring, and professional development.
• Represent Industrial Design Engineering in executive reviews, customer engagements, supplier meetings, and industry events; travel as required.
• Provide technical guidance related to regulatory standards and industry requirements within the forklift and material handling industry; participate in formal design reviews.
• Maintain a safe working environment and operate in a constant state of alertness.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Design, Industrial Design Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Product Design Engineering, or a related engineering or design discipline.
• 12+ years of progressive engineering experience, including 5+ years of leadership experience managing industrial design or product design teams.
• Demonstrated experience in industrial design engineering within manufacturing, automotive, heavy equipment, or material handling industries.

Qualifications

• Strong expertise in concept sketching and ideation, CMF development and material selection, design language systems and visual identity development, user experience and ergonomics analysis, surface modeling and CAD-based design tools, injection molding and manufacturing processes, design strategy and product portfolio alignment, and executive-level presentations and visual communication of design intent.

Skills

• Master’s degree in Industrial Design, Industrial Design Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Product Design Engineering, MBA, Engineering Management, or a related engineering or design discipline.
• Experience leading global or multi-brand design organizations.
• Background in forklift, material handling equipment, automotive, or industrial equipment design.
• Proven success driving innovation from concept through production in a stage-gate product development environment.
• Strong understanding of human-machine interface, UI and UX design for industrial applications.
• Ability to influence executive stakeholders and drive cross-functional alignment.
• Passion for building collaborative, high-performing teams focused on continuous improvement and operational excellence.

Benefits

• Competitive salary
• Performance bonus
• Generous paid time off and 13 paid holidays
• Affordable medical plans and no-cost dental & vision options
• 100% 401(k) match up to 6%
• Company-paid life insurance, short-term disability, and long-term disability
• Tuition assistance program
• Employee assistance program (EAP) with access to mental health care, legal support, and financial guidance
• Recognition and Kaizen (continuous improvement) reward programs