Electrical Design Group Leader

Are you a highly motivated, team player, who wants the opportunity to challenge yourself? Innovative Automation encourages anyone who answered yes to the above question to apply today!

About Innovative:

Located in Barrie, Ontario, Innovative Automation’s team works together to create efficient custom automation solutions that consistently exceed client expectations. At Innovative Automation, we strike to lead globally, lead industry, and lead locally with passion and pride. We provide industry with factory automation solutions for Fortune 500 companies and our systems are installed worldwide for progressive companies. Our vision is to be the first-choice provider of automation solutions to global leaders in manufacturing. We foster a culture of innovation, inclusion, and camaraderie where all ideas are welcome, and every team member is encouraged to succeed.

Why Work Here?

At Innovative, we take pride in having a culture built on pride, respect, community, satisfaction, family, and safety, for all employees. Innovative Automation listens to, invests in, and supports employees, offering advanced skills, training, and opportunities for advancement and the future. We also care about letting our employees know how much we appreciate their hard work, which is why at Innovative we provide a fun working environment (work hard, play hard). We engage in many fundraisers for our community (such as the annual Pie in the Face event) and team building events, such as Christmas parties, Golf Tournaments, and more!

What We Offer:

Employer Matched RRSP (Registered Retirement Savings Program)

Flex-time

Extended Healthcare Benefits

Employee Events

Educational Assistance Programs

Costco Membership

Tool Replacement Program

Job Opportunity:

The Electrical Design Group Leader supports the administrative and technical leadership of the Electrical Design Department in the development and implementation of automated systems. Providing leadership through day to day prioritization, resource allocation, technical guidance, the support of the electrical design department as well as collaboration with the Engineering and Operations groups and their respective group leaders. The Group Leader will provide leadership in all aspects of the design process, including mentoring and guiding design team members to create, verify and participate in validation aspects of designs with a focus on safety, quality, performance and delivery. Ensuring each implementation is satisfies the specific customer and project requirements. This is for an existing vacancy. 

What you’ll do:

Department Specific Duties and Responsibilities

Supervise department staff and provide technical leadership on all aspects of electrical and control systems design for automation equipment

Appoint Team Leads to larger projects as required. Align employee skillset to corresponding design activity or project, assisting the Team with creating a detailed design plan.

Assign both Internal employee and contract resources to current project design activities.

Assist department designers with verifying their design, architecture and layouts

Provide oversight and direction on Machine Safety design in accordance with relevant codes

Direct and manage Safety Risk Assessment activity within the department

Review design output, from concept to client approval, to ensure delegated duties are performed as per specifications in quotation and design requirements. Ensuring alignment with labour budgets and schedule milestones

Provide technical oversight and final approval of electrical design deliverables, ensuring compliance with applicable electrical and safety standards

Identify the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills

Develop and maintain partnership with vetted and reliable contract design resources. Allocate contractor resource to support active jobs. Review budget scope with contractors prior to start.  Submit contractor’s invoices to Purchasing.  Review and Approve Contractor Purchase Orders

Fulfill role of Electrical Design project Lead as required. Typically reserved for being Internal Design lead on projects sourced to external design contractors.

Support the development, implementation and continuous improvement of cross-departmental electrical design, build and programming standards in collaboration with Mechanical, Controls and Build departments

Support the validation of new tools, technologies and design approaches to ensure alignment with safety, quality and organizational standards

Assist Sales Department with quote support applications, delegating as required

Investigate and document department Non-Conformances

Review department software requirements. Make recommendations to purchase as required.

Occasional travel globally as required

Project/Job Operation and Resource Management

Maintain project resource scheduling document, allowing for accurate resource utilization to management and sales teams

Support the development of project task registers and design planning initiatives

Assist is Project Risk Assessments (PRA’s) identifying risks and creating actionable risk mitigation strategies

Meet scope, budget and schedule of active jobs

Promote and ensure the SQPD (Safety, Quality, Performance and Delivery) of all projects

Provide updates to the progress of projects through Weekly Production Meetings (WPM), provide corrective actions as required

Evaluate the effectiveness of skills, processes, and technology; drive and implement Continuous Improvement and update Department policies and procedures as required

Ensure adherence to ISO policies and procedures, evaluating and updating work instructions, process flows and department best practices within the department SharePoint site. Ensuring documentation supports customer and regulatory audits

Implement strategies for meeting or exceeding department quality objectives with team leaders

Leadership and People Management

Conduct annual and semi-annual review of direct reports with manager as required. Prepare and discuss reviews with Manager prior to conducting

Budget and allocate annual increases for the electrical design team

Evaluate team members skills and quality of work, though consistent 1 on 1;s and monthly departmental meetings

Interview prospective new hires and make hiring recommendations to Manager in conjunction with human resources

In collaboration with team members, establish personalized and departmental training plans to aid in the onboarding of new hires and contractors and improve the technical capabilities of the electrical design team

Develop technical depth and future leadership capability within the electrical design team through mentorship, delegation, and structured skill development

Conduct or delegate training and orientation for new team members

Support conflict resolution among direct reports and project teams

Administer discipline as required to direct reports in conjunction with Manager and Human Resources

Review and approve online timecards for accuracy weekly

Approve and monitor vacation requests of direct reports

Communicate appointed delegate for Group Leader for vacation coverage

Relationship Management

Work in conjunction with all managers and Group Leaders to improve and build rapport between internal departments to facilitate the development of high performing project teams

Develop relationships with prospective customers and suppliers while maintaining a positive relationship with existing customers and suppliers

Leverage suppliers’ industry and product knowledge to provide functional benefits or cost reductions to active projects

What you’ll need:

Proficient in EPLAN, AutoCAD , Edrawings

MS Office Software (Word, Excel, Powerpoint)

Good understanding of pneumatics and fluid power engineering

Working knowledge and understanding of the following Canadian & International Safety Codes

ESA/CEC Electrical Codes

CSA Z462_Workplace Electrical Safety

CSA Z432_Safeguarding of Machinery, including conducting Safety Risk Assessments

CSA Z434_Robot Safety

Minimum Degree or Diploma in Electrical Engineering or Equivalent Specialized Experience

Minimum 5+ Years’ Experience within the Automation or Automotive Manufacturing Field

Preference given to candidate holding PEO (Professional Engineers of Ontario) Designation

CMSE (Certified Machine Safety Expert) Certification is recommended

Changing job conditions may require periodical skill upgrades

Ability to travel globally as required

Job Fit:

Adaptability: Adapt workflows and priorities to meet evolving customer demands, resource limitations, and market shifts, while supporting and guiding team members through changes.

Communication: Act as a bridge between management and employees by setting clear expectations and goals.  Actively listen and address team members' feedback and concerns, facilitate regular meetings to promote collaboration and address challenges

Teamwork: Nurture a cohesive and supportive team environment through trust, respect, and collaboration, promoting skill development and cross-functional cooperation, leading by example in teamwork and recognition of accomplishments, and fostering a culture of inclusivity and shared success.

Problem Solving: Promote a culture of proactive problem-solving and innovation by empowering team members to identify and address challenges, providing guidance and resources for solution development, fostering creativity and continuous improvement, monitoring performance metrics to anticipate issues and opportunities, and facilitating collaborative problem-solving sessions for process enhancements.

Time Management: Ensure team efficiency and well-being by setting clear expectations, monitoring workload distribution, providing time management training and support, implementing process improvements, and modeling healthy work-life balance practices.

For more information, visit our website at www.innovativeautomation.com.

If you require any accommodation during our recruitment process, please let us know.

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