Vice President, CP Hardware

Fortune Brands Innovations, Inc. is an industry-leading innovation company focused on creating smarter, safer and more beautiful homes and improving lives. Our driving purpose is that we elevate every life by transforming spaces into havens. We believe our work and our brands can have incredibly positive impacts for not just our business and shareholders, but for people and the planet, too. When you join Fortune Brands, you become part of a high-performing team who are empowered to think big, learn fast and make bold decisions. We support an inclusive and diverse culture where everyone is encouraged and empowered to be their authentic selves, and where our differences and unique perspectives are a key strength. Explore life at Fortune Brands here

Role will sit in either: Deerfield, IL or San Francisco, CA. 

We are seeking an experienced and visionary Vice President of Hardware Engineering to lead our global hardware development teams focused on creating innovative connected products across our premier brands: Yale, August, Master Lock, and Moen. This includes smart locks, smart safes, smart water shutoffs, and smart showers. Reporting directly to the Chief Technology Officer (CTO), this strategic leadership position will drive the development of cutting-edge IoT hardware solutions for both consumer (B2C) and business (B2B) markets that deliver exceptional user experiences while maintaining the highest standards of security, reliability, and performance.

Our products leverage both industry-standard communication protocols (Z-Wave, Zigbee, Matter) as well as proprietary protocols over Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) and WiFi to ensure optimal connectivity, security, and user experience across our ecosystem.

As a key member of the technology leadership team, you will collaborate closely with peer leaders across Software Engineering, Planning and Delivery, and Architecture to ensure cohesive product development across the organization.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead a diverse global team of 90 hardware engineering professionals across international locations including Deerfield, Illinois; San Francisco, California; Seoul, South Korea; and the United Kingdom
• Oversee and coordinate with engineering teams in the UK and Seoul, South Korea while being based in either Deerfield, Illinois or San Francisco, California
• Drive cutting-edge innovation in hardware design for connected smart home products serving both consumer (B2C) and business (B2B) markets
• Guide hardware architecture decisions for wireless communications using both industry standards (Z-Wave, Zigbee, Matter) and proprietary protocols over BLE and WiFi
• Lead and direct engineering teams to achieve optimal radio frequency (RF) performance in product designs, balancing constraints related to materials, form factors, and environmental conditions
• Partner closely with the Industrial Design team to ensure hardware designs achieve both aesthetic excellence and technical performance
• Ensure security and reliability in hardware designs that implement these diverse communication technologies
• Focus on design quality and excellence while ensuring products are designed to value with optimal cost/feature trade-offs
• Maintain strong say/do ratios across hardware engineering teams, fostering a culture of accountability and reliable execution
• Collaborate as a member of the CTO's leadership team with peers heading Software Engineering, Planning & Delivery, and Architecture
• Collaborate with Category Management and Product Management to develop and execute the hardware technology roadmap aligned with business strategy and market demands
• Partner closely with Program Management on capacity planning and technical forecasting
• Cultivate collaboration across multicultural teams, leveraging diverse perspectives to enhance product design
• Oversee all aspects of electrical, electronic, and mechanical engineering development for our connected product portfolio
• Establish engineering best practices, processes, and methodologies to ensure efficient development cycles
• Bridge cultural and geographic differences to create unified, high-performing global teams
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure integrated product development
• Lead technical risk assessment and mitigation strategies throughout the product development lifecycle
• Ensure hardware designs meet varying requirements across consumer and commercial applications
• Foster a culture of innovation, continuous improvement, and engineering excellence
• Stay current with emerging technologies, industry trends, and competitive landscape in IoT and smart home sectors

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related technical field; Master's or advanced degree preferred
• 15+ years of progressive hardware engineering experience, with at least 8+ years in leadership roles
• Demonstrated track record of innovative hardware design with multiple successful product launches
• Experience developing hardware solutions for both consumer (B2C) and commercial/enterprise (B2B) applications
• Deep expertise in IoT hardware architecture, electrical engineering, mechanical design, and manufacturing processes
• Strong technical knowledge of radio frequency (RF) principles to effectively lead and guide engineering teams in optimizing wireless performance
• Ability to make critical architectural decisions regarding RF design and wireless performance in challenging product environments
• Knowledge of lock security standards (ANSI/BHMA, UL, EN) and environmental rating systems (IP, NEMA) for outdoor devices
• Strong knowledge of wireless communication protocols including Z-Wave, Zigbee, Matter, Bluetooth Low Energy, and WiFi
• Experience developing products using both industry-standard and proprietary communication protocols
• Strong ability to optimize hardware design for value, making appropriate cost/feature trade-offs
• History of leading teams with high accountability and reliable follow-through on commitments
• Proven success managing multicultural teams across different regions with diverse work styles and perspectives
• Experience collaborating with Product Management and Category Management on technology roadmaps
• Track record of successful collaboration with Industrial Design teams to balance aesthetics and technical requirements
• Experience managing remote engineering teams across multiple international locations
• Strong experience leading and unifying global engineering teams across multiple time zones
• Executive-level communication skills with ability to collaborate effectively with C-suite and cross-functional leaders
• Strong partnership skills and ability to work collaboratively with program management on capacity planning
• Exceptional cross-cultural communication skills and ability to build collaborative environments across diverse teams
• Knowledge of regulatory compliance requirements for consumer electronics (FCC, CE, UL, etc.)
• Experience with design for manufacturing (DFM), supply chain management, and mass production
• Excellent strategic thinking and visionary leadership capabilities
• Willingness and ability to travel internationally as needed, including regular trips to Seoul, South Korea and the UK

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in smart home, security, or consumer IoT product development
• Background in building hardware products with stringent security requirements
• Knowledge of power management and battery optimization for connected devices
• Experience leading teams responsible for RF testing, certification, and regulatory compliance (FCC, ETSI)
• Ability to evaluate and make strategic decisions regarding antenna design and RF architecture in challenging product environments
• Experience overseeing wireless performance optimization in products with metal enclosures and challenging material environments
• Experience with waterproof/water-resistant product design (for Moen smart shower and water shutoff products)
• Familiarity with mechanical locking mechanisms and electronic access control systems (for Yale, August, and Master Lock products)
• Experience designing products that meet ANSI/BHMA grading requirements for residential and commercial locks
• Expertise with outdoor-rated product development including IP65/IP67 certification processes

Additional Information:

Fortune Brands believes in fair and equitable pay. A reasonable estimate of the base salary range for this role is Hiring Pay Range: $204,00 -$336,600 USD. Please note that actual salaries may vary within the range, or be above or below the range, based on factors including, but not limited to, education, training, experience, professional achievement, business need, and location. In addition to base salary, employees will participate in either an annual bonus plan based on company and individual performance, or a role-based sales incentive plan.

At Fortune Brands, we support the overall health and wellness of our associates by offering comprehensive, competitive benefits that prioritize all aspects of wellbeing and provide flexibility for our teammates’ unique needs. This includes robust health plans, a market-leading 401(k) program with a company contribution, product discounts, flexible time off benefits (including half-day summer Fridays per policy), inclusive fertility / adoption benefits, and more. We offer numerous Employee Resource Groups to support inclusivity and our associates’ feeling of belonging at work.

Fortune Brands is a brand, innovation and channel leader focused on exciting, supercharged categories in the home products, security and commercial building markets. Our portfolio of brands includes Moen, House of Rohl, Aqualisa, SpringWell, Therma-Tru, Larson, Fiberon, Master Lock, SentrySafe and Yale residential.

Fortune Brands is headquartered in Deerfield, Illinois and trades on the NYSE as FBIN

Equal Employment Opportunity:

FBIN is an equal employment opportunity employer and does not discriminate against any applicant based on race, color, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, marital status, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, genetic history or information, or any other legally protected characteristic.

Reasonable Accommodations:

FBIN is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or interview process, please contact us at [email protected] and let us know the nature of your request along with your contact information. Resumes submitted to this email address will not be responded to.

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