Director-Drafting & Design

Sterling Engineering, Inc.

Chicago, IL(remote)

JOB DETAILS
SALARY
$170,000–$200,000 Per Year
SKILLS
Best Practices, Budget Reporting, Budgeting, Business Development, Business Strategy, CAD/CAM (Computer-Aided Design/Computer-Aided Manufacturing), CADD (Computer-Aided Design and Drafting), Coaching, Communication Skills, Continuous Improvement, Customer Relations, Customer Relationship Management (CRM), Customer Satisfaction, Design Services, Engineering Consulting, Financial Management, Forecasting, Leadership, Mentoring, Operational Improvement, Operations Processes, Organizational Skills, Performance Analysis, Performance Metrics, Process Improvement, Professional Services, Profit & Loss, Project Estimates, Project Execution, Project/Program Management, Proposal Development, Quality Control, Recruiting Strategy, Revenue Forecasting, Revenue Management, Risk Management, Sales Management, Staff Requirements, Strategic Planning, Succession Planning, Team Building, Team Lead/Manager, Technical Drawing, Technical Leadership, Technical/Engineering Design, Time Management
LOCATION
Chicago, IL
POSTED
8 days ago

Title: Director (Design & Drafting)

Location: Remote

Hire Type: Direct 

Compensation: $170,000-$200,000

Must have Skill Set: Advanced knowledge of CAD platforms, CADD certification (or equivalent experience)  


Overview: We are seeking a strategic Director (Design & Drafting) to lead our functional business unit, driving operational excellence, financial performance, client growth, and team development. This leadership role is responsible for executing company strategy, establishing CAD standards and production workflows, and leading a team of Discipline Managers to ensure high-quality project delivery. The ideal candidate will possess extensive technical drafting experience paired with strong business development and financial management capabilities to expand client relationships and business opportunities.  


Job Duties:

  • Leads and develops Discipline Managers while fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.  

  • Establishes performance expectations, workflows, CAD standards, templates, and operational standards across the functional area.  

  • Aligns business objectives with company strategy and ensures consistent execution.  

  • Identifies and resolves operational challenges while promoting best practices, process improvements, and production efficiency.  

  • Grows existing client relationships and pursues new business opportunities.  

  • Supports proposal development, project scoping, estimating, and staffing strategies.  

  • Maintains high levels of client satisfaction through proactive communication and quality delivery.  

  • Manages revenue forecasts, backlog, budgets, profitability, and resource planning.  

  • Monitors and reports key performance metrics, including utilization, forecast accuracy, on-time delivery, client growth, and net multiplier.  

  • Recruits, mentors, coaches, and develops managers and technical leaders while building succession plans.  

  • Holds leaders accountable for performance, KPIs, and operational objectives.  

  • Ensures safe, consistent, and high-quality project execution while managing project risks and quality control.  

  • Oversees the implementation of systems and workflows that improve efficiency and provides technical leadership for design teams.  


Qualifications:

  • CADD certification or equivalent experience.  

  • 15+ years of drafting/design experience.  

  • Advanced knowledge of CAD platforms, standards, and production workflows.  

  • Strong leadership experience managing multiple teams and managers.  

  • Experience in business development, client relationship management, and strategic planning.  

  • Proficiency in financial management, forecasting, budgeting, and KPI reporting.  

  • Project management and operational process improvement skills.  

  • Excellent communication, decision-making, and organizational skills.  

  • Experience in engineering consulting or professional services is preferred.  

  • MBA or advanced degree is preferred.  


Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or genetic information.

About the Company

S

Sterling Engineering, Inc.

Sterling Engineering has been a trusted partner for engineering, project management, and staffing solutions for over five decades. We provide exceptional engineering/technical recruitment and engineering project services to clients nationwide:

 

  • Engineering & Technical Recruitment - With our focus on engineering, technical, and IT, Sterling has the in-depth knowledge, industry expertise, and robust employee pipeline it takes to rapidly find talent for even the most difficult to fill positions. Sterling’s extensive recruitment methodology allows us to engage the most talented employees in the marketplace. We offer exciting work and career-building opportunities for our candidates, along with expert support at every step of the process.

 

  • Engineering Project Services – Our experienced, multi-disciplined team of project managers, engineers, and designers, led by licensed Professional Engineers (PE), provide project management, engineering, design, and Commissioning, Qualification, and Validation (CQV) to manufacturing, OEM, and R&D customers. We work on complex, highly technical projects across a number of industry sectors, and our ability to scale and seamlessly integrate at multiple levels of your organization is what differentiates us.

 

Sterling offers a unique combination of engineering solutions and Best of Staffing level service to help our clients and talent achieve their goals.

COMPANY SIZE
500 to 999 employees
INDUSTRY
Staffing/Employment Agencies
FOUNDED
1969
WEBSITE
http://www.sterling-engineering.com