VP Research & Development Engineering EMEA

Eaton’s Electrical Sector in EMEA is seeking a VP Research & Development Engineering EMEA, as the single point of accountability for R&D strategy, portfolio prioritisation, and capability building.What you’ll do:The Vice President ES Research & Development Engineering EMEA is the leader accountable for Research & Development Engineering (RDE) in Eaton’s Electrical Sector in the region. They are the single point of accountability for R&D strategy, portfolio prioritisation, and capability building – shaping products, platforms, architectures, and engineering capability across multiple Electrical Sector businesses.Eaton spent $794m on research & development activities in 2024, with a goal to invest $3bn in sustainable R&D by 2030. This role leads an organization of 700+ engineers and technology professionals in direct or functional reporting. It is one of the most influential technical leadership roles in Eaton’s Electrical Sector, and business critical due to the complexity of scope, strategic impact, and enterprise visibility.Position OverviewTo lead, shape, and deliver the future of Electrical Sector research and development innovation in EMEA by combining excellence in innovation, operations, and leadership. Our strategy for growth is increasing technical, digital and regulatory complexity, with multiple, distinct businesses relying on shared RDE capability and architecture.The role is accountable for:Defining and executing a clear, trusted R&D strategy and portfolio logicBuilding enduring R&D capability, with technology and platform coherence across divisions, and high confidence on R&D executionGoverning portfolio choices and driving trade-off discipline in R&D investmentsDeveloping a strong and visible depth of leadership benchRepresenting Eaton credibly with executive, customer, and ecosystem stakeholdersThe Vice President holds overall accountability for ES RDE‐owned scope within the EMEA Engineering Innovation Center (EEIC) in Prague, encompassing RDE delivery, capability development, cost, and long‐term footprint decisions. The role is accountable for how EEIC Prague contributes to Electrical Sector innovation and future product development, as a multi‐tenant, enterprise‐integrated engineering hub.Core Accountabilities:Strategic Leadership & Innovation ExcellenceOwn future product creation, including New Product Introduction (NPI), Technology platforms and system architectures, and digital, AI‐enabled, and sustainability‐driven solutionsTranslate customer, regulatory, market, and technology signals into clear prioritiesDrive cross‐divisional innovation alignment, ensuring scale and reuse where value is createdEnsure clear product ownership via disciplined interfaces with Enterprise CoEs and ERLCustomer Focus & Business AcumenAnchor RDE priorities to business outcomes, portfolio economics, and customer valueAct as a trusted partner to Divisional Presidents and Engineering LeadersLead portfolio‐level trade‐offs balancing speed, risk, investment, and technical ambitionContinuous Improvement & Execution ExcellenceOwn RDE execution health across EMEA: quality, delivery predictability, cost discipline, and scalabilityEnsure strong engineering governance, reviews, and escalation mechanismsDrive adoption of Lean, DFSS, and agile practices to improve speed and outcomesPartner with Engineering Functional Excellence to continuously strengthen execution systemsOperational Leadership & Global ExecutionLead a geographically distributed RDE organization across EMEA, with direct and indirect reports, including:Business‐aligned RDE teams (PMCC, Life Safety, Energy Solutions & Services / Energy Transition, MVPD, Software)Central EMEA capabilities (Innovation, Technology & Platforms; Embedded Systems Engineering; Shared Services Engineering)ES RDE‐owned scope within EEIC (Prague)Own the engineering footprint, sourcing strategy, and scalability, including collaboration with EIIC (India)Maintain clear governance with Enterprise CoEs, ERL, and Industrial Sector engineering organizationsTalent, Culture & Organizational StrengthOwn talent, succession, and capability strategy across EMEAEnsure critical and pathway roles are intentionally filled and rigorously developedActively sponsor senior technical leaders and future engineering executivesApply Eaton frameworks (Engineering Leader Success Profile, Development Matrix, Intentional Career Pathing) to build durable leadership pipelinesLead multi‐cultural, multi‐generational, matrixed teams with empathy and clarityPromote psychological safety, inclusion, and ethical leadership in line with Eaton values and Ethics frameworkBuild trust and influence across direct, indirect, and enterprise reporting relationshipsExternal Stakeholder EngagementSelective external leadership on behalf of Eaton Engineering, representing the Electrical Sector with key customers, partners, and industry or enterprise forums where senior technical influence is required to support strategy, portfolio direction, or regulatory alignment.Qualifications:Master’s degree in Engineering, or related engineering field, is desiredMinimum of 15 years related engineering experience (Advanced degree may be substituted for some experience)Minimum of 7 years direct management experienceSenior engineering executive with true R&D / technology ownership and a track record of leading large, multidisciplinary product or platform organisationsDeep core engineering domain expertise (electrical, mechanical, software, or systems)Proven experience leading and landing large‐scale, multidisciplinary product programs (concept to launch)Demonstrated portfolio‐level leadership across multiple product lines or businesses. Comfortable making investment and prioritisation decisions to drive outcomes and urgencyExposure to digital, software‐intensive, or AI‐enabled engineeringExperience operating in functions beyond engineering (e.g., manufacturing, supply chain, commercial, strategy)Background in regulated or safety‐critical industriesProven effectiveness in matrixed, enterprise‐governed environmentsTrack record of building and scaling agile, high‐performing, globally distributed R&D organizationsAll positions may require participation in video and in-person interviews as part of the hiring process. All candidates will be evaluated based on job-related competencies, and all candidates’ privacy rights and data security will be protected in accordance with applicable laws.We are committed to ensuring equal employment opportunities for job applicants and employees. Our recruitment processes use balanced selection criteria and avoid unlawful discrimination against applicants on the basis of their age, colour, disability, marital status, national origin, gender, gender identity, genetic information, race or racial origin, religion, sexual orientation or any other status protected or required by law.#LI-TH1 #J-18808-Ljbffr