Engineering Manager - AHU Manufacturing

About the Company

Daikin Middle East & Africa is part of Daikin Industries Ltd. and is a major name in heating, cooling, ventilation, air purification, and refrigeration solutions. The business develops, builds, and commercializes a wide range of equipment and customized solutions for homes, businesses, and industrial applications across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. The EMEA organization has more than 12,000 employees spread across 59+ consolidated subsidiaries and operates 12 large manufacturing sites in Belgium, the Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, Spain, Turkey, Austria, and the UK. Its mission is to deliver sustainable and effective solutions for future generations, powered by its people.

Role Overview

The Manufacturing Engineering Manager for Air Handling Unit (AHU) production will be based in Sudair Industrial City on the outskirts of Riyadh. The position is responsible for directing all engineering-related work for AHU manufacturing, including order engineering, manufacturing engineering, product support, and new product introduction. The role focuses on producing accurate engineering outputs, optimized Bills of Materials, standardized product designs, and manufacturable solutions that support Daikin’s targets for quality, cost, and delivery.

This role serves as the main technical connection point between Sales, Application Engineering, Production, Procurement, Quality, and Supply Chain teams to help deliver customer requirements efficiently while continuously improving product performance, manufacturing effectiveness, and engineering capability.

Key Responsibilities

You will contribute to Daikin Saudi’s manufacturing excellence by improving engineering accuracy, supporting product innovation, increasing manufacturability, lowering costs, and strengthening operational efficiency across AHU production.

• Check customer orders from Sales and Application teams to confirm technical accuracy, compliance, and feasibility for manufacturing.
• Own the creation and verification of precise, cost-effective Bills of Materials for production use.
• Make sure engineering deliverables match factory standards, production capabilities, lead-time needs, and quality requirements.
• Build strong review and validation steps to reduce mistakes, non-conformance reports, and production rework.
• Promote standardization of parts, assemblies, and engineering methods across all AHU product families.
• Drive product development work that aligns with market needs, localization goals, and Daikin global standards.
• Oversee industrialization and factory rollout of new AHU products and product improvements.
• Coordinate cross-functional launch activities with Production, Procurement, Quality, Supply Chain, and Sales.
• Lead value engineering efforts to enhance performance, manufacturability, reliability, and cost competitiveness.
• Support product certification efforts and compliance with regional and international HVAC standards.
• Provide technical direction and support to Sales and Application teams for AHU selection, optimization, and technical compliance.
• Ensure proposed solutions are technically correct, commercially competitive, and aligned with customer and project needs.
• Assist in resolving technical questions during pre-order, execution, and post-order phases.
• Join customer meetings and technical discussions when needed.
• Work with Production teams to ensure custom AHU designs are practical, factory-ready, and optimized for execution.
• Improve engineering processes to shorten lead times, raise productivity, and increase operational efficiency.
• Set engineering best practices, design controls, and document management routines.
• Lead component standardization, modular design, and inventory optimization initiatives.
• Strengthen the handoff between engineering and production to support lean manufacturing goals.
• Maintain accurate technical records, engineering standards, datasheets, and product specifications.
• Manage revision control and engineering change processes across products and components.
• Track product lifecycle performance and implement ongoing product improvements.
• Ensure compliance with company policies, HVAC regulations, safety rules, and quality management systems.
• Work with Procurement and Supply Chain to identify, evaluate, and develop suppliers and alternate parts.
• Support localization and cost-reduction programs through supplier optimization and material substitution.
• Improve BOM cost efficiency while protecting quality, reliability, and compliance.
• Back inventory reduction efforts through standardization and efficient material use.
• Lead, coach, and develop the engineering team to improve technical strength, accountability, and performance.
• Define KPIs, growth plans, and performance expectations for engineering staff.
• Encourage innovation, continuous improvement, teamwork, and operational excellence.
• Plan manpower, balance workloads, and support succession development within the engineering group.

Requirements

• A bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering or another related engineering discipline is required.
• At least 10 years of HVAC manufacturing experience, including strong exposure to AHU systems and factory engineering work.
• Hands-on background in manufacturing engineering, product development, order engineering, and new product introduction in HVAC environments.
• Solid understanding of AHU design, HVAC systems, psychrometrics, manufacturing methods, and global HVAC standards.
• Working knowledge of ERP systems, BOM control, AutoCAD, and engineering document management tools.
• Strong grasp of manufacturing processes such as sheet metal work, coil systems, insulation, assembly, and AHU testing.
• Experience with value engineering, localization, and cost-optimization initiatives.
• Proven ability to lead teams and coordinate effectively across functions.
• Strong analytical thinking, problem-solving ability, and sound judgment.
• Good communication skills and the ability to manage stakeholders effectively.
• Familiarity with ISO quality systems, product certification requirements, and factory compliance standards is preferred.

About the Workplace

Daikin describes its culture as one built on trust, creativity, and continuous improvement, with employees at the center of the organization. The company emphasizes a supportive environment, opportunities for learning and growth, and a diverse, inclusive workplace that reflects the communities it serves.