Automation Engineering Manager

Nike Air Manufacturing & Innovation is transforming manufacturing through automation, robotics, connected systems, and Industry 4.0 capabilities. This role reports to the Director, Manufacturing Engineering Automation Global and provides direct leadership to Automation Engineers and Senior Automation Engineers supporting Air MI. You will partner closely with Lead Automation Engineers, Operations, Process Engineering, Maintenance, Quality, EHS, IT, and external technology providers to develop organizational capability and successfully deploy automation solutions., We are seeking an Automation Engineering Manager who is passionate about building teams, developing technical talent, and creating the organizational capability required to support Air MI’s long-term smart manufacturing vision.

This role is responsible for leading the engineering execution organization that transitions automation concepts into operational reality. This role focuses on building and leading the engineering team responsible for deployment, validation, commissioning, go-live, and operationalization of automation solutions.

The ideal candidate is a strong people leader who enjoys coaching engineers, developing talent, improving execution discipline, and building scalable engineering processes. They are equally comfortable navigating technical discussions and organizational challenges while creating an environment where engineers can thrive and grow their careers.

This individual will partner closely with the Lead Automation Engineer at AM93 to help mature Air MI’s smart manufacturing roadmap, automation investment pipeline, and deployment capability., As the Automation Engineering Manager, you will build and lead the engineering capability required to deploy and sustain automation solutions across Air MI. You will focus on talent development, resource planning, engineering execution, and organizational readiness while helping transform AM93 into Nike’s benchmark smart manufacturing facility.

You will:

• Lead, coach, and develop a team of Automation Engineers and Senior Automation Engineers supporting Air MI initiatives.
• Build the long-term engineering talent pipeline through recruiting, onboarding, mentoring, and career development.
• Partner with the Lead Automation Engineer at AM93 to convert automation strategies, roadmaps, and investment opportunities into executable deployment plans.
• Drive project execution discipline, engineering standards, and deployment best practices across the automation portfolio.
• Support resource planning, workload management, and project prioritization to ensure successful delivery.
• Establish skill redundancy and succession plans across critical automation technologies and manufacturing processes.
• Foster a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, collaboration, safety, and innovation.

We offer a number of accommodations to complete our interview process including screen readers, sign language interpreters, accessible and single location for in-person interviews, closed captioning, and other reasonable modifications as needed. If you discover, as you navigate our application process, that you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, please complete the Candidate Accommodation Request Form.

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical or Electrical Engineering or related field. Will accept any suitable combination of education, experience or training.
• Minimum 5 years of experience in automation, controls, robotics, manufacturing systems, or engineering leadership.
• Previous experience leading engineers, technical teams, or project organizations.
• Demonstrated success developing technical talent and building high-performing teams.
• Experience supporting automation deployments in manufacturing environments.
• Strong communication, stakeholder management, and organizational leadership abilities.
• Experience balancing multiple priorities across project execution, resource planning, and team development., Automation, Automation Engineering, Benchmarking, Best Practices, Candidate Pipeline, Career Development, Coaching, Commissioning, Communication Skills, Continuous Improvement, Electrical Engineering, Engineering Management, Establish Priorities, Language Interpreter, Leadership, Manufacturing, Manufacturing Automation, Manufacturing Engineering, Manufacturing Management, Manufacturing Systems, Manufacturing/Industrial Processes, Mechanical Engineering, Mentoring, Multitasking, Onboarding, Operations Processes, Organizational Development/Management, Organizational Skills, Process Engineering, Project Execution, Robotics, Scalable System Development, Sign Language, Succession Planning, Talent Management, Team Building, Team Lead/Manager, Technical Recruiting