Chief Engineer – EMEA Telehandlers

About JLG, an Oshkosh company

JLG began in 1969, when our founder, John L. Grove set out to resolve growing safety concerns in the construction industry. Since then we have been committed to understanding the challenges and delivering innovative solutions to the access market. We partner with customers to provide quality equipment, training opportunities and trusted support within the access industry. We are a global company, and our products—including mobile elevating work platforms, telehandlers, utility vehicles and accessories—can be found all over the world.

JLG is expanding its Telehandler capability within the EMEA region, and we are seeking an experienced and visionary engineering leader to help shape the future of our Agriculture and Construction Telehandler product portfolio.

This is a senior leadership opportunity for an established Chief Engineer / Head of Engineering–level professional with deep off-highway vehicle experience and a proven track record of delivering complex mobile equipment products from concept through production.

The successful candidate will take full technical ownership of the EMEA Telehandler product strategy, acting as the senior engineering authority for regional requirements, product development direction, and long-term competitiveness. This individual will play a critical role in building and developing a high-performing European engineering organisation while influencing global platform decisions to ensure JLG products meet the evolving needs of EMEA customers and markets.

We are looking for a strong technical leader with experience in telehandlers and/or closely related off-highway equipment sectors such as construction, agriculture, material handling, heavy vehicles, or industrial machinery. The role requires an individual capable of operating strategically while remaining technically credible and commercially aware.

This position will partner closely with global engineering teams, product management, operations, manufacturing, and commercial leadership to define and execute a product roadmap capable of competing directly with established market leaders.

Key Areas of Responsibility

• Lead all EMEA Telehandler engineering activities across Agriculture and Construction segments
• Define and own EMEA product technical requirements and long-term product strategy
• Build and develop a strong regional engineering capability and team structure
• Influence global engineering platforms and product decisions
• Lead New Product Introduction (NPI) activities from concept through production and field support
• Drive product competitiveness in performance, quality, reliability, cost, and customer satisfaction
• Ensure compliance with EMEA regulatory, safety, and homologation requirements
• Support future technology direction including electrification, advanced hydraulics, digital integration, and alternative powertrains

Required Characteristics

We are looking for a leader who is:

• Technically Credible

Able to operate confidently at both strategic and detailed engineering levels, with the ability to challenge, guide, and influence technical direction.

• Product & Customer Focused

Understands customer applications, market expectations, and competitive positioning, and can translate these into successful products.

• Strategic Thinker

Capable of defining long-term product and technology roadmaps that position JLG competitively within the EMEA telehandler market.

• Builder of Teams

Experienced in developing engineering organisations, mentoring talent, and creating a high-performance engineering culture.

• Influential & Collaborative

Comfortable operating within global matrix organisations and capable of influencing cross-functional stakeholders without direct authority.

• Delivery Oriented

Focused on execution, accountability, and delivering products that meet quality, timing, cost, and performance expectations.

• Commercially Aware

Understands the balance between engineering excellence, manufacturability, cost targets, and business objectives.

Job Description

Chief Engineer – EMEA Telehandlers

Role Purpose

The Chief Engineer – EMEA Telehandlers is responsible for the technical leadership, strategic direction, and successful execution of the EMEA Agriculture and Construction Telehandler product portfolio.

This role serves as the senior engineering authority within the region and acts as the critical interface between EMEA business requirements and global engineering organisations. The position will ensure that regional customer needs, market expectations, regulatory requirements, and application demands are translated into competitive product solutions.

The role will also be instrumental in establishing and developing a high-performing European Telehandler engineering organisation capable of supporting long-term product growth and market leadership ambitions.

Key Responsibilities

Technical & Product Leadership

• Provide end-to-end technical ownership for EMEA Telehandler products
• Define product architecture, technical requirements, and performance targets aligned to customer and market needs
• Lead engineering decision-making across structures, hydraulics, powertrain, operator environment, controls, and emerging technologies
• Ensure robust product validation and technical risk management throughout development
• Drive product competitiveness against key industry competitors

Product Strategy & Market Competitiveness

• Develop and maintain the EMEA Telehandler product roadmap and technology strategy
• Identify future customer trends, application requirements, and competitive gaps
• Partner with Product Management and Commercial teams to align engineering priorities with market opportunities
• Support platform and feature strategies that improve market share and profitability

Global Engineering Integration

• Act as the primary engineering interface between EMEA and global product development teams
• Translate regional requirements into actionable engineering specifications
• Influence global platform decisions to ensure EMEA needs are represented effectively
• Drive alignment between regional business priorities and global engineering execution

New Product Introduction (NPI)

• Lead engineering activities through all stages of NPI:
  • Concept development
  • Architecture definition
  • Prototype build
  • Validation & testing
  • Industrialisation
  • Production launch
  • Field support
• Ensure products are delivered on time, within budget, and to required quality standards

Team & Capability Development

• Build, lead, and develop the EMEA Telehandler engineering organisation
• Mentor and develop engineering talent and technical capability
• Establish strong engineering processes, governance, and accountability
• Foster a high-performance engineering culture aligned with Oshkosh values

Regulatory & Compliance

• Ensure products meet all applicable EMEA regulatory, homologation, safety, and environmental requirements
• Support certification and compliance activities across multiple markets

Required Experience & Qualifications

Essential

• Significant senior engineering leadership experience within off-highway mobile equipment
• Proven experience delivering complex vehicle or machinery platforms from concept through production
• Strong technical background across vehicle systems such as:
  • Structures
  • Hydraulics
  • Powertrain
  • Electrical/electronic systems
  • Vehicle integration
• Experience leading New Product Introduction programs
• Demonstrated experience building and developing engineering teams
• Strong stakeholder management and cross-functional leadership capability
• Experience working within global or matrix engineering organisations
• Commercial awareness including cost management, sourcing, and product competitiveness
• Degree qualified in Mechanical, Automotive, Agricultural, or related Engineering discipline

Preferred

• Telehandler experience strongly preferred
• Agriculture and/or construction equipment experience
• Experience with electrification or alternative powertrain technologies
• Chartered Engineer status or equivalent professional accreditation
• Multi-region product development experience including EMEA regulatory compliance