Program Director - Technical Writing and NPI Commercialization

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Make your mark at the world’s largest HVAC company 

Daikin Applied is seeking a Technical Writing Director who is a strategic, cross functional leader responsible for shaping how Daikin brings HVAC solutions to market. This role oversees a team of technical writers and illustrators who produce installation and maintenance manuals, 3D graphics and animations, and other technical documentation that meets the highest standards of clarity, compliance, and customer usability. Beyond documentation leadership, this role serves as the central orchestrator of the commercialization workstream for new product introductions (NPI). Acting as the lead facilitator between Marketing, Training, Engineering, Product Management, Technical Writing, Parts, the Technical Response Center, and the Product Selection Software team, the Program Director ensures that every team receives the right inputs, at the right time, to deliver a fully ready, coordinated product launch. This is a high visibility role that drives consistency, readiness, and excellence across the entire product lifecycle. Come be a part of an exciting journey at Daikin Applied, where innovation and excellence drive our every endeavor!

Location: Remote, NY

What you will do: 

• Provide strategic leadership for Technical Writing and Illustration functions, setting vision, priorities, and long‑term direction aligned to business and product strategies
• Establish and enforce documentation governance, quality standards, and best practices to ensure clarity, accuracy, regulatory compliance, and a consistent customer experience
• Oversee end‑to‑end delivery of all customer‑facing documentation, including installation manuals, service guides, wiring diagrams, quick start guides, and control system documentation
• Partner with Engineering, Product Management, and Marketing by translating complex technical concepts into clear, user‑focused content that drives customer success
• Own the NPI commercialization workstream, providing strong program leadership to ensure cross‑functional readiness and flawless execution for all product launches
• Serve as the central point of accountability and escalation for commercialization activities across Technical Writing, Training, Parts, Technical Response, Marketing, Software, and Product teams
• Drive alignment and decision‑making across cross‑functional stakeholders, ensuring timely delivery of all customer‑facing assets in support of launch commitments
• Standardize and mature NPI and documentation processes to improve predictability, efficiency, and launch excellence at enterprise scale
• Champion continuous improvement initiatives that enhance documentation quality, cycle time, scalability, and team effectiveness
• Advocate for and lead adoption of systems, tools, and platforms that improve workflow automation, version control, content reuse, and team productivity
• Define, monitor, and communicate KPIs related to documentation quality, cycle times, NPI readiness, and cross‑functional performance to senior leadership
• Lead a high‑performing team of technical writers, editors, and illustrators, fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement

What’s in it for you:  

• The ability to make an impact and shape your career with a company that is passionate about growth
• The support of an organization that believes it is vital to include and engage diverse people, perspectives, and ideas to achieve our best

Minimum Qualifications: 

• Bachelor's degree or Equivalent Experience in liberal arts, journalism, communications or marketing
• 12 years of experience in technical documentation, product commercialization, or program management
• 8 + years of people leadership experience
• Proven experience managing creative or technical writing teams
• Strong understanding of product development and NPI lifecycle processes
• Exceptional program management and cross‑functional leadership skills
• Ability to translate highly technical information into clear, user‑centric communications
• Strong organizational and communication skills with the ability to influence at all levels
• Knowledge of commercial HVAC equipment technologies or related B2B equipment markets
• Exceptional communication and presentation abilities
• Ability to manage multiple projects in a fast-paced environment and meet deadlines
• Collaborative mindset with the ability to build relationships across teams and external partners
• Work visa sponsorship is not available for this position

Preferred Qualifications:

• Masters Degree
• 15+ years; incl 10+ years people leadership experience in the HVAC, data center industry or related technology sectors

Benefits:

• Daikin Applied offers the following benefits for this position, subject to applicable eligibility requirements: 
• Multiple medical insurance plan options + dental and vision insurance  
• 401K retirement plan with employer contributions matching 100% of the first 3% of employee contributions and 50% on the next 2% of employee contributions
• Company provided life insurance + optional employee paid voluntary life insurance, dependent life coverage and voluntary accident coverage
• Short term and long-term disability
• 3 weeks of paid time off for new employees + 11 company paid holidays
• Vacation accrues on a monthly basis, unless applicable federal, state and local law requires a faster accrual
• Paid sick time in accordance of the federal, state and local law
• Paid parental leave and tuition reimbursement after 6 months of continuous service

The typical annual base salary for this position ranges from $126,100k - $221,900k and a bonus potential up to 25%. The range displayed represents the pay range for all positions in the job grade which this position falls. Individual base pay will depend on a wide range of factors including your skills, qualifications, experience, and location.