Director Engineering

Posted 17 days ago

makers prideDowners Grove (IL)

Architectural and Engineering Managers Engineering Services

SENIORITY

Manager

SALARY

$141,436 - $180,000/year

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About the role

Job Summary: The Engineering Director leads the execution of capital projects across manufacturing and packaging facilities, ensuring delivery against scope, timing, cost, and performance expectations. This role is accountable for driving engineering excellence while ensuring full compliance with Environmental Health & Safety (EH&S) and Food Safety & Quality Assurance (FSQA) standards, maintaining zero regulatory violations. The role also supports enterprise asset reliability programs, partnering with site leadership to elevate equipment performance and move facilities toward world-class reliability practices. The Engineering Director builds organizational capability, ensures standardization of the engineering processes, and drives continuous improvement across systems, people, and technology.

Travel: 40%-60% annually

This is a remote home based role, but individual will reside local to the McComb, OH, Chicagoland area or Grand Rapids, MI. No relocation is available for this opportunity.

Key Responsibilities:

Capital Project Leadership & Execution
Lead development and execution of site-level capital plans and budgets
Ensure all capital projects are delivered on time, within scope, and meet financial and operational targets
Partner with Finance to develop robust business cases, including ROI, IRR, and payback analysis
Establish and execute audit processes to validate project outcomes and realized savings
Provide weekly and monthly reporting on project performance, financials, and key metrics
Travel to project sites on a regular basis to ensure adherence to budget, schedule and deliverables
Engineering Program Leadership
Drive consistent implementation of engineering programs, standards, and best practices across assigned sites
Develop and deploy engineering policies and procedures aligned with enterprise strategy
Evaluate and implement new and emerging technologies in partnership with the central engineering team to enhance operational performance
Ensure alignment with Supply Chain, Operations, Quality, Food Safety, and Maintenance stakeholders
Reliability & Asset Management
Support and advance enterprise reliability strategy to improve asset availability, performance, and lifecycle management
Identify and close gaps in equipment capability and reliability across production lines
Collaborate with the maintenance excellence team and the maintenance teams to improve preventative, predictive, and TPM strategies
Support asset tracking, transfers, utilization, and disposition across the network
Lead root cause analysis and continuous improvement initiatives following equipment or system failures
Contribute to enterprise risk management plans related to operational and reliability risks
People Leadership & Organizational Development
Lead, coach, and develop Project Managers, Engineers, and Maintenance Leaders regarding project execution and technical practices
Build organizational capability through performance management, succession planning, and ongoing development
Promote a high-performance, collaborative culture focused on accountability and continuous improvement
Mentor teams on project management best practices and engineering standards
Cross-Functional Collaboration & Governance
Partner with Supply Chain Leadership and plant teams to ensure seamless execution of engineering initiatives
Collaborate with EH&S and FSQA to ensure full regulatory compliance
Influence stakeholders across functions and geographies to drive alignment and execution
Travel regularly to sites to ensure adherence to project timelines, budgets, and standards

Qualifications

Education: Bachelor's degree in Engineering (Industrial, Mechanical, Chemical, or related field) or equivalent technical experience

Experience: 10+ years of progressive engineering experience, including leadership in food manufacturing or cGMP environments Proven experience leading capital projects ($10MM–$35MM range preferred) Demonstrated success in engineering, maintenance, and reliability program leadership Experience managing cross-functional teams and driving results through influence Background in vendor management, contract negotiation, and procurement processes

Technical Skills:

Capital planning and execution
Sustainable Cost Reduction Projects
Asset reliability and maintenance strategies (PM, PdM, TPM)
Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma methodologies
Failure Modes Effects & Criticality Analysis (FMECA)
Engineering design, process optimization, and industrial engineering techniquesERP/MRP systems (SAP)CMMS systems (MVP one or similar)
Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, PowerPoint, Project, Visio)

AutoCAD

Skills: Strong leadership, coaching, and organizational development capabilities

Excellent communication and executive-level presentation skills Ability to influence across multiple levels and functions in a matrixed environment Advanced problem-solving and analytical skills, including root cause analysis Strong project management and prioritization capabilities Financial acumen including capital planning, forecasting, and cost control Negotiation and contract management expertise The pay range for this full-time, salaried position is $141,436 - $180,000/year. Individual base pay depends on work location and additional factors such as experience, job-related skills, and relevant education or training. The position is eligible for a discretionary annual incentive based on company and individual performance. We offer a comprehensive benefits package including health, dental, 401k and wellness benefits beginning on the first day of employment. This information is provided per the relevant state and local pay transparency laws for the location in which this position will be performed. Base pay information is based on market location. Sponsorship for work authorization is not available for this position. It is the candidate's responsibility to ensure they are legally authorized to work in the location to which they apply.#LI-MA1 #LI-RemoteJobFamilyDirectorPayTypeSalaryTravelRequiredtrueTravelPercentage40Telecommute Percentage100

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