Senior Director of Engineering (Protein)

Position Summary

We are seeking an experienced Senior Director of Engineering to lead the engineering function across a large, multi-site meat processing business in the United States. This executive leadership role will be responsible for developing and executing the engineering strategy to improve operational performance, asset reliability, manufacturing efficiency and long-term business growth.

The successful candidate will lead engineering teams across multiple manufacturing facilities, ensuring safe, reliable and efficient operations while driving continuous improvement, technical innovation and engineering best practices. They will also oversee the planning and delivery of capital investment projects that support the company's strategic objectives.

This is a highly visible leadership position requiring a collaborative leader who can partner closely with Operations, Supply Chain, Food Safety, Finance and Executive Leadership to deliver world-class manufacturing performance.

Key Responsibilities

Engineering Leadership

• Develop and execute the company's engineering strategy across multiple manufacturing facilities.
• Lead, mentor and develop a high-performing engineering organisation.
• Establish engineering standards, governance and best practices across all sites.
• Drive a culture of continuous improvement, accountability and technical excellence.
• Build engineering capability and succession plans across the organisation.

Manufacturing Engineering

• Improve plant reliability, equipment performance and manufacturing efficiency.
• Support operational excellence through effective maintenance and reliability strategies.
• Lead initiatives focused on automation, process optimisation and asset performance.
• Partner with Operations to improve throughput, yield and Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE).
• Standardise engineering processes and maintenance practices across the network.

Capital Projects

• Lead the planning and execution of capital investment projects across manufacturing facilities.
• Manage engineering support for facility expansions, equipment upgrades, automation initiatives and infrastructure improvements.
• Ensure projects are delivered safely, efficiently and in line with business objectives.
• Work closely with internal stakeholders and external engineering partners throughout project delivery.

Safety, Quality & Compliance

• Champion a strong safety culture across engineering and project teams.
• Ensure compliance with OSHA, USDA and all relevant regulatory requirements.
• Support food safety and quality initiatives through robust engineering standards and facility design.

Financial & Strategic Leadership

• Develop and manage engineering operating and capital budgets.
• Identify opportunities to improve asset utilisation and reduce operating costs.
• Support long-term manufacturing and network planning initiatives.
• Evaluate new technologies and engineering solutions that enhance operational performance.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Chemical or Industrial Engineering.
• Master's degree or MBA preferred.
• 15+ years of engineering leadership experience within food manufacturing or another large-scale manufacturing environment.
• Experience leading engineering teams across multiple manufacturing sites.
• Demonstrated success in developing engineering organisations and improving manufacturing performance.
• Experience managing capital investment projects, including large-scale facility or equipment upgrades.
• Strong understanding of maintenance, reliability, automation and manufacturing engineering principles.

Preferred Experience

Experience within one or more of the following industries:

• Meat processing
• Poultry
• Food manufacturing
• Dairy
• Beverage
• Consumer packaged goods
• Other complex process manufacturing environments

Key Competencies

• Strategic leadership
• Engineering and technical expertise
• Operational excellence
• Asset reliability
• Continuous improvement
• Cross-functional collaboration
• Change management
• Financial and commercial awareness
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills

Success Measures

The successful candidate will:

• Build a high-performing engineering organisation.
• Improve manufacturing reliability and operational performance.
• Deliver engineering initiatives that support business growth.
• Successfully execute strategic capital investment projects.
• Drive improvements in safety, efficiency and engineering standards across the manufacturing network.