Plant Engineering Manager

Overview

Plant Engineering Manager - Food & Beverage Manufacturing (Capital Projects, Reliability, CI)

• Lead and develop the plant engineering team to drive process improvements, cost reduction, and expanded manufacturing capabilities
• Drive cross-functional change through execution of capital projects, equipment upgrades, and continuous improvement initiatives
• Oversee evaluation and integration of new technologies supporting NPD, capacity expansion, efficiency, and operating cost reduction
• Manage end-to-end capital project execution, including scope development, technical reviews, schedules, budgets, forecasts, and documentation
• Partner with equipment suppliers and OEMs to negotiate pricing, evaluate emerging technologies, and ensure optimal technical solutions
• Partner with Operations, Quality, and Food Safety to ensure engineering solutions support GMP, FDA, and USDA compliance
• Coach and develop engineering talent using performance management and accountability systems aligned to plant and company objectives
• Promote a continuous improvement culture focused on reducing COGS, improving OEE, and increasing asset reliability
• Collaborate with Corporate Engineering and Manufacturing to develop and manage capital budgets, long range plans, and forecasts
• Facilitate and govern capital project approval processes across multiple facilities

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering or equivalent experience in food or CPG manufacturing
• 7+ years of progressive leadership in plant engineering, maintenance, or reliability within a regulated manufacturing environment
• Proven experience leading capital projects (Cap Ex), equipment installations, line upgrades, and facility infrastructure initiatives
• Strong background in Lean Manufacturing, TPM, Six Sigma, Kaizen, and preventive/predictive maintenance programs
• Demonstrated ability to improve OEE, asset reliability, uptime, and maintenance cost performance
• Effective leader with experience coaching and developing engineering and maintenance teams in a 24/7 operation
• Skilled in change management, cross-functional collaboration, and data driven decision making
• Strong communication skills with the ability to influence Operations, Quality, Food Safety, EHS, and Leadership teams
• Experience using CMMS and ERP systems (SAP preferred)
• Hands on mechanical and electrical troubleshooting expertise with strong rootcause problem solving skills