Plant Engineering Manager
Reporting to the Plant Manager, the Plant Engineering Manager is responsible for developing and executing the facility's technical and engineering strategies. This includes oversight of capital projects, maintenance programs, reliability initiatives, and continuous improvement efforts. The role ensures efficient, low-loss production system deployment, leads technical problem-solving, and manages the plant's engineering and maintenance functions. The manager also develops long- and short-term technical plans aligned with plant performance objectives and partners with corporate engineering on capital planning and execution. This position plays a key role in supporting and/or leading the site's Early Management (EM) Pillar.
Key Responsibilities
Safety & Compliance
- Champion safety as the plant's highest priority, ensuring safe working conditions for all team members.
- Participate in internal systems audits and support site-wide compliance initiatives.
Capital & Engineering Leadership
- Lead cross-functional planning and execution of the annual capital plan, collaborating closely with key functions including Safety, Quality, Sanitation, Environmental, Operations, Maintenance, and Finance.
- Partner with corporate/platform engineering leadership to resource projects, including project managers, SMEs, and startup leaders.
- Provide technical guidance and support for facility-wide initiatives and divisional engineering needs.
Maintenance & Reliability Management
- Direct engineering and maintenance strategies that support plant performance targets.
- Manage utilities operations and ensure compliance across systems such as refrigeration, ammonia, nitrogen, steam, natural gas, and compressed air.
- Provide leadership for maintenance teams, offering work direction and coordination of mechanical and clerical activities.
Continuous Improvement & EM Pillar
- Lead the EM Pillar team in building strategic and tactical improvement plans.
- Participate in and lead cross-functional project teams aimed at enhancing safety, quality, equipment utilization, sanitation, labor efficiency, cost performance, and customer service.
- Facilitate effective communication across departments to optimize resource allocation and improve operational efficiency.
- Lead regular plant team meetings and drive a collaborative environment across Maintenance, Quality, Production, and Warehouse teams.
Budget & Resource Management
- Develop and manage all plant technical expense budgets.
- Partner with corporate engineering to execute the capital budget and maintain alignment with corporate processes.
Requirements
- Bachelor's degree in Engineering.
- 5+ years of experience in a food manufacturing environment.
- Strong leadership skills with the ability to mentor and influence cross-functional teams.
- Ability to work rotating shifts, weekends, and holidays as needed.
- Experience presenting and collaborating across all organizational levels.
- Proficiency with AutoCAD, SolidWorks, or comparable design software.
- Experience with SAP or similar ERP systems.
Benefits
Health: Comprehensive medical plans, wellness programs, mental health resources, fitness reimbursement
Wealth: Competitive pay, bonus eligibility, 401(k) matching, employee stock purchase program
Growth: Career development programs, employee resource groups, on-demand learning, tuition reimbursement
Balance: Paid time off, parental leave, flexible work schedules (where applicable), volunteer opportunities
About the Employer
This organization is a leading food manufacturer with a strong focus on innovation, sustainability, and inclusive culture. With a large workforce across numerous locations, employees are encouraged to develop their careers, contribute meaningfully to the business, and help improve products and processes that impact consumers and communities. The company is committed to equal employment opportunity and provides reasonable accommodations upon request.
FAQs
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