Director Engineering

As the Director of Engineering and Maintenance for our organization's Coating and Protein Plants, you will play a pivotal role in overseeing the strategic direction, operational efficiency, and maintenance excellence across a diverse portfolio of facilities.

Leading continuous improvement projects, you will be responsible for ensuring the optimal functioning of our plants, managing substantial capital expenditure, and upholding stringent quality and safety standards.

This role is critical in driving the success of our operations, directly contributing to our substantial revenue generation of approximately $600 million annually.

Key responsibilities

• Collaborate with senior management to align engineering and maintenance strategies with overall business objectives.
• Oversee the day-to-day operations of five coating plants and two protein plants, ensuring compliance with regulatory standards, quality control measures, and safety protocols.
• Drive efficiency improvements and cost-saving initiatives to maximize plant performance and profitability.
• Foster a culture of innovation, teamwork, and accountability among plant personnel.
• Develop and communicate a clear vision and mission for the Coatings division, aligning with corporate goals and values.
• Develop and manage annual capital expenditure budgets totaling $15 million, prioritizing investments to support plant upgrades, expansions, and technological advancements.
• Set and track performance metrics to ensure manufacturing, quality, safety, and productivity goals are met.
• Allocate resources effectively to support engineering and maintenance teams across all plants. Oversee annual maintenance spends of $6 million, coordinating preventive and corrective maintenance activities to minimize downtime and ensure uninterrupted production schedules.
• Foster strong relationships with internal stakeholders, including production, quality assurance, supply chain, and finance departments, to ensure alignment and collaboration across functions.
• Optimize resource utilization to maximize productivity and minimize downtime.
• Establish and enforce engineering standards and best practices, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements and industry standards.
• Promote knowledge sharing and collaboration among Engineering, Maintenance, and Utility Management across End Use Markets teams.
• Ensure EUM Capital projects are tracked, systematized and on-time in full.
• Manage EUM department costs within budgetary guidelines. Initiate cost savings measures across the plants where appropriate.
• Responsible for working with Asset life cycle management. Manage the 5-year North Star planning on rolling 12-month basis.
• As dotted line leader to Plant Engineering, provide leadership in implementing / maintaining preventive and predictive maintenance programs.
• Drive analysis to identify and resolve recurring downtime / inefficient operational issues to drive asset reliability and OEE.
• Provide technical support for efficient troubleshooting / problem solving activities and maintenance repair to maximize efficiencies and limit downtime.
• Assist plants to schedule mandatory inspections and coordinate certifications and appropriate authorities. Ensure environmental compliance.
• Ensure all plant maintenance operations are conducted in a safe and controlled environment.

Qualifications and skills

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering or related field; advanced degree preferred.
• Extensive experience (10+ years) in engineering and maintenance leadership roles within the manufacturing industry, preferably in food processing or related sectors.
• Proven track record of successfully managing multiple plants and large-scale capital projects, with a focus on operational efficiency, cost control, and quality improvement
• Excellent leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to inspire and influence others to achieve strategic objectives.
• In-depth knowledge of regulatory requirements, safety standards, and industry best practices.
• Analytical mindset with the ability to leverage data and metrics to drive informed decision-making and continuous improvement initiatives.
• TPM and or Lean initiative's experiences
• Availability to travel 50% of time
• Preferred location Midwest USA or Southeast USA.

About Kerry

Kerry is the world's leading taste and nutrition company for the food, beverage and pharmaceutical industries. Every day we partner with customers to create healthier, tastier and more sustainable products that are consumed by billions of people across the world.

Our vision is to be our customers' most valued partner, creating a world of sustainable nutrition. A career with Kerry offers you an opportunity to shape the future of food while providing you opportunities to explore and grow in a truly global environment.

Compensation Data

The typical hiring range for this role is $137,041 to $212,886 annually and is based on several factors including but not limited to education, work experience, certifications, location, etc.

In addition to your pay, Kerry offers benefits such as a comprehensive benefits package, incentive and recognition programs, equity stock purchase and retirement contribution (all benefits and incentives are subject to eligibility requirements.