The client is seeking a strategic Vice President, Engineering & Manufacturing Operations to lead engineering strategy and technical execution for manufacturing systems. Reporting to the COO, this role will drive operational excellence, innovation, and growth by overseeing process engineering, capital projects, automation strategy, equipment optimization, and manufacturing performance improvement across the client’s production facilities.
Key responsibilities include leading the design, optimization, and continuous improvement of manufacturing processes, production lines, and facility infrastructure, and directing capital engineering projects such as automation, equipment upgrades, plant expansion, and process redesign. The Vice President will oversee manufacturing engineering, maintenance engineering, and technical services; evaluate and implement advanced manufacturing technologies to enhance throughput, quality, and cost efficiency; ensure manufacturing systems meet regulatory, food safety, and quality standards; and lead reliability engineering efforts to improve equipment uptime and performance.
The role will translate engineered capacity into operational performance targets, collaborate with planning and supply chain to align production capability with demand forecasts, and support quality systems through engineering controls, validation, and process verification. The Vice President will develop and manage capital investment plans and engineering and manufacturing budgets, and participate as a member of the Executive Leadership Team to provide engineering and technical expertise for corporate strategy, capital planning, and operational performance objectives. The ideal candidate will have senior-level experience in food or confectionery manufacturing, a demonstrated record of improving operational performance and delivering measurable cost, quality, and efficiency gains, strong leadership and collaboration skills, a results-oriented mindset, and qualifications such as an engineering degree and senior leadership experience in manufacturing operations; professional engineering licensure or eligibility is strongly preferred.