Sr. Director, Engineering – Manufacturing & Facilities
Location: West Coast | Travel: Up to 50%
Compensation starting from: $210,000 + 25% Short-Term Bonus + 15% Private Equity Base Incentive
Industry: Food Manufacturing / Insulation Solutions
Summary
The Sr. Director, Engineering leads and oversees engineering operations across multiple large-scale food manufacturing facilities, managing all aspects of factory infrastructure, plant maintenance, capital projects, and engineering teams. This role plays a pivotal part in ensuring operational excellence, regulatory compliance, and strategic project execution across seven plants and one floating processing center—including major production hubs such as the Akutan salmon facility (500 employees during peak season).
The ideal candidate brings deep expertise in food manufacturing operations, ammonia refrigeration systems, and large-scale capital project management ($50M–$70M portfolio). This role requires a visionary leader capable of balancing strategic foresight with hands-on operational excellence across complex and high-volume environments.
Essential FunctionsFacility & Factory Management
- Oversee the operation, maintenance, and continuous improvement of physical buildings, processing plants, and production lines.
- Direct the development and implementation of preventive maintenance programs across all seven plants to ensure reliability and uptime.
- Maintain and optimize ammonia refrigeration systems, critical for cold storage and food manufacturing operations.
- Establish and maintain policies, SOPs, and compliance documentation for HVAC, utilities, and facility systems.
- Collaborate with regulatory agencies to maintain environmental permits and compliance standards.
- Manage waste treatment and disposal programs in line with sustainability and safety goals.
Capital Project Planning & Execution
- Identify and prioritize major capital project initiatives ranging from $50M to $70M annually.
- Conduct ROI, payback, and risk analyses to justify investments and support executive decision-making.
- Lead the development of detailed business cases and presentations for executive and board-level review.
- Oversee vendor selection, contract negotiations, and performance management for contractors and consultants.
- Manage project budgets, expenditures, and deviations, ensuring timely completion and compliance.
- Partner with the Safety Department to execute hazard analyses and establish project-specific safety requirements.
Team Leadership & Organizational Development
- Manage and mentor 6–7 direct reports, including refrigeration engineers, maintenance and mechatronics technicians, and capital project managers.
- Establish performance goals, provide coaching, and develop growth opportunities for engineering staff.
- Partner with HR to evaluate team structure, align headcount with strategic goals, and build bench strength.
- Champion continuous improvement and training programs to enhance regulatory and technical certifications.
Minimum Requirements
Required Qualifications
- 10+ years of progressive leadership in facilities engineering or plant operations within a food manufacturing environment.
- Demonstrated expertise in ammonia refrigeration, HVAC, utilities, waste management, and preventive maintenance.
- Proven success managing multi-site facilities, including large-scale plants (up to 1,000 employees).
- Strong financial acumen with experience in capital project planning, ROI, and payback analyses.
- Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Industrial Technology, or a related field (or equivalent experience).
- Excellent leadership, communication, and organizational skills.
- Ability to travel up to 50%, including to remote locations.
Preferred Qualifications
- Master’s degree in Engineering or Business Administration.
- Experience in seafood, dairy, or food manufacturing sectors.
- Familiarity with mechatronics systems, automation, and process optimization.
Compensation & Benefits
- Base Salary Starting from: $210,000
- Short-Term Bonus: 25%
- Private Equity Incentive: 15% of base salary
- Comprehensive Benefits: Medical, dental, and vision coverage; HSA/HRA options; telemedicine and wellness programs; 401(k) with match; paid time off (starting at 20 days); 10 paid holidays; paid parental leave; commuter benefits; and long-term disability.
Work Environment
- Based primarily onsite, with flexibility for remote work on Fridays.
- Up to 50% travel to multi-state plants and remote processing sites.
- Work environments include cold, wet, and high-decibel industrial settings with exposure to machinery and moving equipment.
About Raizan Solutions LLC
Raizan Solutions LLC is a Michigan-based recruiting company specializing in Engineering, IT, and Healthcare staffing. We are assisting our client in filling this position.
We do not charge any fees to our candidates.
