Director of Engineering

Director of Engineering Food Manufacturing Location: Chicago, IL Salary: $160,000 - $190,000 + 30% Bonus Some engineering roles are about keeping the lights on. This one is about shaping the future of a growing food manufacturing network. A multi-site, high-growth food business is preparing for its next phase. With continued investment across facilities and an internal promotion creating succession at leadership level, they are now looking for a Director of Engineering who can step in and own the roadmap. You will lead capital strategy across multiple US plants, developing and executing both annual and multi-year CAPEX plans. That means identifying where investment creates real value, building the business case, managing governance, and ensuring projects are delivered safely, on schedule, and within budget. From concept through commissioning, you will set the standard for execution discipline. But this is not just about projects. You will provide functional leadership to Maintenance Managers across the network, strengthening preventative maintenance programmes, driving reliability KPIs, and standardising best practice. The sites are performing well, but growth demands more consistency, more structure, and stronger technical alignment. The culture is entrepreneurial rather than corporate. Decisions move quickly. Expectations are high. You will need to be comfortable influencing plant leaders, partnering with operations and quality teams, and presenting concise updates to senior executives. You must be as credible walking the floor during a shutdown as you are reviewing ROI assumptions in a leadership meeting. Food manufacturing experience is essential. Hygienic design, regulatory awareness, and the realities of working in a regulated process environment cannot be learned on the fly here. You will bring at least ten years of progressive engineering and capital leadership experience, along with a strong grasp of maintenance fundamentals and automation concepts. Multi-site exposure will help. So will experience in high-growth or evolving environments rather than purely mature, highly standardised corporates. This role is based in the Chicagoland area with regular travel to other US facilities. There is urgency behind the search to allow proper handover and continuity as the business continues to expand. If you are looking for a role where you can influence strategy, elevate engineering standards, and play a visible part in the next chapter of growth, let’s have a confidential conversation.