The Director of Engineering will lead the development and execution of Winland Foods' manufacturing engineering strategy, driving capital investment and process optimization across our network of our 11 pasta/dry dinners manufacturing facilities. This leader will guide a team of engineers and collaborate deeply with Operations, Supply Chain, Maintenance, Quality, EHS, and Finance to ensure best-in-class performance in safety, cost per pound, service, quality, and sustainability.
- Schedule: Remote with Travel up to 75%
- Work Location: Remote and must reside in one of the states where our manufacturing facilities are located. (AZ, MO, KY, TX, IL, NY, SC, WI, PA, ND)
- Benefits: Medical, Dental, Vision, 401(k) with match, STD/LTD/AD&D/Life, HSA, FSA, EAP, Hospital indemnity, Accident Insurance, Identity and Fraud Protection Plan, Legal, and Critical Illness.
- Salary, based on experience and other qualifications: $136k to $200k Annually with additional bonus potential
We are seeking a transformative leader - someone who is as passionate about coaching and developing talent as they are about technical rigor and data-driven problem solving.
Key ResponsibilitiesStrategic Leadership- Define and execute the engineering strategy aligned to business objectives.
- Advance a continuous improvement culture to improve cost per pound and productivity while enhancing quality and service.
- Drive standardization of processes and best practices across sites.
Capital Management & Innovation- Lead capital planning and execution to optimize capacity, technology upgrades, cost savings, and facility expansions.
- Develop and manage the 5-year CAPEX plan for the Pasta Plant network.
- Lead and support project development and the presentation of capital authorization documents that are complete, concise, and reflect thorough due diligence to ensure project success.
- Evaluate emerging technologies that enhance automation, sustainability, and throughput.
- Partner with procurement and vendors to manage equipment selection, installation, commissioning, and training. Drive capital supplier negotiations to optimize cost-benefits.
- Lead and support projects through ideation and stage gating, scoping, approval, final engineering/design, equipment selection and procurement, construction, and commissioning, qualification, and validation.
- Develops Business Case Screening scopes and cost estimates to give the business team a directional view of a project and the robustness of the business case.
Team & People Development- Build, mentor, and inspire a high-performing, diverse engineering team.
- Foster a culture of curiosity, collaboration, and accountability.
- Directly engage with plant teams to support capability-building and performance coaching.
Operations & Process Excellence- Lead engineering efforts related to processing, packaging, and automation to improve efficiency and reliability.
- Partner closely with Operations, Quality and Maintenance to reduce downtime and improve equipment life cycles.
- Ensure safety-employee and food safety-remains a non-negotiable priority in all engineering work.
- Provide leadership, resources, and on-site troubleshooting to support resolution of plant related technical issues.
What Great Looks Like- A proactive, visible leader who builds trust and alignment across teams.
- A strategic thinker who also loves rolling up their sleeves on the plant floor. Travel of ~50% to 65% is expected.
- Compelled by measurable results, sustainable standard work, and continuous improvement.
- Strong communicator who energizes others and champions Winland Values across functions.
QualificationsRequired- Bachelor's degree in engineering (Mechanical, Electrical, Chemical, or related).
- 10+ years of manufacturing engineering experience; with at least 5 years in a multi-site environment.
- Proven track record in capital planning and execution and project management.
- Demonstrated leadership by building and developing high-performing engineering teams.
- Strong ability to collaborate cross-functionally and influence at all organizational levels.
- Working knowledge of sanitary equipment design, Good Manufacturing Practices and Government regulations as they apply to food manufacturing operations (i.e. OSHA, EPA, FDA).
- Proficiency in MS 365, and MS Project.
Preferred- Food or consumer packaged goods (CPG) experience strongly preferred.
- Experience with AutoCAD and SAP.
- Experience with automation, industrial control systems, and IIoT technologies.
- Formal project management training or certification.
The Engineering Director will be a visible culture carrier-working shoulder to shoulder with plant teams to foster continuous improvement, empowerment, and operational excellence.
Why Join Winland Foods- High-impact leadership role with direct influence on enterprise transformation.
- Opportunity to shape engineering strategy and build a best-in-class technical organization.
- A culture committed to career development, collaboration, and innovation.
- Competitive compensation, benefits, and growth opportunities.
Play a critical role in shaping the future of Winland Foods-where your ideas, expertise, and leadership will help drive breakthrough performance.
Join us. Let's build something exceptional-together.
