Multi-Region Director of Engineering

Griffith Foods is a global manufacturer of food products.  We provide a wide range of taste and texture components for food industry customers throughout the world.  Our products include seasoning blends, dry mixes, coating systems, dough blends, crumbs, flavors, sauces and food bases that are used in an extensive variety of application from snack foods and processed meat and poultry to ready meals. Our customers include food processors, restaurant operators and grocery retailers.  While our name may not be familiar to consumers, our products are key components of foods offered by many of the world’s best-known companies.

Location: Hybrid (Paris France, Madrid Spain, Antwerp Belgium, or Brussels Belgium)

Summary: The Regional Director of Engineering will be responsible for providing strategic leadership and direction to our engineering teams in their Region. This key leadership role will drive the development and implementation of engineering strategies, standards, and best practices to support the company's growth objectives and ensure the delivery of high-quality, innovative products and solutions.

Key Responsibilities:

• Develop and execute a Regional Engineering strategy aligned with the Global Engineering strategy and company's overall business objectives, market trends, and customer needs.
• Harmonize regional investment strategies and technical platforms to enable business objectives and speed to market.
• Lead and mentor a diverse team of engineering professionals across multiple regions, fostering a culture of collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement.
• Establish and maintain engineering standards, processes, and methodologies to ensure consistency, efficiency, and excellence in engineering practices across all locations.
• Drive innovation and technological advancements by staying abreast of industry trends, emerging technologies, and competitive landscape, and integrating them into the company's engineering initiatives.
• Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams, including product development, research and development, operations, supply chain and sales, to drive product innovation, optimize processes, and deliver superior customer solutions.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to integrate environmental considerations into product design, manufacturing processes, and supply chain operations.
• Drive continuous improvement in environmental performance through data-driven analysis, monitoring, and reporting of key metrics.
• Establishes and monitors capital investment request policy/guidelines and process for approvals, effectiveness, and adherence.
• Drives Lean/TPM methodologies and supports implementation of related pillars into the Engineering organization (e.g., EM pillar).

• Partner with senior leadership to define and prioritize engineering projects, resource allocation, and investment decisions to achieve business objectives and maximize ROI.
• Champion a culture of safety, quality, and compliance within the engineering organization, ensuring adherence to relevant regulations, standards, and best practices.
• Develop and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) and metrics to assess the performance and effectiveness of engineering initiatives and drive continuous improvement efforts accordingly.
• Cultivate strong relationships with key stakeholders, including customers, suppliers, partners, and industry organizations, to drive collaboration, innovation, and strategic partnerships.
• Represent the company at industry conferences, events, and forums to promote thought leadership, build brand awareness, and drive business growth opportunities.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering or related field required. Master's degree or MBA preferred.
• Minimum of 15 years of progressive leadership experience in engineering roles, with at least 5 years in a global or regional leadership position.
• Proven track record of successfully leading and managing engineering teams in a multi - market, matrixed organization, preferably within the food manufacturing or related consumer products industry.
• Strong technical expertise in food manufacturing, with a deep understanding of engineering and operations principles, methodologies, and best practices.
• Strategic thinker with a demonstrated ability to develop and execute complex engineering strategies, drive innovation, and deliver results in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.
• Experience in Lean\TPM methodologies and practices.
• Fluent in English is a requirement.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to inspire and influence cross-functional teams and stakeholders at all levels of the organization across different geographical locations.
• Strong business acumen and financial literacy, with the ability to understand and articulate the financial implications of engineering decisions and investments.
• Proven ability to build and nurture high-performance teams, foster a culture of diversity and inclusion, and develop talent for future leadership roles.
• Experience working in a regulated industry and familiarity with relevant regulatory requirements and compliance standards preferred.
• Proven track record of leading successful investment programs, projects, and initiatives, with a strong focus on reducing cost of goods sold and enabling growth.
• Experience in merger and acquisitions.
• Willingness to travel 50% domestically and internationally as needed.

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