The Vice President – Engineering and Facilities (F&B) is a senior executive role responsible for leading the strategic development, operational performance, and regulatory compliance of all engineering and facility operations across multiple food and beverage manufacturing plants. This role ensures that the production infrastructure—including utilities, HVAC, food-grade systems, packaging, and environmental controls—meets the highest standards of safety, efficiency, sustainability, and cost-effectiveness.
The ideal candidate will bring deep knowledge of F&B processing environments, with expertise in automation, sanitation design, utilities engineering, project delivery, and multi-site leadership.
Lead the engineering strategy for facility design, production line layouts, mechanical/electrical systems, and utilities optimization.
Oversee cross-functional engineering teams, including process, packaging, maintenance, controls, and project engineers.
Ensure all systems support food safety, sanitation standards, and continuous production uptime.
Oversee critical facility systems including HVAC, refrigeration, compressed air, steam, water, wastewater, and fire/life safety.
Implement and maintain preventive and predictive maintenance programs across all plants.
Ensure redundancy and reliability of utilities supporting 24/7 food manufacturing operations.
Manage large-scale facility expansion, greenfield/brownfield development, and line modernization projects.
Lead capital planning, budgeting, contractor management, and project governance.
Ensure projects are delivered on time, within budget, and with compliance to food safety regulations.
Ensure facilities comply with all applicable food safety, environmental, and occupational regulations including:
FDA, USDA, GMP, HACCP, FSMA, and GFSI standards
OSHA, EPA, and local building/fire codes
Drive a strong safety culture and environmental stewardship across all facilities.
Implement energy conservation measures and sustainable practices to reduce carbon footprint and utility costs.
Lead waste reduction and water reuse initiatives aligned with corporate ESG goals.
Incorporate renewable energy, smart building systems, and sustainable design into new builds and retrofits.
Collaborate with Operations, Quality, Safety, Supply Chain, and R&D teams to support production excellence.
Translate business needs into engineering and facility management strategies.
Provide executive reporting on KPIs related to maintenance performance, utility usage, project status, and compliance.
Food-Safe Facility Design - Ensure all infrastructure supports sanitation, allergen control, and GMP compliance.
Utility & Energy Optimization - Improve efficiency of steam, refrigeration, compressed air, and water systems.
Maintenance & Reliability - Drive predictive and preventive maintenance programs to reduce unplanned downtime.
Capital Project Execution - Deliver high-quality facility expansions, upgrades, and production line installations.
Regulatory & Audit Readiness - Maintain full compliance with FDA, USDA, GFSI, and environmental requirements.
Sustainability & ESG - Reduce environmental impact through waste minimization, energy efficiency, and water management.
Education:
Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Industrial, or Food Engineering (Master’s or MBA preferred).
Certifications such as PMP, CEM, Six Sigma, or HACCP are advantageous.
Experience:
15+ years in engineering, maintenance, or facilities management, with at least 5–7 years in a senior leadership role within the food and beverage or CPG industry.
Proven experience managing capital projects, utilities operations, and compliance within regulated environments.
Technical Expertise:
Deep knowledge of food processing systems (thermal processing, CIP/SIP, hygienic HVAC, packaging automation).
Experience with SCADA/BMS, CMMS, and energy tracking systems.
Familiarity with continuous improvement, root cause analysis, and OEE optimization tools.
Strategic thinking and operational execution
Engineering project management and financial acumen
Strong communication and cross-functional collaboration
Deep understanding of food safety and manufacturing compliance
Leadership in change management and innovation