Lead Project Engineer

About the Role

The Lead Project Engineer is responsible for leading high-impact, enterprise-wide engineering and strategic initiatives that support the organization's long-term business objectives. This role combines advanced engineering expertise with project management office (PMO) leadership to successfully execute complex, cross-functional projects involving manufacturing, operations, supply chain, finance, quality, IT, procurement, and commercial teams. Unlike a traditional plant project engineer, this position focuses on network optimization, manufacturing strategy, capital planning, operational transformation, and corporate initiatives that improve capacity, reliability, productivity, sustainability, and overall business performance across multiple facilities.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Lead engineering initiatives supporting manufacturing network optimization and footprint strategy.
• Evaluate production capacity, asset utilization, and operational capabilities across manufacturing facilities.
• Develop engineering solutions that optimize throughput, improve productivity, and reduce operating costs.
• Support acquisition integrations, facility expansions, consolidations, and strategic growth initiatives.
• Develop business cases for major capital investments and strategic projects.
• Manage multiple high-value capital and strategic projects from concept through implementation.
• Lead cross-functional project teams consisting of Engineering, Operations, Supply Chain, Finance, Procurement, IT, Quality, Food Safety, and external partners.
• Develop project scopes, budgets, schedules, risk assessments, and resource plans.
• Ensure projects are delivered safely, on schedule, within budget, and achieve expected business outcomes.
• Identify project risks and develop mitigation strategies.
• Establish and maintain project management standards, governance, and best practices.
• Drive Stage Gate processes for capital project approval.
• Monitor project portfolios, budgets, schedules, and resource allocation.
• Develop executive dashboards and project status reports.
• Ensure compliance with corporate engineering standards and project controls.
• Facilitate project prioritization and portfolio reviews.
• Provide technical leadership for complex engineering projects across multiple manufacturing facilities.
• Support development of Basis of Design documentation and engineering standards.
• Review engineering calculations, specifications, equipment selections, and vendor proposals.
• Coordinate engineering consultants, OEMs, contractors, and equipment suppliers.
• Standardize engineering practices across the manufacturing network.
• Support development of annual and multi-year capital plans.
• Evaluate investment opportunities using financial and operational analysis.
• Develop CERs (Capital Expenditure Requests) and executive presentations.
• Track capital spending, forecasts, and project performance.
• Partner with Finance to ensure proper project governance and financial reporting.
• Identify opportunities to improve engineering processes and project execution.
• Drive standardization of engineering documentation, specifications, and project delivery.
• Support Lean Manufacturing, TPM, Reliability, and Operational Excellence initiatives.
• Benchmark industry best practices and emerging technologies.
• Prepare executive presentations for Senior Leadership, Executive Leadership Team (ELT), and Board-level reviews.
• Communicate project status, risks, financial impacts, and strategic recommendations.
• Present engineering solutions in a clear business-focused manner.
• Build alignment among diverse stakeholders across the organization.

Education and Experience

• BS in Mechanical, Electrical, Chemical or Industrial Engineering or equivalent experience.
• Minimum 10 years of engineering experience in manufacturing or industrial operations.
• Minimum 7 years leading complex capital projects exceeding $1M.
• Experience managing multiple enterprise-level projects simultaneously.
• Demonstrated success working in matrix organizations across multiple business functions.
• Experience supporting manufacturing network optimization or strategic operations initiatives.
• Experience developing executive business cases and capital investment proposals.
• Food manufacturing, consumer packaged goods (CPG), or pharmaceutical experience.

Skills and Abilities

• Strong project management capability with the ability to balance safety, quality, cost, schedule, scope, and business results.
• Working knowledge of capital planning, purchasing processes, cost estimating, vendor management, construction coordination, and equipment installation.
• Ability to develop design basis documents, RFQs, option analyses, project deliverables, manufacturing readiness tools, and start-up plans.
• Understanding of manufacturing equipment, utilities, process systems, automation, controls, and productivity improvement methods.
• Strong interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills, including the ability to influence, align, and hold stakeholders accountable without direct authority.
• Creative, innovative, detail-oriented, and able to improve or streamline work processes.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and MS Project.
• Basic drawing skills in AutoCAD with ability to conceptualize minor changes as necessary into current facility layouts.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a matrixed, multi-site environment supporting several Plant Engineers across North America.

Working Conditions

• Work is performed in both office and food manufacturing environments.
• Hours may vary according to project needs; extended hours, off-shift support, and weekend work may be required during installations, shutdowns, commissioning, and start-ups.
• Manufacturing environments may include exposure to food ingredients and finished goods such as flour, starch, meat, poultry, seafood, dairy, and other allergens or food products.
• Role may require work in refrigerated, frozen, wet, humid, dusty, or noisy environments and around mechanical, electrical, chemical, and construction-related hazards.
• Must follow site safety, sanitation, personal protective equipment, and food safety requirements while in production facilities.

Travel

Approximately 25% travel to manufacturing facilities, corporate offices, vendors and project sites across North America.

Pay

The salary range for this role is $113,080.00 – $212,238.00. Actual compensation may vary based on job-related knowledge, skills, and experience, as well as geographic location.

Benefits

• Health and disability insurance
• Retirement savings options
• Flexible spending accounts
• Employee assistance programs
• Educational assistance
• Parental leave
• Paid time off
• Company-paid holidays