VP, Global Project Engineering

Job Summary

FORTNA partners with the world’s leading brands to transform omnichannel and parcel distribution operations through intelligent software, automation, and material handling solutions. The Vice President, Global Project Engineering is responsible for defining and leading the global engineering strategy for project delivery, overseeing Mechanical, Electrical, and Controls engineering functions across a distributed organization of approximately 300 employees.

Responsibilities

• Define and lead the global project engineering strategy, ensuring alignment with enterprise priorities, customer requirements, and project delivery.
• Lead and scale a global, multi-disciplinary engineering organization (~400 employees) across Mechanical, Electrical, and Controls engineering.
• Build, develop, and scale high-performing engineering teams, driving a culture of collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Own engineering execution, delivery, and technical direction in close partnership with Project Delivery and commercial leadership.
• Establish engineering best practices, operating models, and governance frameworks across global project engineering teams.
• Drive consistency and excellence in engineering standards, design quality, and execution across regions and projects.
• Partner cross-functionally with Product, Operations, Supply Chain, and Field teams to accelerate delivery and business outcomes.
• Balance near-term project delivery with long-term organizational capability, capacity planning, and technical sustainability.
• Own engineering resource planning, including workforce strategy, skill mix, and global capacity optimization.
• Drive accountability, operating rhythms, and execution discipline across the engineering organization.
• Translate technical strategies into clear business value for executive stakeholders.
• Develop and execute multi-year engineering capability and investment roadmaps aligned to growth and innovation priorities.
• Develop leadership talent and succession plans across the global engineering organization.
• Provide architectural and technical oversight while empowering regional and functional engineering leaders.
• Partner with executive leadership on strategy, investment decisions, and long-term delivery capabilities.
• Represent engineering leadership internally and externally with customers, partners, and stakeholders.

Required Knowledge, Skills, Abilities

• Executive-level leadership experience in engineering organizations preferred.
• Proven ability to build, lead, and scale large, complex engineering organizations in global environments.
• Demonstrated success leading distributed and remote teams at scale.
• Strong stakeholder management and ability to influence senior executives and cross-functional leaders.
• Proven success managing large engineering budgets, resource plans, and delivery teams.
• Able to balance strategic leadership with operational and technical oversight.
• Strong experience establishing engineering governance, standards, and execution models.
• Able to translate complex engineering topics into business outcomes and customer value.
• Experience driving organizational change, scaling, and transformation.
• Strong communication and leadership presence with customers, partners, and internal stakeholders.

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Electrical, Controls, or related discipline); advanced degree preferred.
• 15+ years of progressive engineering leadership experience, including executive-level roles.
• Experience leading large-scale, global engineering teams (200+ employees strongly preferred).
• Experience in material handling, automation, supply chain, or distribution/fulfillment environments strongly preferred.
• Proven experience supporting complex project delivery organizations.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to perform essential job functions in a global, hybrid work environment.
• Ability to travel internationally as required.

Travel Requirements

• Frequent global travel required (25–40%) to support regional teams, customers, and project sites.