North America Region Principal Engineer

Griffith Foods is the caring, creative product development partner helping food companies meet the evolving needs of consumers while sustaining the planet. As a family business founded in 1919 and headquartered in Alsip, Illinois USA, Griffith Foods is known for true, collaborative innovation guided by their Purpose of "We Blend Care and Creativity to Nourish the World". The company's product capabilities range from seasonings and marinades to coating systems and sauces that are better for people and better for the planet. For more information, visit www.griffithfoods.com.

TITLE: North America Region Principal Engineer

LOCATION: Onsite in Alsip, IL OR Lithonia, GA

COMP RANGE: $115,000 - $160,000 plus bonus

Griffith Foods is hiring a North America Region Principal Engineer to manage regional investment, environmental, and maintenance programs; development of factory engineers' competencies; lead and assist standards development and application; execution of projects end to end, from concept development through project closing and operational support, utilizing Project Management Principles and Early Management Principles. In this role, you will also develop and execute the resource strategy across North America.

Although this role does not have direct reports, it does exercise functional authority over the factory and Business Unit CAPEX plans and sites' Project Managers responsible for capital projects. This may include, but is not exclusive to Maintenance Managers, Production Supervisors, Process Improvement Engineers, etc. as we all internal plant teams including, but not limited to Operations, Plant Management, Maintenance and Finance.

• Managing - planning through execution - of the overall CAPEX process and project outcomes of the plant team. This includes overall control of expenditures within the unit & specific project budgets, as well as capital cash flow forecasting and spending.
• Exercising functional authority for planning, organization, control, integration, and completion of engineering projects within the 5 facilities within the NA network.
• Exercising functional authority over personnel that work on projects, including Maintenance, Continuous Improvement, and outside contractors; this includes coordinating and negotiating project staffing requirements.
• Leading integral communication with the broader team to enable planning, troubleshooting, and execution of key initiatives. This includes the preparation and presentation of plans to project stakeholders & Steering Committee depending on the size of each capital initiative.
• Initiating process improvement proposals through Capital Projects. Manage the launch of manufacturing upgrades including establishing goals, training team members and evaluating results, as well as being responsible for project integration into the plant operation.
• Preparing and maintaining detailed layouts of buildings and equipment, in support of the development of Master Plans for the assigned sites.
• Connecting with Business Unit and Supply Chain leadership to provide capital plan updates and ensure customer needs are met.
• Supporting standards development & application, including ways of working.
• Serving as the subject matter expert for Project Management Principles and Early Management and VSU within the NA region and incorporating the concepts into each initiative. You will own the VSU roadmap for each project, as necessary.
• Mentor and train project engineers on project management principles and provide daily guidance and coaching.
• Serving as the subject matter expert for methodologies such as
  Maintenance Prevention | Design FMEA (Failure Modes and Effects Analysis) | TT&T (Technology Transfer and Training) | FAT (Factory Acceptance Testing) | SAT (Site Acceptance Testing) | CQV (Commissioning, Qualification and Verification).
• Assigning and overseeing project personnel through each specific phases of the VSU cycle of a project, documenting all aspects of project execution within the VSU framework, such as project deliverable definition, design lock (Integrated Design Brief & Scope) document elaboration, FAT, SAT and CQV checklists elaboration and execution, etc.
• Participating in special projects

• Demonstrate strong technological knowledge, execution capability and business acumen in manufacturing processes for improvements in all Supply Chain dimensions: Safety & Sustainability, Quality, Delivery, Cost, etc.
• Exhibit understanding of financial justification of projects including KPIs, ROI, DCF, etc.
• Have a proven track record of successfully managing capital projects of at least $10 million, including a strong knowledge of manufacturing equipment selection, evaluation, and installation.
• Display an in-depth understanding of food manufacturing processes, industry regulations, and safety standards.
• Are familiar with automation, PLCs, and process controls within a food manufacturing setting.
• Are comfortable collaborating with contractors, vendors, and cross-functional teams to drive project success.
• Demonstrate excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Chemical Engineering, Mechatronic Engineering or a related field.
• At least 10 years of experience in capital project engineering within a food manufacturing or process industry environment.
• Proficiency in electrical and mechanical system design, scope development, and execution.
• Demonstrated understanding of Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, and Continuous Improvement methodologies and principles
• Proficiency in project management tools, such as MS Project, AutoCAD, or similar.
• PMP (Project Management Professional) certification or equivalent experience
• Ability & willingness to travel 50% within the NA region.
• Willingness to work onsite in 5 days per week in either Lithonia, GA or Alsip, IL when not traveling.
• Candidates must currently possess unrestricted authorization to work in the United States. Work visa sponsorship is not available for this role.

• PE certification, or license
• Green or Orange belt certification in Lean Six Sigma
• An MBA or other business degree or certification