Director, Engineering Global Cocoa

Barry Callebaut; Wieze; On-site; EUR 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Barry Callebaut is seeking a Director Engineering Global Cocoa to lead the Cocoa Engineering Center of Expertise and oversee engineering project execution across Europe and Africa. You will define cocoa processing standards, set technical scope for major capital projects and ensure safe, on-time delivery within budget while upholding sustainability and asset performance.

Collaborating with Operations, Digitalization, Sourcing and Finance, you will drive continuous improvement and engage senior

Qualifications

• Master's degree or equivalent in Chemical, Mechanical, or Electrical Engineering.
• 10+ years in engineering, food processing or related industries.
• Experience leading engineering functions and large-scale capital projects in a multinational environment.
• Strong knowledge of manufacturing processes and cocoa/chocolate processing equipment.
• Experience with process automation, sourcing and OEM partnerships.
• Financial acumen with budgets, business cases and investment planning.
• Ability to lead through influence with Directors and Executives.
• Strong communication, negotiation, change management and team development skills.
• Advanced English; French is a plus.
• Travel approximately 30-50% globally within a matrix organization.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Cocoa Engineering Center of Expertise and define process and asset standards.
• Drive cocoa engineering projects in pre-investment and through execution.
• Manage and develop a team of project engineers and technical experts globally.
• Lead footprint studies, masterplans and basic process design for cocoa sites.
• Align user requirements, specifications and design reviews for capital projects.
• Ensure projects are delivered safely, on time, within budget and compliant.
• Provide leadership for cross-site project execution across Europe and Africa.
• Oversee CAPEX from concept to commissioning across multiple disciplines.
• Collaborate with Technical Sourcing to procure equipment and services.
• Coordinate governance, budgeting and cash flow with stakeholders.
• Promote continuous improvement and adherence to standards and best practices.

Skills

Engineering leadership

Capital projects

Cocoa processing

Process automation

Stakeholder management

Budgeting & finance

Global travel

Education

Master's degree in Chemical, Mechanical, or Electrical Engineering or related

Job description

At Barry Callebaut, we are on a journey to transform the cocoa and chocolate industry. As the world’s leading manufacturer of high-quality chocolate and cocoa products, our actions truly shape the future of our industry. We are a business-to-business company, serving the entire food sector, from the cocoa bean to the finest chocolate product. We are a company with a purpose, we believe in doing well by doing good and reinvesting in the communities we operate. We have a long-standing commitment to sustainability and our goal is to shape a sustainable cocoa and chocolate future.We are headquartered in Zurich, and have more than 12,000 passionate Employees working in more than 40 countries worldwide.We are very proud of who we are and what we do. And of course, we are always looking for talented people to help us have a positive impact on our industry and beyond!

About the Role

The Director Engineering Global Cocoa, leads the Cocoa Engineering Center of Expertise and oversees engineering project execution across Europe and Africa. This role is responsible for defining and deploying cocoa processing standards, shaping the technical scope of major capital projects, and ensuring successful delivery of a significant project portfolio. Working closely with Operations, Engineering, Digitalization, Sourcing, Quality, SHE and Finance leaders, the role drives operational excellence, safety, sustainability and long-term asset performance across Barry Callebaut's cocoa manufacturing network.

Key Responsibilities Include

• Lead the global Cocoa Engineering Center of Expertise and define process standards, asset standards and technical specifications for cocoa manufacturing equipment and processes.
• Drive cocoa engineering projects during the pre-investment phase and provide technical support throughout project execution and implementation.
• Manage and develop a team of project engineers and technical experts while ensuring effective resource planning across global engineering teams.
• Lead engineering footprint studies, masterplan development and basic process design activities for cocoa manufacturing sites.
• Establish and align user requirements, technical specifications and design reviews for cocoa capital investment projects.
• Ensure all projects are delivered safely, on time, within budget and in accordance with Barry Callebaut engineering, quality and SHE standards.
• Provide functional leadership for project execution activities across cocoa sites in Europe and Africa.
• Oversee CAPEX investments from concept through commissioning, coordinating multidisciplinary engineering activities including process, mechanical, automation, civil, energy and digital disciplines.
• Partner with Technical Sourcing to develop strategic supplier relationships and ensure effective procurement of equipment and services.
• Collaborate with Operations, Finance and Engineering stakeholders to manage project governance, reporting, budgeting and cash flow.
• Promote continuous improvement, knowledge sharing and adherence to engineering standards, regulations and best practices across the organization.

About You

• Master's degree in Chemical, Mechanical, Electrical Engineering or a related discipline, or equivalent experience.
• 10+ years of experience in engineering, food processing, consumer packaged goods or related process industries.
• Proven experience leading engineering functions, technical departments and large-scale capital projects in a multinational environment.
• Strong knowledge of manufacturing processes, factory flows, cocoa and/or chocolate processing equipment, and industrial infrastructure.
• Experience with process automation, technical sourcing and managing OEM partnerships.
• Solid financial acumen with experience developing business cases, feasibility studies, budgets and investment plans.
• Demonstrated ability to lead through influence and effectively engage senior stakeholders, including Directors and Executive Leadership.
• Strong communication, negotiation, change management and team development skills.
• Advanced English is required; French is considered an advantage.
• Willingness to travel approximately 30-50% globally and operate effectively within a matrix organization

At Barry Callebaut, we are committed to Diversity & Inclusion. United by our strong values, we thrive on the diversity of who we are, where we come from, what we’ve experienced and how we think. We are committed to nurturing an inclusive environment where people can truly be themselves, grow to their full potential and feel they belong.#oneBC - Diverse People, Sustainable Growth.