Director of Engineering — Multi-Site Capital Projects

Nexus Search; North Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Nexus Search in the United States is partnering with a high-growth, private equity-backed food & nutrition manufacturing business to appoint a Director of Engineering. This hands-on engineering leader will deliver capital projects across a multi-site network, driving engineering excellence.

The role emphasizes leading end-to-end capital projects, process improvements, and ROI-driven initiatives while coordinating with operations, finance, and leadership teams to prioritize and execute strategic

Qualifications

• Strong engineering foundation in mechanical, chemical, or industrial fields.
• Proven experience delivering capital projects within a manufacturing environment.
• Hands-on understanding of processing equipment and plant operations.
• Experience in food, ingredients, dairy, or adjacent processing environments preferred.
• Background in equipment-intensive manufacturing.
• Track record managing CapEx budgets, procurement, and vendor relationships.
• Comfortable in a fast-paced, evolving environment with high autonomy.
• Strong stakeholder management and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end capital projects from scoping through commissioning.
• Drive process improvements and operational efficiency across sites.
• Manage equipment selection, vendor relationships, and external contractors.
• Partner with operations, finance, and leadership to deliver ROI-driven initiatives.
• Establish and enhance project management frameworks and best practices.
• Monitor and report on project timelines, budgets, and performance metrics.
• Support site expansions, upgrades, and integration of new facilities.

Skills

Engineering leadership

Capital project delivery

Project management

Stakeholder management

Operational efficiency

Equipment/plant operations

Job description

Nexus Search in the United States is partnering with a high-growth, private equity-backed food & nutrition manufacturing business to appoint a Director of Engineering. This hands-on engineering leader will deliver capital projects across a multi-site network, driving engineering excellence.

The role emphasizes leading end-to-end capital projects, process improvements, and ROI-driven initiatives while coordinating with operations, finance, and leadership teams to prioritize and execute strategic