Director Operations Engineering

Graham Packaging; United States; On-site; USD 148,000 - 221,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision insurance

401K Employee Saving Plan

Paid time off

Job summary

Graham Packaging is seeking a Director of Operations Engineering to provide strategic and technical leadership across the plant network. You will drive operational excellence, improve reliability, safety, cost, and sustainability while directing an integrated engineering organization that supports projects and continuous improvement.

The role reports to the VP of Engineering and collaborates with Operations, Plant Leadership, Safety, Quality, Supply Chain, Finance, and OEMs.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering or related technical discipline.
• 12+ years of progressive experience in manufacturing engineering, operations, reliability, maintenance, capital projects, or continuous improvement, including multi-site leadership.
• Proven success leading technical teams and cross-functional improvement initiatives.
• Strong knowledge of manufacturing equipment, automation, utilities, and safety.
• Ability to translate technical issues into business risk, priorities and investment decisions.
• Willingness to travel up to 75%.

Responsibilities

• Set the strategy, priorities, resources, and performance expectations for Operations Engineering across the plant network.
• Lead and develop the Operations Engineering organization, align roles, manage performance, and foster a safety-focused culture.
• Act as a subject matter expert for one or more critical processes.
• Manage planned plant-support projects from scope to benefits realization.
• Drive maintenance standardization and reliability improvements to increase throughput and reduce downtime.
• Analyze SAP PM data to identify predictive-maintenance opportunities.
• Use SAP PM and quality data to track progress and sustain results.
• Collaborate with OEMs and partners to resolve recurring issues.
• Direct engineering support during emergencies to restore flow and prevent recurrence.
• Lead with structured problem-solving tools (A3, 8D, FMEA); Six Sigma Black Belt preferred.

Skills

Technical leadership

Project management

Lean / Six Sigma

Data analysis

Cross-functional collaboration

Extensive travel

Education

Bachelor’s degree in engineering or related technical discipline

Electrical or Plastics Engineering preferred

Tools

None

Job description

Graham Packaging is a people, planet and values-based company and a leader in sustainable packaging manufacturing. From the kitchen to the laundry room, Graham Packaging is part of your everyday life.

For employees at Graham, our Blue Culture is part of their everyday lives, too. In other words, Blue is how we do things here.

At Graham, we are united by a clear vision. We know our part and help those around us know theirs, encouraging one another to continuously improve. We create a safe, challenging environment to innovate by supporting creative ideas and new ways of thinking. We take the initiative to cultivate our individual growth and help others do the same, while keeping ourselves and one another accountable. And we actively promote cooperation, collaboration, integrity and respect across regions and teams to foster an engaged, diverse and connected workforce.

We value our employees, and a Blue Culture allows for the most rewarding employee experience as part of the Graham family. Blue is how we feel about what we do—together—to create a better tomorrow. Working at Graham means you lead constructively with clear goals, use diverse thinking to drive excellence, accountability, innovation, as well as demonstrating collaboration, embracing learning, and taking action for continuous improvement and growth.

The Director of Operations Engineering provides strategic and technical leadership across the plant network, driving operational excellence by improving operational flow, reliability, safety, cost, and sustainability. This leader directs an integrated engineering organization that supports planned projects and continuous improvement while responding rapidly to developing issues and operational emergencies to restore flow.

The Director establishes priorities, governance, resource plans, and standard work for the Operations Engineering function. Using disciplined project management, structured problem solving, and data-based decision making, the organization delivers sustainable solutions, restores stable production, develops plant capability, and replicates proven practices across the network.

The position reports to the Vice President of Engineering and partners closely with Operations, Plant Leadership, Safety, Quality, Supply Chain, Finance, Procurement, OEMs, and external technical resources.

• Set the strategy, priorities, resources, and performance expectations for Operations Engineering across the plant network.
• Lead and develop the Operations Engineering organization by aligning roles and resources, managing performance, building technical capability, and strengthening succession plans. Coach and mentor plant operational resources, and foster a culture of safety, collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Act as a subject matter expert and technical authority for one or more of GPC’s critical processes.
• Manage planned plant-support projects from scope of work through execution, startup, handoff, and benefits realization.
• Drive maintenance standardization and continuous improvement to increase reliability and throughput, reduce downtime, and control maintenance costs.
• Analyze SAP PM equipment and functional-location work history to identify predictive-maintenance and reliability opportunities.
• Use SAP PM, Intelligent Factory, and quality data to track progress, verify improvements, and sustain results.
• Partner with OEMs and third-party vendors to resolve persistent mechanical, quality, and process issues.
• Validate corrective actions that improve availability and reliability and leverage successful solutions across plants and sites.
• Direct engineering support during developing issues and operational emergencies to safely restore flow, correct root causes, and prevent recurrence.
• Apply engineering fundamentals to develop scopes of work, prepare bid documents, and assemble and present business cases to GPC leadership.
• Lead using structured problem-solving tools, including A3, 8D, and FMEA; Six Sigma Black Belt certification is preferred, with Green Belt certification acceptable.
• Apply disciplined project management and structured problem solving while managing budgets, technical standards, risks, and communication with plant and cross-functional leaders.
• Enterprise leadership: Connects plant needs with network strategy and allocates resources for the greatest overall impact.
• Operational urgency: Responds quickly while maintaining disciplined risk assessment, communication, and execution.
• Sustainable problem solving: Addresses root causes and designs solutions that protect people, reduce waste, and remain effective over time.
• Talent development: Builds capable leaders and technical experts who can maintain, improve, and restore operational flow.
• Influence and partnership: Creates alignment across functions, sites, suppliers, and senior leadership without relying solely on direct authority.
• Results orientation: Establishes clear outcomes, tracks commitments, verifies benefits, and holds teams accountable for sustained performance.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering or a related technical discipline; Electrical or Plastics Engineering preferred.
• Typically 12 or more years of progressive experience in manufacturing engineering, operations, reliability, maintenance, capital projects, or continuous improvement, including significant multi-site leadership experience.
• Demonstrated success leading technical teams, complex project portfolios, plant recoveries, and cross-functional improvement initiatives.
• Strong knowledge of manufacturing equipment, automation, utilities, material handling, maintenance and reliability systems, and industrial safety.
• Proven ability to translate technical issues into business risk, priorities, recovery plans, investment decisions, and measurable results.
• Experience managing capital and expense budgets, business cases, contractors, OEMs, schedules, and project governance.
• Proficiency with structured problem solving, Lean or continuous-improvement methods, project-management tools, and data analysis.
• Ability to travel extensively (up to 75%) and respond outside normal business hours when significant operational events require leadership support.

The standard compensation for this role is $147,700 - $221,100. Salary offers will be determined based on final candidate qualifications, experience, skillset, and other relevant factors.

The expected salary range for the position described in this posting is made in accordance with the legal mandates of certain jurisdictions within the United States. The final agreed-upon compensation is based on individual qualifications and experience.

Benefits include medical, dental, vision and basic life insurance. Employees are able to enroll in the company’s 401K Employee Saving Plan and may participate in its Employee Wellness Program. Employees will also receive paid time off in accordance with company policy and state law requirements.

Graham Packaging is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, religion, creed, age, national origin, physical or mental disability, gender identity and/or expression, marital status, veteran status or other characteristics protected by law.