Engineering Director, Packaging & Manufacturing Ops

Novolex; Lake Forest (IL); On-site; USD 180,000 - 220,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) with company match

Medical, dental & vision insurance

Flexible spending accounts

Health savings accounts

Paid vacation & sick days

Paid parental leave

Paid holidays & wellness program

Job summary

Novolex is seeking a BU Engineering Director to lead engineering activities across an assigned business unit and drive performance, reliability, and capital project execution across manufacturing sites. The role emphasizes cross-functional leadership and adherence to safety and enterprise standards.

You will coach Operating Unit Engineers, optimize processes, and partner with plant leadership to deliver prioritized initiatives, startup readiness, and measurable benefits.

Qualifications

• Minimum 10 years in manufacturing/engineering or related operations.
• At least 5 years in leadership or technical leadership roles.
• Experience with high-volume manufacturing across 20+ plants.
• Proven track record in improving throughput, uptime, and reliability.
• Experience with capital project planning and execution.

Responsibilities

• Lead engineering activities across the assigned business unit operations.
• Coach and develop Operating Unit Engineers within the unit.
• Drive process optimization, reliability, and performance across sites.
• Oversee capital project prioritization, scope, budget, and timelines.
• Partner with cross-functional leaders to ensure readiness and benefits.
• Ensure adherence to safety and engineering standards; manage escalations.

Skills

Leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

Communication

Coaching/mentoring

Problem solving

Strategic thinking

Organizational skills

Matrixed environment navigation

Proficiency with office tools

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or related field

Job description

Novolex is seeking a BU Engineering Director to lead engineering activities across an assigned business unit and drive performance, reliability, and capital project execution across manufacturing sites. The role emphasizes cross-functional leadership and adherence to safety and enterprise standards.

You will coach Operating Unit Engineers, optimize processes, and partner with plant leadership to deliver prioritized initiatives, startup readiness, and measurable benefits.