Regional Engineering & Maintenance Director

Nexus Search; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 175,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job description

Role: Regional Director of Engineering & Maintenance (North American Head of Engineering) - Food Manufacturing

Location: Greater Chicago, IL

Compensation: $175,000–$190,000 Base + 30% Bonus

Nexus Search is partnering with a fast-growing, international food manufacturing business to appoint a Director of Engineering to lead Engineering, CAPEX and Maintenance strategy across its expanding US manufacturing network.

Our client has grown significantly through multiple acquisitions and now operates seven manufacturing facilities across the US. With further integration, automation and operational improvement planned, this individual will play a key role in shaping the engineering strategy for the next phase of growth.

This is not a traditional corporate Engineering Director position. We're looking for someone who is comfortable being hands-on in manufacturing environments, working directly with plant teams, contractors and integrators, while also providing strategic leadership across a multi-site network.

The Role

• Own the annual and multi-year CAPEX strategy across US manufacturing operations
• Lead capital projects from business case and concept through design, installation, commissioning and operational handover
• Provide leadership to Maintenance leaders across seven manufacturing sites
• Develop preventative/predictive maintenance, reliability, CMMS and critical-spares strategies
• Lead engineering support for automation and controls initiatives, including PLC/SCADA environments
• Partner with system integrators, OEMs and contractors to deliver automation and equipment projects
• Support the integration of newly acquired manufacturing facilities
• Identify opportunities for automation, labor optimization and manufacturing efficiency
• Establish engineering, reliability and project-execution standards across the network
• Partner closely with Operations, Quality/Food Safety, Sanitation, EHS and Supply Chain

We're particularly interested in people with:

• 10+ years within Engineering, CAPEX and/or Maintenance leadership
• Experience within food, beverage, ingredients or similarly regulated process manufacturing
• Strong capital-project experience from concept through commissioning
• Genuine understanding of Maintenance and Reliability, rather than purely project engineering
• Exposure to industrial automation, controls, PLCs, SCADA and system integrators
• Strong understanding of sanitary/hygienic equipment design
• Experience supporting multiple manufacturing facilities is highly desirable
• A practical, plant-floor-oriented leadership style
• Bachelor's degree in Engineering or a related discipline

Current Engineering Directors are relevant, but we're equally interested in exceptional multi-site Senior Engineering Managers, Corporate Engineering Managers and Engineering & Maintenance Managers ready to step into their first Director‑level position.

The position will be based in the Chicago‑area and requires regular travel Across the US manufacturing network.