Director of Engineering and Continuous Improvement

McIlhenny Company•Avery Island, LA

40d•Onsite

About The Position

The Director of Engineering and Continuous Improvement leads all maintenance, engineering, and capital project activities and is responsible for developing and executing strategies that enhance equipment reliability, drive process improvements, and strengthen overall operational performance throughout our facility and overall corporate campus on Avery Island, LA. This role ensures operational excellence in safety, quality, and efficiency while driving strategic initiatives and continuous improvement in alignment with company goals. As a key member of the Operations Leadership Team, the Director of Engineering and Continuous Improvement partners closely with cross-functional leaders to deliver on business objectives and fosters a culture of accountability, collaboration, and innovation.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Industrial or Electrical Engineering or other engineering fields
5+ years of engineering work experience in manufacturing operations
3+ years supervisory experience in a manufacturing setting
Demonstrated ability to build and lead large teams, develop talent, and foster an inclusive value-driven workplace

Nice To Haves

Working knowledge of packaging materials and food packaging and processing equipment
Experience working in a cross-functional environment with a wide variety of stakeholder groups, a range of employee levels (from hourly employees to executives) as well as external partners
8+ years engineering work experience in manufacturing operations
PMP Certification
Experience in CPG industry
Proficiency in Lean, Six Sigma, or other continuous improvement methodologies
Experience working with Microsoft products and track record of learning new systems and tools

Responsibilities

Provide hands-on leadership by coaching direct reports, offering regular feedback, conducting regular 1:1s, and creating clear development plans to foster individual growth.
Build and sustain a high-performance culture by ensuring accountability and cultivating talent to meet current and future business needs.
Model and reinforce the company’s core behaviors—communication, collaboration, continuous improvement, trust, and leadership—ensuring they are consistently demonstrated and promoted across all levels of the organization.
Partner with the VP of Operations on strategic initiatives, factory operations, employee engagement, and project execution.
Develop and execute engineering and continuous improvement strategies in partnership with cross-functional teams including Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Finance, Quality, and R&D to achieve operational and business goals.
Lead regular business reviews with operations departments and executive leadership to assess progress and align priorities.
Collaborate closely with production and facilities maintenance teams to strengthen preventive and predictive maintenance programs.
Design and implement engineering solutions to optimize production and packaging efficiency, capacity, and cost-effectiveness.
Provide engineering expertise and leadership for complex, cross-departmental projects and strategic initiatives
Maintain professional and technical knowledge by attending educational workshops, reviewing professional publications and establishing professional networks
Lead cross-functional process improvement initiatives across manufacturing, supply chain, quality, and R&D.
Apply working knowledge of product design and assembly to the manufacturing process
Develop and maintain systems for equipment and process flow measurement to support data-driven decision-making.
Evaluate and implement “best value” solutions balancing new vs. existing technologies, automation vs. manual labor, and new vs. refurbished equipment.