Senior Director, Engineering

Reynolds Consumer Products•Lake Forest, IL

1d•$182,300 - $271,150•Onsite

About The Position

The Senior Director, Engineering provides strategic and technical leadership for engineering, product development, cost reduction, product improvement, and commercialization. The role establishes engineering priorities, directs technical resources and investments, and leads complex programs that strengthen the base business and support future growth. The position is accountable for engineering talent, departmental budgets, project governance, manufacturing support, and external technical partnerships. The role leads engineering strategy and innovation, including defining next-generation product development opportunities for the 3–5 year innovation pipeline; translating consumer, marketplace, technical, operational, and business insights into strategies and roadmaps; evaluating emerging technologies and materials; and defining the scope, cost, timing, resources, development path, and business value of opportunities. It also advances open innovation and external technology scouting. The Senior Director leads a portfolio of product development, product improvement, cost reduction, and operational initiatives. Responsibilities include implementing stage-gate governance, prioritizing opportunities, communicating schedules and resource plans, reporting status and financial performance, and establishing standards for project management, capital planning, prototyping, technical documentation, and commercialization. The role partners with Manufacturing and Operations to improve process capability, quality, productivity, cost, reliability, and safety; validates production assumptions and variables; and applies engineering, statistical, Lean, and continuous improvement methods. It owns departmental capital and expense budgets, manages program economics, and allocates engineering resources. It also leads and develops technical professionals, supports workforce and succession planning, and builds external partnerships while working with Legal on intellectual property strategies and confidential technical information. The position is based at the Corporate Headquarters in Lake Forest, Illinois, and requires 30%–40% travel. The posted annual salary range is USD $182,300–$271,150. The role is eligible for a 35% annual incentive, subject to business and individual performance goals and plan guidelines.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or another relevant technical field, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant work experience to perform the essential functions of the position.
12 or more years of progressive engineering, product development, manufacturing, operations, or technical leadership experience, including project management and leadership of technical professionals or cross-functional teams.
Experience leading complex programs from concept through commercialization in a consumer products, packaging, plastics, manufacturing, or similarly technical environment.
Broad technical knowledge of product development, engineering, manufacturing processes, prototyping, testing, commercialization, and continuous improvement.
Ability to establish technical strategy and translate business priorities into executable engineering plans.
Strong project and portfolio management capabilities, including stage-gate governance, resource planning, and risk management.
Ability to diagnose complex technical and business challenges and implement practical solutions.
Knowledge of statistical and analytical methods, including design of experiments and statistical process control, and Lean manufacturing principles.
Familiarity with intellectual property strategy, processes, and terminology.
Excellent written, verbal, presentation, and influencing skills, with the ability to communicate at all organizational levels.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office and relevant project management, engineering, statistical, or design software.
Ability to travel 30%–40%.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in Engineering, Product Development, Operations, or Business Administration.
PMP, Six Sigma Black Belt, Lean, or Continuous Improvement certification.
Experience with plastics processing, film converting, thermoforming, packaging, polymer materials, or related manufacturing technologies.

Responsibilities

Define and lead engineering and next-generation product development opportunities aligned with the innovation pipeline and business growth priorities.
Translate consumer, marketplace, technical, operational, and business insights into engineering strategies, technology roadmaps, and project plans.
Identify emerging technologies, concepts, materials, processes, and product features for current operations and future products.
Establish scope, cost, timing, resource requirements, development paths, and expected business value for engineering and innovation opportunities.
Advance open innovation and external technology scouting.
Lead the engineering portfolio across product development, product improvement, cost reduction, and operational initiatives.
Implement stage-gate and project governance processes and prioritize opportunities based on strategic fit, feasibility, business potential, financial return, risk, and speed to market.
Develop and communicate project schedules, milestones, resource plans, risks, decisions, and departmental priorities.
Report project status, timelines, financial performance, and resource needs to business and senior leadership.
Establish engineering standards and procedures for project management, cost estimating, capital planning, prototyping, technical documentation, and commercialization.
Partner with Manufacturing and Operations to improve process capability, product quality, productivity, cost, reliability, and safe operations.
Validate project assumptions and production variables, including run rates, scrap levels, material performance, quality parameters, and capital requirements.
Apply engineering, statistical, Lean, and continuous improvement methods to resolve technical challenges and improve business performance.
Own departmental capital and expense budgets and manage performance within approved financial targets and procedures.
Develop and manage program economics, including product and prototyping costs, project capital, timing, and expected financial returns.
Allocate engineering resources and recommend investments based on business need, technical risk, capacity, and expected value.
Lead, develop, and engage engineering and technical professionals responsible for product development, commercialization, and operational support.
Set objectives, coach and provide feedback, and complete performance and development reviews.
Drive workforce planning, selection, onboarding, succession planning, and retention, while building a collaborative and accountable engineering culture.
Build and manage relationships with vendors, suppliers, technical experts, research partners, and industry innovators.
Partner with Legal on intellectual property landscapes and strategies and the protection of confidential technical information.