Director of Engineering Programs

Company Overview

Balchem is committed to making the world a healthier place by delivering trusted, innovative, and science-based solutions for the health and nutritional needs of the world. Balchem employs approximately 1,400 employees worldwide who provide the service, quality, and technology that enables our customers to win with their customers. We have built a reputation for delivering results to all of our stakeholders. Founded in 1967, Balchem, a Maryland corporation, became a publicly traded company in 1970 and is listed on Nasdaq under the symbol “BCPC.” Our corporate headquarters is located in Montvale, New Jersey, and we have a broad network of sales offices, manufacturing sites, and R&D centers, primarily located in the U.S. and Europe. The Company consists of three business segments: Human Nutrition and Health, Animal Nutrition and Health, and Specialty Products.

Position Summary

The Director of Engineering Programs is responsible for overseeing Balchem’s Engineering project portfolio governance, Operational Excellence, Process Optimization and Technical Reliability strategies across the organization. This role also serves as the central leader for the Engineering Project Management Office (PMO), bridging high-level business objectives with disciplined technical execution by establishing portfolio standards, tracking budgets, monitoring project progress, managing risks, and ensuring clear prioritization of capital, operational excellence, and reliability initiatives. The Director will partner closely with site leadership, operations, maintenance, finance, and engineering teams to strengthen project visibility, improve decision-making, and ensure resources are aligned to the highest-value business priorities.

This professional will also lead strategic, organization-wide initiatives to eliminate waste, improve quality, reduce processes variation, and drive sustainable efficiency gains through Lean methodology, continuous improvement routines, value-stream thinking, standardized work, visual management, and data-driven performance reviews. In addition, the role will develop and embed asset reliability fundamentals, including preventive and predictive maintenance practices, critical spare parts planning, equipment lifecycle management, root cause problem solving, reliability performance metrics, and cross-functional accountability for uptime, safety, compliance, and total cost of ownership.

Essential Functions

• Strategic Leadership: Defining the long-term technical vision in collaboration with executive management.
• Program Management: Overseeing the complete lifecycle of multiple, concurrent engineering projects to ensure they are on time and within budget.
• Team Development: Support recruiting, mentoring, and managing engineering managers and technical staff.
• Partner with Site Maintenance Teams to establish and sustain core asset reliability practices, including preventive maintenance, equipment inspection, lubrication standards, and tracking of equipment availability and reliability performance.
• Enable Site Maintenance Teams to define equipment criticality, develop spare parts strategies, and implement acquisition plans that support reliability, uptime, and risk reduction.
• Cross-Functional Alignment: Collaborating with Safety, Quality, Operations, Finance, and R&D teams to ensure engineering deliverables meet product & process demands.
• Establishing engineering standards, continuous learning frameworks, and innovative methodologies across the department.
• Process Optimization: Diagnosing operational inefficiencies and redesigning workflows to accelerate delivery and reduce costs.
• Quality & Governance: Establishing standard operating procedures, tracking KPIs, and ensuring compliance or regulatory readiness.
• Fostering a culture of accountability and continuous improvement across all levels of the business.
  
  
  

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or related field from an accredited university/college and significant applicable work experience.
• 10 years of manufacturing technical operational experience; proven direct leadership experience (minimum of 5 years leadership experience in a manufacturing environment preferred).
• Proven application of skill set delivering tangible business results
• Food or pharmaceutical experience is a plus.
• Proficient computer skills (Microsoft Office suite especially Excel and PowerPoint).
• Experience with the function of ERP systems such as SAP, MS Dynamics, or similar software.
• Knowledge of data visualization tools and distributive control systems is a plus.
• Knowledge of food GMP’s.
• Specific knowledge of Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, and TPM systems.
• Clear sense of urgency and ability to manage priorities to meet immediate needs and long-term goals
• Ability to manage time and workload efficiently, and the ability to prioritize and modify priorities accordingly.
• Strong safety orientation.
• Self-motivation and ability to work independently given a scope of work or mission.
• Demonstrated ability to work and develop others at all levels in an organization.
• Sensitive to other cultures/backgrounds, able to work in a multi-cultural workplace.
• Demonstrated ability to function in a fast-paced environment while moving multiple simultaneous projects forward.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills to discuss, develop, and implement plans.
• High sensitivity to quality and on time delivery of commitments.
• Ability to lead and develop others.
• Willingness and ability to respectfully hold team and peers accountable for execution and overall reliability performance.
• Willingness to travel between 30% to 50% of the time.
  
  
  

The expected salary range for this role is $180,000 - $200,000 per year.

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Balchem is committed to a workplace culture that values and promotes diversity, inclusion, equal employment opportunities, and a work environment free of harassment and hostility.