Project Manager, Capital Projects & Engineering

Reports To: Vice President of Operations

Position Summary 

The Project Manager, Capital Projects & Engineering is responsible for the planning, execution, and successful delivery of capital projects across multiple food manufacturing facilities. This role leads the development and execution of the organization's capital investment strategy, including management of the annual CapEx budget and long-range capital planning process. 

The Project Manager serves as the technical leader for facility expansion, equipment installation, process improvement, infrastructure upgrades, and operational efficiency projects. This position partners closely with Operations, Maintenance, Food Safety & Quality, Procurement, Finance, and external engineering resources to ensure projects are delivered safely, on time, within budget, and aligned with the company's strategic objectives. 

In addition to managing projects, the role provides engineering leadership and mentorship to project engineers and plant teams while supporting the continuous improvement of manufacturing operations across the organization.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Capital Project Management 

• Lead the planning, design, execution, commissioning, and closeout of capital projects across all company facilities. 

• Develop project scopes, budgets, schedules, resource plans, and project execution strategies. 

• Manage multiple concurrent projects ranging from equipment upgrades and line expansions to facility infrastructure improvements. 

• Monitor project performance and proactively address scope, schedule, budget, and resource risks. 

• Ensure all projects are completed safely, efficiently, and in compliance with company standards and regulatory requirements. 

• Coordinate project startup, commissioning, validation, and handoff to Operations and Maintenance teams. 

Capital Planning & Budget Management 

• Own and manage the company's annual capital expenditure (CapEx) budget. 

• Develop, maintain, and continuously update the company's rolling five-year capital plan. 

• Partner with Operations and Finance leaders to prioritize capital investments based on business needs, ROI, capacity requirements, safety improvements, and strategic growth objectives. 

• Develop project justifications, business cases, financial analyses, and return-on-investment calculations. 

• Provide regular updates and reporting on capital spending, project status, and forecasted expenditures. 

• Provide technical leadership and engineering support across all manufacturing facilities. 

• Mentor and oversee project engineers and technical resources involved in capital project execution. 

• Support facility teams with equipment selection, process improvements, troubleshooting, and technical problem solving. 

• Establish engineering standards, project management best practices, and documentation requirements. 

• Identify opportunities to improve manufacturing efficiency, reliability, capacity, quality, food safety, and operational performance. 

Equipment & Vendor Management 

• Evaluate, specify, and select manufacturing equipment, machinery, automation systems, utilities, and facility infrastructure. 

• Develop technical specifications and bid packages for equipment purchases and capital projects. 

• Source, evaluate, and manage contractors, vendors, engineering firms, and service providers. 

• Negotiate project scopes, timelines, deliverables, and project costs with external partners. 

• Ensure contractors and vendors comply with company safety, food safety, and operational requirements. 

Cross-Functional Collaboration 

• Partner with Operations, Maintenance, Quality, Food Safety, Procurement, Finance, and Safety teams throughout the project lifecycle. 

• Support facility leaders in identifying and prioritizing capital needs. 

• Communicate project progress, risks, and key milestones to executive leadership and stakeholders. 

• Facilitate project meetings, reviews, and post-project evaluations. 

Compliance & Safety 

• Ensure projects comply with USDA, FDA, OSHA, environmental, food safety, and applicable regulatory requirements. 

• Promote a strong safety culture by incorporating safety considerations into project design and execution. 

• Ensure contractors and project teams adhere to company safety policies and procedures. 

Education and Experience 

• Required bachelor’s degree in engineering (Mechanical, Industrial, Electrical, Chemical, or related discipline). 

• Minimum of 8 years of progressive project management experience within a food manufacturing or food processing environment. 

• Demonstrated experience managing capital projects from concept through completion. 

• Experience managing multi-million-dollar capital budgets and project portfolios. 

• Experience leading equipment installations, facility expansions, production line upgrades, and infrastructure projects. 

• Strong financial acumen with experience developing capital budgets and ROI analyses. 

• Professional Engineer (PE) license preferred. Preferred. 

• Project Management Professional (PMP) certification preferred. 

• Experience within USDA-regulated food manufacturing environments. Preferred 

• Experience supporting multiple manufacturing facilities. Preferred 

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities 

• Strong project management and organizational skills. 

• Ability to lead multiple complex projects simultaneously. 

• Strong leadership, coaching, and mentoring capabilities. 

• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills. 

• Strong understanding of manufacturing systems, utilities, equipment, and facility infrastructure. 

• Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings, specifications, and technical documents. 

• Effective negotiation and vendor management skills. 

• Strong verbal, written, and presentation communication skills. 

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and project management software. 

• Ability to work effectively across all levels of the organization. 

Travel Requirements

• Ability to travel regularly between company facilities and project locations. 

• Estimated travel requirement: 25–50%, depending on project activity.

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Salary : $132,000 - $165,000