Demo

Project Engineering Director

KIND
Chicago, IL Full Time
POSTED ON 12/28/2025
AVAILABLE BEFORE 2/19/2026
Who We Are...

As a collection of brands including KIND, Nature’s Bakery, and trü frü within the Health and Wellness Division of Mars Snacking, we are proud to offer healthy snacking options to our consumers. From granola to snack bars and better for you hyper-chilled and hyper-dried chocolate covered fruit, we believe that the choice to snack healthier should be an easy and desirable one. With real, recognizable ingredients in every bite, we’re on a mission to inspire everyone to snack better.

We’re on the lookout for passionate associates to join our dynamic, growth-oriented team! If you’re someone who loves to dive in and make things happen, we want you!

Join us to become the foremost leader in health & wellness and provide healthy snacking choices to our consumers! Come be part of our journey to become the leading force in health and wellness, providing tasty and nutritious snacking choices to our consumers!

What You'll Do

The Engineering director will be responsible for leading several engineering programs to be determined but could include Safety, Quality, Sustainability, Asset Health Check, etc. This position serves as a member of the central engineering leadership team and is responsible for owning and driving engineering strategies as necessary to support team agenda.

This role shall serve as a key member of the central engineering leadership team and be the contributing voice towards sustainable improvements in the overall project delivery process.

This job is hybrid and can be done from one of our multiple site locations in US: Chicago area, Nashville Tennessee area, or Salt Lake City area.

How You Will Do It...

  • Provide guidance and support for the engineering team regarding design concepts, specifications and requirements to best utilize equipment and manufacturing process.
  • Reputation of the team, i.e., how the project was achieved
  • Capital spending plans development & support
  • The Engineering director has ownership and responsibility for the connection, translation and deployment of capital projects across H&W division.
  • The position will work collaboratively with R&D, Engineering, and Operation’s leaders to shape, deploy and collaborate in the execution of capital projects.
  • This position will have ownership of further enhancements to the engineering process, including building strategies working towards an early management pillar structure.
  • Own the management and execution of the engineering team for effectively managing project budgets and objectives. Includes developing, supporting and enforcing standardized project management requirements such as change control, training, construction management, scope development and buy-in with stakeholders on user requirements, justification, constraints and assumptions.
  • Collaborate with the Finance team to track capex budget spend, cash flow projections, and productivity cost savings justification.
  • Responsible for understanding the manufacturing processes of the company and identifying areas where the cost/ benefit favors technology and automation.
  • Effectiveness of team, build team, manage interpersonal opportunities.
  • Collaborate with the HSE (Health Safety Environmental) and Food Safety and Quality Teams to ensure products are manufactured to specifications and in compliance with Mars INC Safety and Food Safety Standards.
  • Execute communication processes that ensure appropriate level of communication of daily activities between all stakeholders.
  • Collaborate with external project stakeholders to ensure priorities and standards have been reviewed and scopes of work are aligned for the engineering team.

What You'll Bring To Mars Health And Wellness Snacking

  • Visible thought and activity leadership on engineering projects, driving a continuous improvement and collaborative culture in the region and within the business.
  • Foster an engaging and high performing team environment.
  • Coach, support and develop the engineering team members and others for a strong career with Mars.
  • Manage a budget of $100M of capital projects.
  • Ensure the team executes capital projects with excellence, meeting or exceeding commitments.
  • Strategize manufacturing and supply solutions to meet consumer needs. Examples: create manufacturing solutions for new product launches or capacity increases.
  • Deliver supply and engineering strategies in cooperation with the central engineering leadership team to exceed North American commitments.
  • Drive engagement, retention, and career pathing for engineering organization.
  • Shaping a talent agenda, defining the future career pathing for the engineering organization.
  • Ensure cross-functional stakeholder engagement and support of successful project execution across the H&W division.
  • Strategy development and execution of Early Management principles and pillar set-up for the H&W division.

You are...

  • High performance team experience.
  • Demonstrated experience in continuous improvement / change management / transformational projects
  • Project and program management experience
  • A strong understanding cross-functional responsibilities in successful project delivery.
  • Demonstrated ability to effectively manage people through team building processes, and good communication.
  • Working knowledge of Mars policies and procedures highly desirable.
  • Should have an in-depth understanding of all functions within a plant and possess the ability to work effectively with associates at all levels in the organization.
  • Excellent communication, listening and influencing skills; Critical thinking / Negotiation skills.

You have...

  • Engineering Degree required, Advanced degree or MBA desirable.
  • 5 years of people leadership experience.
  • 7 years of experience executing large scale capital projects, from concept trough manufacturability.
  • Ability to travel required up to 40% of the time
  • The ideal candidate is able to create vision and purpose for his/her team, drive engagement, and foster a high performing team. He or she needs to be able to deliver capital projects in a fast-paced changing environment by establishing strong x-functional collaboration.
  • Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) experience highly desirable

Certain states and localities require employers to post a reasonable estimate of salary range. A reasonable estimate of the current base salary range for this position is $160,000 to $190,000. Actual salary will be based on a variety of factors, including location, experience, skill set, performance, licensure and certification, and business needs. The range for this position in other geographic locations may differ.

What We Offer...

We are proud to provide a robust benefits package to help support you physically, financially, and emotionally through the big milestones and in your everyday life.

  • Competitive salary, including a target bonus and an impressive benefits package.
  • A 401(k) plan, complete with a generous company match!
  • Flexible Paid Time Off.  Choose what works best for you.
  • Excellent health, dental & vision insurance, with options to fit you & your family’s needs.
  • Casual office dress code - feel free to wear your KIND, Nature’s Bakery and trü frü gear!
  • A dynamic, ambitious and fun work environment

EEO

We are committed to an inclusive workplace where diversity in all its forms is championed. We are proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and we are an affirmative action employer. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity or Veteran status. We also consider qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements. If you require special accommodation, please let us know. 

Privacy Policy

Mars and its family of brands is committed to transparency and responsibility in how we handle the personal data entrusted to us by our customers and consumers. To learn more about our privacy policy please follow this link.

Salary : $160,000 - $190,000

If your compensation planning software is too rigid to deploy winning incentive strategies, it’s time to find an adaptable solution. Compensation Planning
Enhance your organization's compensation strategy with salary data sets that HR and team managers can use to pay your staff right. Surveys & Data Sets

What is the career path for a Project Engineering Director?

Sign up to receive alerts about other jobs on the Project Engineering Director career path by checking the boxes next to the positions that interest you.
Income Estimation: 
$213,354 - $274,761
Income Estimation: 
$277,105 - $362,555
Income Estimation: 
$85,996 - $102,718
Income Estimation: 
$111,859 - $131,446
Income Estimation: 
$110,457 - $133,106
Income Estimation: 
$105,809 - $128,724
Income Estimation: 
$122,763 - $145,698
Income Estimation: 
$190,687 - $235,769
Income Estimation: 
$218,238 - $263,470
Income Estimation: 
$213,354 - $274,761
Income Estimation: 
$124,420 - $155,868
Income Estimation: 
$169,105 - $208,220
Income Estimation: 
$177,520 - $228,955
Income Estimation: 
$151,448 - $188,145
Income Estimation: 
$176,972 - $219,172
View Core, Job Family, and Industry Job Skills and Competency Data for more than 15,000 Job Titles Skills Library

Job openings at KIND

  • KIND High Point, NC
  • Who are we? Since Day 1, KIND has had a vision for a kinder and healthier world. A world in which people never have to choose between what tastes good, fee... more
  • 12 Days Ago

  • KIND Chicago, IL
  • Who We Are... As a collection of brands including KIND, Nature’s Bakery, and trü frü within the Health and Wellness Division of Mars Snacking, we are proud... more
  • 12 Days Ago

  • KIND Newark, NJ
  • About KIND Kids in Need of Defense (KIND) is a global leader in the protection of unaccompanied and separated children who are forcibly displaced from thei... more
  • 15 Days Ago

  • KIND Boston, MA
  • About KIND Kids in Need of Defense (KIND) is a global leader in the protection of unaccompanied and separated children who are forcibly displaced from thei... more
  • 3 Days Ago


Not the job you're looking for? Here are some other Project Engineering Director jobs in the Chicago, IL area that may be a better fit.

  • Sterling Engineering Libertyville, IL
  • Director of Engineering – High-Speed Automation Location: Buffalo Grove & Libertyville, IL Type: Direct Hire | Onsite Compensation: Up to $225K Full Reloca... more
  • 5 Days Ago

  • Sterling Engineering Buffalo, IL
  • Director of Engineering – High-Speed Automation Location: Buffalo Grove IL Type: Direct Hire | Onsite Compensation: Up to $225K Full Relocation Available A... more
  • 5 Days Ago

AI Assistant is available now!

Feel free to start your new journey!