Projects & Engineering Director

Position:

Department:

Location:

Reports To:

actively seeking experienced expats

Requiring the candidate to relocate to India.

Company Overview

A global leader in the food and bakery sector, this organization has built a strong reputation for its commitment to quality, sustainability, and innovation. With operations spanning multiple continents, it has established a robust presence across Asia since 2006, managing well-known consumer brands while also serving the quick service and foodservice segments in key markets. The company is consistently recognized for its manufacturing excellence, operational scale, and sustainability-driven growth, earning international awards for ethics, corporate reputation, workplace culture, and environmental leadership. By combining global best practices with deep local insights, it continues to drive product innovation and operational efficiency across its value chain. With an expanding footprint in India and other Asian countries, the organization plays a pivotal role in delivering high-quality bakery and food products tailored to regional consumer preferences while supporting global strategic growth.

Mission

The Projects & Engineering Director will lead accelerated growth in India by delivering new, state-of-the-art manufacturing infrastructure. This role is accountable for the entire lifecycle of large-scale greenfield capital projects—from planning and site development through to design, procurement, construction, commissioning, and final handover. The position is central to establishing future-ready facilities that uphold the highest global standards of safety, quality, cost efficiency, and sustainability, ensuring scalability and operational excellence for long-term expansion.

Key Priorities

• Lead the full lifecycle of greenfield capital projects, ensuring on-time, in-budget, and high-quality delivery.
• Define and validate technical specifications, layouts, and engineering standards in alignment with global and regional teams.
• Govern project execution, contractor performance, and vendor management, ensuring compliance with safety, sustainability, and quality benchmarks.
• Coordinate cross-functional teams and external partners to implement scalable, energy-efficient manufacturing solutions.
• Manage budgets and schedules with a focus on capital efficiency, risk mitigation, and asset performance.

Processes

Program & Project Management

• Oversee planning, scheduling, execution, and supervision of CAPEX projects.
• Manage OEMs, contractors, and legal compliance in civil, electrical, and mechanical domains.
• Apply PMO/PMI and financial knowledge (ROI, IRR) to ensure investment efficiency.
• Define organizational structures that support project execution and strategy.

Food Industry Focus

• Leverage expertise in food industry equipment and process requirements.
• Provide input on infrastructure design aligned with food safety and customer-driven needs.

Relevant Experience

• Minimum

  20 years

  of leadership in engineering and manufacturing across civil, electrical, mechanical, chemical, and environmental functions.
• Strong experience in multinational companies, overseeing large, diverse teams and multi-site manufacturing infrastructure.
• Proven track record of greenfield design, execution, and start-up with full capital ownership.
• Expertise in supply chain transformation, process improvement, and sustainability-driven capital programs.
• Skilled in operational, financial, and labour risk management in complex project environments.

Requirements

• Education

  :
• Bachelor’s in Mechanical or Electrical Engineering (mandatory).
• Master’s in Industrial Engineering or related field (preferred).
• Diploma in Finance/Administration and Lean Manufacturing.

• Certifications

  : Lean/Yellow Belt, PMI–PMO.

• Languages

  : Fluent English (Spanish preferred).

• Technical Tools

  : ERP systems, CAD (AutoCAD), engineering modules (ENG/EAM), and project design software.

Responsibilities

Planning & Execution

• Contribute to strategic and tactical planning for expansion in India.
• Drive end-to-end execution of greenfield infrastructure projects.
• Ensure projects meet safety, quality, regulatory, and financial standards.

Information Systems & Innovation

• Validate technology platforms to support engineering and project processes.
• Enable operational readiness for innovation-driven product launches.

Knowledge Management

• Document and standardize best practices in capital project execution.
• Share learnings across regions to replicate scalable project models.

Social Responsibility

• Ensure projects comply with sustainability regulations and environmental standards.
• Support reporting of sustainability metrics and community impact goals.

Manufacturing Support

• Partner with production and engineering teams to ensure facility readiness.
• Drive automation, improved layouts, and efficiency in new plants.

Finance & Administration

• Monitor capital investment budgets and ensure financial control.
• Manage asset planning, risk assessments, and audit readiness.

Competencies

Leadership

• Inspire teams through strategic vision, adaptability, and ethical leadership.
• Foster a culture of continuous improvement and accountability.

Management

• Empower decision-making at all levels.
• Build diverse, high-performing project teams across multicultural environments.

Technical & Specialized

• Apply advanced knowledge of supply chain, sustainability governance, and project management standards.
• Ensure compliance with global quality and regulatory frameworks.

Vanguard & Incubation

• Champion sustainability, digital integration, and efficiency in project delivery.
• Build alliances with suppliers and partners to ensure responsiveness and scalability.

Required Skills

• Project Management

  : Capable of leading large-scale infrastructure projects end-to-end.

• Decision Making

  : Identify and leverage risks/opportunities in capital programs.

• Personnel Management

  : Foster collaboration and accountability across teams.

• Information Analysis

  : Apply data-driven insights to capital planning and execution.

• Negotiation & Contracts

  : Manage OEM and contractor negotiations to secure favourable outcomes.