Director Engineering (St. Louis)

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Our vision is both simple and ambitious: to put our drinks on every table.

We are the leading global independent beverage solutions provider. We serve a broad range of national and international retailers as well as Global, National and Emerging (GNE) brands. Our products are distributed worldwide from our production sites in Europe, North America, and Australia. Although our own branding may not appear on the labels of the beverages we produce, there is a good chance you are reading this while sipping one of our drinks.

Our ambition is to continually improve and it’s what keeps us at the top of our game.We are solutions-based.We are innovative. We seek out new challenges and conquer them. This is our company ethos, but it’s our people’s too:Refresco is at the cutting edge of a fast-moving industry because we have passionate people pushing the boundaries of what’s best.

Stop and think: how would YOU put our drinks on every table?

Summary:

Reporting to the Vice President of Engineering and Project Management, the Director of Engineering drives improvements within the operations maintenance organization across 5+ facilities in the assigned region of Refresco NA. This role is responsible for advancing production technologies by applying sound maintenance and reliability principles. This role also ensures the effective execution of capital projects, equipment reliability, and continuous improvement initiatives to drive operational excellence. The Director of Engineering directly manages a team of Project Engineering Managers, each responsible for overseeing engineering efforts across multiple facilities within their assigned regions.

Essential Functions:

• Develop a support organization capable of managing plant maintenance operations regionally in US and Canada.
• Deliver criteria to determine whether the Maintenance Organization is fulfilling the needs of each Plant.
• Develop and manage engineering and maintenance budgets across all locations, ensuring effective resource allocation for seasonal rebuilds, equipment needs, and capital projects. Monitor expenses to optimize costs and maintain alignment with company financial objectives.
• Oversee the planning, execution, and prioritization of plant-driven capital projects to ensure alignment with company standards, cost-effectiveness, and business needs.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to develop and implement new initiatives that enhance capacity, flexibility, cost efficiency, and quality across facilities.
• Provide strategic oversight on staffing, performance management, and workforce planning to meet business objectives.
• Lead the implementation of SAP Maintenance throughout the system.
• Other duties as assigned, including special projects that may require significant travel to manufacturing plant locations.
• Work as an integral member of the engineering, maintenance and Infrastructure design and installation teams to ensure the timely design, infrastructure and installation and insuring delivery is on-time and within project budgets.
• Creates and maintains planning and execution models for site/line startups by working with Process Improvement and Learning communities to clarify and Refresco Supply Chain Procedures to ensure best practice and standard work is appropriately valued and leveraged to support rapid Supply Expansion.
• Assess project requirements and workload. Allocate resources within the Engineering teams at each location
• Provide guidance to plant assigned engineers by defining scope of work, critical milestones and expected project completion dates.
• Establish strong cross-functional collaboration by communicating project plans, milestones, and results to stakeholders at all levels.
• Engage with plant leadership to align resources and adapt processes to meet evolving business needs.
• Establish and maintain adequate departmental staffing and manage consultant services to make possible the construction of equipment and facilities that conform to approved specifications and regulatory requirements.
• Clearly define and align department goals, communicate the goals to the team and hold yourself and your team accountable for achieving the goals
• Coordinates maintenance aspects of new product launches and new or modified operational processes.
• Leads and directs the work of other employees and has responsibility for personnel actions including hiring, performance management, and termination.
• Supervision is often provided through a team of subordinate managers.
• Coaches and develops staff to enhance functional and leadership skills and expertise.
• Accountable for planning and evaluating performance, staff training and development, recruitment and may contribute to pay recommendations, subject to policies.

Required Skills:

• Foster a culture of continuous improvement through mentoring, coaching, and leadership development.
• Carries out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with the organization's principles, policies and applicable laws.
• Foster an environment in which responsibilities and results are achieved with the highest level of commitment to quality.
• Follows all policies, procedures, ergonomic standards and safety requirements directed by Refresco and the department
• Knowledgeable of infrastructure systems (nitrogen, electrical, steam, compressed air).
• Comply with applicable regulatory requirements including OSHA, SQF
• Knowledgeable of emergency planning and response team operations
• Leadership: Foster a culture of empowerment by building relationships based on trust, lead courageously on a day-to-day basis, and inspire growth with a clear and ambitious vision that guides the collective effort toward success.
• Communication & Collaboration: Strong verbal, written, and presentation skills with the ability to engage multiple stakeholder groups, including suppliers and customers.
• Project & Time Management: Excellent organizational skills with the ability to prioritize tasks, manage multiple projects, and meet business objectives efficiently.
• Analytical & Problem-Solving: Strong critical thinking and analytical abilities to assess challenges, develop solutions, and drive continuous improvement.
• Leadership & Decision-Making: Ability to see the bigger picture, make data-driven decisions, and systematically solve complex problems.
• Safety & Best Practices: Commitment to upholding safety standards, implementing manufacturing best practices, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement.
• Adaptability & Resilience: Positive attitude with the ability to thrive in a fast-paced, high-growth environment while managing competing priorities.

Education and Experience:

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Electrical, Industrial, or related field); advanced degree preferred.
• 10+ years of engineering leadership experience in a manufacturing environment, preferably in the beverage or food industry.
• Proven experience managing multi-site engineering teams and large-scale capital projects.
• Strong understanding of TPM, Lean Manufacturing, and Six Sigma methodologies.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and project management skills.
• Ability to travel as needed to support regional engineering teams and facilities.
• Lean Manufacturing background preferred

A Career with Refresco

Refresco is passionate about empowering leaders who reflect our core values and live by our leadership behaviors. These behaviors encourage effective leadership within the business, and focus on leading courageously, empowering individuals, and driving company growth as one team. Joining our team as a people manager means you’ll be encouraged to evolve as a leader who prioritizes the success of both you and your team, to deliver results, whilst bringing your authentic self to work.

Refresco offers a competitive salary and comprehensive benefits, which include:

• Medical/dental/vision insurance
• Life insurance
• 401(k) savings plan with company match
• Paid holidays and vacation

Join Refresco TODAYand enjoy a rewarding CAREER!

Any employment agency, person, or entity that submits a résumé to this career site or a hiring manager does so with the understanding that the applicant's résumé will become the property of Refresco Beverages, Inc. Refresco Beverages, Inc. will have the right to hire that applicant at its discretion without any fee owed to the submitting employment agency, person, or entity.

Employment agencies that have agreements with Refresco Beverages, Inc., and have been engaged in a search shall submit résumé to the designated Refresco recruiter or, upon authorization, submit a résumé to this career site to be eligible for placement fees.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Make a Difference in YOUR Career!

Our vision is both simple and ambitious: to put our drinks on every table.

We are the leading global independent beverage solutions provider. We serve a broad range of national and international retailers as well as Global, National and Emerging (GNE) brands. Our products are distributed worldwide from our production sites in Europe, North America, and Australia. Although our own branding may not appear on the labels of the bev]]> <