Senior Director of Engineering Excellence, Innovation & Automation

OverviewShearer’s Foods, founded in 1974 and headquartered in Massillon, OH, is a leading manufacturer of salty snacks, cookies, and crackers. Specializing in private label and co-manufacturing, Shearer’s is the largest supplier of private brand salty snacks and second-largest supplier of private brand cookies and crackers. With a strong focus on innovation, service, quality, and sustainability, Shearer’s has been awarded the food industry’s highest award for environmental sustainability, as well as multiple Supplier of the Year awards. Operating 16 locations across North America and employing more than 5000 team members, Shearer’s is driven by its core values of People, Grow, Impact and Win. The company mission is to deliver exceptional products and services that make snacking a time to celebrate for our customers, colleagues, and community. At Shearer’s Foods, we believe in a skills-first approach to recruitment and employment. This means focusing on what you can do and how you can grow, rather than traditional metrics alone. We are committed to adhering to anti-exclusion practices, removing barriers to access, and enhancing opportunities for all individuals based on merit and potential. Your skills, experience, and perspective are valuable—and we want to empower you to make your mark here with us.  ResponsibilitiesSenior Director of Engineering Excellence, Innovation & AutomationRemoteThe Senior Director of Engineering Excellence, Innovation & Automation is responsible for transforming engineering into a scalable operating system that drives enterprise-wide reliability, process standardization, and automation-led performance improvement.You will lead the identification, development, and deployment of engineering standards, advanced technologies (automation, AI, digital), and innovation initiatives to unlock capacity, reduce cost, and improve operational consistency across all manufacturing sites. Core responsibilities include:Engineering Excellence & StandardizationDefine and deploy enterprise engineering standards across processing, packaging, and utilitiesEstablish “gold standard” designs, process conditions, and control philosophiesDrive consistency in equipment design, controls architecture, and documentationOwn governance of engineering specifications, capital design standards, and technical practicesEnsure all capital projects align with enterprise standards and scalability requirementAutomation, AI & Digital StrategyBuild and execute a portfolio-driven automation roadmap aligned to business prioritiesScale proven solutions (vision systems, ML detection, edge computing, digital monitoring) across plantsStandardize controls, data architecture, and integration across sitesLead development of the Digital Factory strategy (real-time monitoring, predictive systems, analytics enablement)Partner with Operations to deploy automation that directly improves labor productivity, throughput, and reliabilityInnovation & Capacity UnlockLead identification and incubation of high-impact innovation opportunities (process, equipment, materials)Establish structured pipeline for ideation → pilot → validation → scalePartner with external suppliers, OEMs, and integrators to accelerate innovationFocus innovation on:De-staffing / labor reductionYield and waste reductionThroughput and capacity unlockingEnsure innovation is tied to measurable business outcomes and capital disciplineReliability & Predictive Capability EnablementEnable enterprise shift from reactive to predictive maintenance and operationsDeploy early detection systems (condition monitoring, AI-based failure prediction)Support integration of automation with reliability systems (CMMS, Redzone, digital tools)Partner with Reliability leadership to improve uptime, MTTR, and OEE performanceOperating Model & GovernanceEstablish clear stage-gate processes for innovation and automation investmentsEmbed engineering into the operating model as the governor of performance and standardsDefine KPIs and scorecards to track adoption, ROI, and performance impactEnsure alignment between Engineering, Operations, Finance, and Supply Chain leadershipOrganization & Capability BuildingBuild and lead a high-performing team focused on:Controls & AutomationDigital / AI / Data EngineeringProcess & Design StandardsInnovation Pipeline ManagementDevelop technical capability across the organization (plants + corporate)Establish Centers of Excellence (COEs) for automation and engineering excellenceCreate bench strength and future technical leadership pipelineQualificationsBachelor’s degree in Engineering (Industrial, Mechanical, Electrical, Chemical, or related); advanced degree preferred12–15+ years of progressive operations, engineering and CI leadership in manufacturing (CPG/food strongly preferred)Proven experience leading:Automation and controls strategyLarge-scale capital project deploymentEngineering standardization across multiple sitesStrong knowledge of:Processing and packaging systemsIndustrial automation (PLC, SCADA, MES, vision systems)Digital/AI applications in manufacturingDemonstrated ability to drive enterprise transformationAction-oriented, results-driven leader with strong bias for executionThinks in systems (enterprise vs site optimization)Drives accountability and performance through metrics and governanceSkilled at influencing senior leadership and cross-functional teamsBalances innovation with capital discipline and ROIWe are an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.