Senior Engineering Manager - Packing/Process Automation

Rich’s, also known as Rich Products Corporation, is a family-owned food company dedicated to inspiring possibilities. From cakes and icings to pizza, appetizers and specialty toppings, our products are used in homes, restaurants and bakeries around the world. Beyond great food, our customers also gain insights to help them stay competitive, no matter their size. Our portfolio includes creative solutions geared at helping food industry professionals compete in foodservice, retail, in-store bakery, deli, and prepared foods, among others. Working in 100 locations globally, with annual sales exceeding $4 billion, Rich’s is a global leader with a focus on everything that family makes possible. Rich’s®—Infinite Possibilities. One Family.

PURPOSE STATEMENT

The Senior Engineering Manager - Packing/Process Automation is responsible for the definition and justification of long-term process, packing technology and packaging material strategies, co-developing innovative equipment solutions with OEM/suppliers, and leading the long-term Enterprise productivity transformation.  The individual will lead the development and delivery of breakthrough technology-based operational solutions, including the ideation, design, validation and implementation of manufacturing technology solutions that positively transform the way our operations run daily by improving overall productivity and performance, while guaranteeing operator safety and maintaining or improving product safety and quality.  The position will also co-lead with R&D the development of new packaging materials and lead the strategies and delivery of adequate packing equipment solutions, driving material and equipment interaction efficiencies, interdependent standard designs, and cost savings.

Key responsibilities include envisioning the possibilities, developing the strategies, and leading the research, analysis, simulation, design, programming, piloting, troubleshooting, implementation and management of advanced packaging and packing automation solutions, including robotics, in-line quality control solutions, vision systems and advanced controls systems. The ideal candidate will champion innovation across the Enterprise and drive the implementation of disciplined design and technical readiness processes following Reliability Engineering principles and Technology Validation protocols. The individual in this role will envision what is possible and lead feedback to design on packaging materials for improved processability, reliability, quality, and cost optimization, as well as identification and implementation of material cost savings through simplification and packaging / packing equipment standardization.

The Senior Engineering Manager - Packing/Process Automation will proactively lead the development of new Enterprise-wide business cases for automation and savings initiatives and manage capital and material optimization projects from conceptual design through vertical start up. This includes ensuring full definition of engineering scope and material technical solutions, justifications, hands-on project management, vendor management, on-site start-up leadership, validation of the equipment, materials, and line performance, as well as owning the overall delivery of success criteria.

The role can be based anywhere in the continental USA with travel as needed to identify, develop and deliver technical and business commitments.  

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES/OUTCOMES

•    Develops innovation plans and leads the identification of breakthrough cross-category manufacturing opportunities at scale that can be solved through packaging design and/or packing/process technology, controls and/or automation solutions, developing sound technical and business proposals to help obtain leadership support for evaluation and execution.
•    Leads development of diverse multi-category platform solutions that support material and technology requirements, business economics and technical recommendations, connects with materials, equipment, controls, software vendors and manufacturing operations partners to create technical solutions, and collaborates with internal and external resources to deliver them.
•    Leads multiple projects and technical re-platform programs through technical discovery, design and delivery, ensuring excellence in the analysis, documentation of options, preparation and execution of block diagrams, transformation flow sheets, simulations, risk assessments, Failure Mode Analysis, reliability and quality analyses, study lists, cost estimates, safety studies, technical 

recommendations, schedule, prototyping, learning plans, test plans, equipment/material testing, troubleshooting, equipment/material acceptance, construction and start-up plans.
•    Leads as a Project Manager / Program Leader on complex programs, directly owning and delivering project scope, cost, technical readiness, justific