Senior Center of Excellence Functional Leader, Engineering

This is a fully remote position, open to applicants in Colorado.

📋 Description

• Provide high-level strategic direction and oversight for engineering disciplines across Ardent Mills, including process engineering, automation, structural design, project management, and capital execution.

• Develop and maintain a comprehensive enterprise engineering project portfolio strategy.

• Lead the governance, prioritization, and execution of the enterprise capital portfolio, which encompasses annual planning, project prioritization, stage-gate approvals, resource allocation, and post-project value realization.

• Supervise the development, governance, and continuous enhancement of engineering processes, technical standards, and best practices.

• Address complex engineering escalations and systemic issues that necessitate senior-level technical oversight or COE intervention.

• Analyze enterprise engineering metrics, benchmarking data, and system performance to pinpoint strategic improvement opportunities and initiate action plans.

• Assess emerging technologies, AI-driven analytics, and engineering innovations while converting findings into solutions ready for enterprise implementation.

• Collaborate with Operations and Sustainability leaders to devise strategies for energy, environmental, and resource optimization.

• Manage both internal and external engineering audits, ensuring accountability, follow-up, and alignment with regulatory, customer, and corporate requirements.

• Cultivate and sustain relationships with external vendors for capital project execution.

• Lead and nurture a high-performing engineering team, fostering talent pipelines, succession plans, and technical career pathways.

• Represent the Engineering COE in senior leadership forums and collaborate with Operations, Quality, and Engineering leaders to influence enterprise decisions and support future-state planning.

• Oversee due diligence for acquisitions related to asset health and operational standards.

• Provide updates on capital plan status and KPI performance to senior leadership.

• Conduct activities with reliability, integrity, compliance, and in a safe, environmentally responsible, and efficient manner.

⛳️ Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering or a related field.

• Over 15 years of progressive engineering leadership experience in manufacturing, food processing, milling, agriculture, or related industrial operations, including multi-site or enterprise-level responsibilities.

• Demonstrated experience in delivering capital planning to executive leadership or Board of Directors.

• Proven experience in coaching teams to identify opportunities or implement changes that enhance products or reduce costs, utilizing knowledge of fabrication processes, tooling, production equipment, assembly methods, quality control standards, product design, materials, and parts.

• Experience in developing strategic investment plans that align with the enterprise strategy.

• Successful history of designing and executing new methods and processes to optimize existing operations.

• Proven track record of guiding engineering teams in troubleshooting product issues related to designs, materials, or processes.

• Proficiency in Autodesk products, including AutoCAD, Navisworks, Revit, and Recap.

• Capability to establish engineering standards pertinent to the engineering field.

• Prior experience in due diligence and M&A asset integration into an organization.

• Strong interpersonal skills, including the ability to build relationships with cross-functional team members.

• Demonstrated strategic leadership with a record of delivering anticipated outcomes.

• Proven experience in fostering positive customer relationships.

• Ability to wear necessary personal protective equipment (PPE), including safety glasses, protective footwear, hearing protection, and occasionally a respirator.

• Physical capability to engage on the plant floor, including periodic lifting, pulling, pushing up to 50 lbs., climbing, and navigating stairways and ladders throughout the facility.

• Willingness to travel 50% or more within the US and Canada.

• Must either reside in a location where Ardent Mills is authorized to employ or be open to relocating from the listed ineligible states.

🏝️ Benefits

• Medical, Dental, and Vision Coverage.

• Health and Dependent Savings Accounts.

• Life and Disability Programs.

• Voluntary Benefit Programs.

• Company Sponsored Wellness Programs.

• Retirement Savings with Company Match.

• Team Member and Family Assistance Program (EAP).

• Paid Time Off and Paid Holidays.

• Employee Recognition Program with Rewards (RAVE).

• Ardent Mills Bonus Plan.

• Additional earning potential may be available based on experience.