Position Title: VP Global Innovation Engineering

Position Type: Regular - Full-Time

Position Location: Oakbrook Terrace

Requisition ID: 24560

This is a highly visible, senior role to develop, own and drive the entire Innovation Program for McCain across the global and regional engineering organizations. This role will be located in either North America or Central Europe and the mandate will be to ensure that we are pipelining and delivering projects that are fit for purpose while maintaining a competitive advantage to the business. This role will manage a team of engineers (including the Robotics Centre of Excellence) to identify, develop and implement breakthrough engineering innovations across the entire network. The role will also require extensive cross-functional collaboration ranging all levels, and travels to different regions/sites to provide leadership & support.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Ownership of the entire Innovation Engineering Program across the McCain Network – Set-up, Development and Continual Management.
• Own respective capital submittal process and full budget management for all related Innovation investments
• Development and management of Global Innovation Engineering team
• Lead the Global Innovation Engineering Organizations, including the Robotics Centre of Excellence
• Identify, develop and implement the Global Innovation Engineering Pipelines
• Leadership in identifying and investigating new/ emerging engineering technologies, innovations and opportunities
• Choiceful partnership with strategic Suppliers and OEMs to identify and develop new technologies.
• Develop pilot plants/ lighthouses for testing innovations and potential future integration
• Connect with Internal and external key stakeholders to ensure buy-in and support
• Establish an Engineering Innovation Network and Ecosystem – leverage carefully selected universities/ academic institutes & leaders to identify more partnership which will feed and strengthen our innovation plan
• Drive the use of systemic process development process for breakthrough innovations to ensure we are planning appropriately, getting the right input and alignment to set the projects up for success
• Develop and execute associated IP strategies with legal to protect McCain's interests.
• Travel to various regions/ sites to provide associated leadership and support.
• Develop and maintain global innovation engineering scorecard.
• Drive the use of technical steering committees for major innovations to ensure that status is on track and we're following change management procedures
• Provide thoughtful and strategic updates to the Senior Leadership Team and Board of Directors as required
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

To perform this position successfully, the individual must be able to perform each job duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skills, and/or abilities required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential duties.

Education:

• Minimum University Degree in Engineering (Chem, Mech or Electrical) or in a related discipline.
• Advanced degrees (Masters or PhD) preferred.

Leadership Abilities:

• Experience in managing medium to large size engineering organizations
• Proven capability to develop and maintain strong collaborative business relationships across global and regional functions
• Ability to influence effective decision-making with cross-functional teams
• Highly developed interpersonal skills with diversity and inclusion sensitivity
• Excellent communication skills to effectively and persuasively articulate positions (electronically and verbally) to various audiences and at all levels of the business
• Ability to effectively delegate tasks and measure progress across multiple priorities
• Ability to work independently and within teams on both strategy and tactical projects with minimal supervision.
• Program management skills: identification and management of stakeholders, milestone development and tracking of progress, resource management, risk mitigation, detailed action planning, basic familiarity with change management.

Business Acumen:

• Excellent business insight and the ability to manage complexity within the McCain landscape
• Ability to propose, evaluate and motivate projects from an organizational, technical and financial perspective
• Ability to interact at various levels within the global and regional integrated supply chain (Manufacturing, Tech Svcs etc)
• Ability to interface x-functionally with other functions (e.g., Ag, Procurement, Finance, R&D, Legal, etc)
• Proven experience managing large and complex capital budgets and investments independently

Required Length & Type of Experience:

• Minimum of 15 years of relevant experience in a similar role, preferably in Food or CPG industries
• Proven track record in a management role – experienced in managing direct reports
• Experience and comfortable working in a matrix organization with x-functional teams and multiple stakeholders
• Proven track record to drive results through influencing, persuading and collaboration

Travel:

• Willingness to travel internationally up to 40%
• Flexibility to work across multiple time zone

Stakeholder Contacts

• Global Manufacturing Operations Offer and SLT
• Global Manufacturing Operations Leadership
• Global and Regional Supply Chain teams

• Global and Regional Engineering and Maintenance
• Global Technical Services
• Global Procurement
• R&D, Ag and Legal
• Global & Regional Finance
• Global and Regional OT and IS
• Manufacturing Directors, Plant Managers, Regional Maintenance Managers and Plant Maintenance Managers

McCain Foods is an equal opportunity employer. We see value in ensuring we have a diverse, antiracist, inclusive, merit-based, and equitable workplace. As a global family-owned company we are proud to reflect the diverse communities around the world in which we live and work. We recognize that diversity drives our creativity, resilience, and success and makes our business stronger.
McCain is an accessible employer. If you require an accommodation throughout the recruitment process (including alternate formats of materials or accessible meeting rooms), please let us know and we will work with you to meet your needs.

The health and safety of McCain employees and their families has been our number one priority since the start of COVID-19 pandemic. With vaccination restrictions easing across the globe we do not currently require employees to be vaccinated, but we reserve the right to change this mandate in line with health guidance and regulations in each country.
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Job Family: Engineering & Technical
Division: Global Manufacturing Operations
Department: Global Innovation Engineering
Location(s): CA - Canada : Ontario : Toronto || FR - France : Nord : Villeneuve-d'Ascq || US - United States of America : Illinois : Oakbrook Terrace

Company: McCain Foods USA, Inc.