Position OverviewOur vision is loved brands, done sustainably, for a better shared future. We strive to provide cutting-edge excellence in ingredients, innovation, engineering, and manufacturing operations.
The Senior Director II, Engineering is a senior technical and strategic leadership role responsible for engineering strategy, manufacturing technology, and technical execution in support of Syrup Manufacturing Operations. The role requires deep engineering and beverage manufacturing experience, including a strong understanding of syrup and beverage processing systems and manufacturing equipment, combined with strategic thinking, analytical problem solving, business acumen, and strong people leadership.
This leader must operate effectively in a fast-paced, high-expectation environment, moving between long-range strategy and immediate manufacturing and business needs. Success requires the ability to understand complex technical and business issues, determine what matters most, challenge assumptions, make sound decisions with incomplete information, and mobilize teams toward results.
The Senior Director II will lead through both direct authority and influence, partnering closely with Syrup Manufacturing Operations and building strong relationships across Supply Chain, Quality, Safety, Commercialization, Procurement, Finance, OEMs, suppliers, engineering firms, and other technical functions.
What You'll Do for UsStrategic and Technical Leadership- Develop and translate business priorities into engineering strategies, technical roadmaps, investment priorities, and executable plans.
- Provide senior-level engineering leadership for Syrup Manufacturing Operations, including beverage processing systems, manufacturing equipment, utilities, automation, and integrated manufacturing solutions.
- Evaluate equipment, technologies, and engineering alternatives based on technical merit, safety, quality, business value, scalability, reliability, maintainability, risk, and total cost of ownership.
- Challenge engineering teams, OEMs, suppliers, and external partners to ensure proposed solutions address the underlying manufacturing and business need.
- Balance near-term Syrup Manufacturing operating needs with long-term strategies for equipment reliability, maintainability, asset health, standardization, manufacturing capability, productivity, flexibility, and network performance.
Engineering Execution and Problem Solving- Lead resolution of complex engineering and manufacturing challenges requiring coordination across multiple disciplines, sites, and stakeholders.
- Apply structured analytical thinking to equipment performance, process capability, capital alternatives, cost, schedule, technical risk, and investment decisions.
- Ensure recommendations are supported by data, engineering analysis, business impact, alternatives, risks, and a clear recommended path.
- Identify technical and execution risks early, establish mitigation plans, escalate appropriately, and drive issues to closure.
- Maintain internal ownership of engineering strategy and technical decisions while effectively managing OEMs, engineering firms, contractors, suppliers, and integrators.
Capital and Business Leadership- Provide technical leadership and governance for major capital investments and engineering programs.
- Ensure proposed investments have a clearly defined business need, appropriate technical scope, credible cost and schedule assumptions, and measurable expected outcomes.
- Challenge unnecessary complexity, fragmented investments, and solutions that do not provide sufficient technical or business value.
- Promote solutions that consider lifecycle cost, maintainability, reliability, standardization, manufacturing flexibility, operational performance, and long-term network needs.
- Communicate technical alternatives and trade-offs in business terms that enable timely senior-leadership decisions.
People and Organizational Leadership- Build, develop, and lead a high-performing technical organization capable of supporting current operations and future business needs.
- Set high expectations for ownership, accountability, technical rigor, strategic thinking, collaboration, speed, and quality of execution.
- Develop technical talent and leadership capability, strengthen succession depth, and create meaningful growth opportunities.
- Create an environment where people constructively challenge assumptions, raise risks early, use data to make decisions, and take ownership for results.
- Lead effectively through ambiguity, organizational change, competing priorities, and high-pressure business situations.
Communication and Stakeholder Leadership- Communicate complex engineering and manufacturing matters clearly and concisely to technical and nontechnical audiences.
- Build credibility with Syrup Manufacturing Operations, plant leaders, and senior business leaders through sound judgment, transparency, technical knowledge, and consistent execution.
- Influence decisions across organizational boundaries where direct authority may not exist.
- Present senior leadership with clear facts, risks, options, recommendations, and decisions required rather than activity-only updates.
- Respectfully challenge decisions, assumptions, or technical approaches when the business or technical rationale warrants it.
Required Qualifications- Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or Chemical Engineering from an accredited engineering program. An engineering degree in one of these three disciplines is required.
- Significant engineering and technical leadership experience in beverage manufacturing.
- Direct beverage manufacturing experience with demonstrated knowledge of beverage processing systems, manufacturing processes, and equipment.
- Strong technical understanding of manufacturing equipment and systems, including equipment capability, performance, reliability, maintainability, technical risk, and integration into manufacturing operations.
- Demonstrated experience leading complex engineering initiatives involving multiple disciplines, manufacturing locations, suppliers, OEMs, and business stakeholders.
- Strong analytical capability and demonstrated use of structured problem solving for complex technical and business challenges.
- Strong strategic thinking and the ability to translate business requirements into engineering strategies and executable technical plans.
- Strong business and financial acumen, including the ability to connect engineering decisions to capital investment, operating performance, cost, risk, and long-term business strategy.
- Demonstrated success leading, developing, and influencing technical professionals and engineering leaders.
- Strong written, verbal, presentation, and executive communication skills, including the ability to simplify complex technical matters and communicate facts, risks, alternatives, recommendations, and decisions required.
- Demonstrated ability to operate in a fast-paced, highly dynamic environment, manage competing priorities, and maintain momentum while preserving technical rigor and accountability.
- Ability and willingness to travel 50% to 75%, primarily to manufacturing facilities, co-manufacturing locations, suppliers, OEMs, and project sites. Travel may include extended on-site presence during critical project phases.
Preferred Qualifications- Advanced degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Engineering Management, or Business Administration.
- Experience supporting Syrup Manufacturing Operations within a multi-site beverage manufacturing network.
- Experience with major capital programs, complex beverage equipment installations, commissioning, startup, stabilization, and performance optimization.
- Broad technical exposure across beverage processing, packaging, automation and controls, utilities, infrastructure, reliability, and manufacturing systems.
- Experience evaluating and managing OEMs, engineering firms, system integrators, contractors, and other external technical partners.
- Experience developing engineering standards, technical strategies, or scalable solutions for deployment across multiple manufacturing operations.
- Project Management Professional (PMP) certification or comparable formal project-management training.
Leadership ProfileStrategic and Enterprise-MindedSees beyond the immediate project or site and understands broader implications for the manufacturing network, capital strategy, and business.
Technically CredibleUses strong engineering fundamentals and beverage manufacturing knowledge to challenge assumptions and make sound technical decisions.
Analytical and DecisiveUses data and structured problem solving, makes timely decisions, and appropriately manages risk when information is incomplete.
Results-OrientedCreates clarity, establishes accountability, removes barriers, and drives commitments through closure.
Influential CommunicatorSimplifies complexity, builds alignment, and communicates effectively across technical teams, plant leadership, and senior executives.
People LeaderBuilds strong teams, develops future leaders, and creates accountability while maintaining trust and respect.
Adaptive and Fast-PacedManages multiple priorities and changing business needs without sacrificing technical rigor or execution quality.
What We Can Do for You- Provide a highly visible leadership opportunity with meaningful impact on Syrup Manufacturing capability, reliability, innovation, capital strategy, and long-term performance.
- Offer the opportunity to lead technically challenging engineering initiatives supporting Syrup Manufacturing Operations across a broad beverage manufacturing network.
- Enable you to shape engineering strategy, develop technical talent, and influence major investment decisions supporting NAOU.
- Connect you with iconic brands and a diverse group of colleagues, suppliers, bottlers, OEMs, and manufacturing partners.
Our Purpose and Growth CultureWe are taking deliberate action to nurture an inclusive culture grounded in our company purpose, to refresh the world and make a difference. We act with a growth mindset, take an expansive approach to what is possible, and believe in continuous learning to improve our business and ourselves. We value how we work as much as what we achieve.
