Avantor is seeking a Manager, Project Engineering to work in collaboration with local and corporate leadership, including executives, in the areas of Process Engineering, Capital Project Management, and Reliability & Maintenance, in the planning, development, and execution of strategic priorities for all Project Engineering activities and initiatives.
The Manager, Project Engineering is recognized both inside and outside the organization as a thought leader in Engineering and related areas. This role will evaluate, design, execute, measure, monitor and control business processes related to Capital Investment and Project Management; ensure business process outcomes are in harmony with the organization’s strategic goals; & collaborate across departments to improve the management of various business processes.
This is a full-time position based out of our Carpinteria, CA (preferred) or Bakersfield, CA offices & must be able to travel up to 25%.
What we’re looking for:
- Education:
- Bachelor’s Degree in a relevant Engineering discipline preferred; Master’s/MBA desired.
- Experience:
- 5+ years of experience in a Project Engineering leadership role with a combination of Process Engineering, Project Management, and Maintenance experience preferred.
- Minimum 5 years of experience with Six Sigma and Lean Manufacturing, current or past certification desired.
- PMP certification highly desirable.
- Additional Qualifications:
- Professional Engineer license in California or Texas preferred.
- Other professional certifications such as PgMP, ASME, ISO, API, etc. preferred depending upon relevance.
- Ability to be a thought leader in Engineering and related areas.
- Strong leadership, communication, and analytical skills.
- Skilled in stakeholder engagement to deliver expected results in a rapidly changing, fast-paced environment.
How you will thrive and create an impact:
- Champion the culture of safety, collaboration, and DEI at all levels, and be an advocate for Avantor’s core values of Innovation, Customer-Centricity, Accountability, Respect, and Excellence (ICARE).
- Oversee the Project Engineering teams based in Carpinteria and Bakersfield, CA.
- Provide Project Engineering leadership and resource allocation for four sites: Carpinteria, Bakersfield, and Chino, CA; and Irving, TX.
- Work hand-in-hand with the leadership team to ensure that Project Engineering priorities remain aligned with organizational needs, and that Project Engineering efforts are planned, launched, executed, and completed in a timely manner.
- Monitor and report on department metrics and KPIs, including preparing and updating reports and dashboards presentable to all levels of the company.
- Manage all personnel as a “people first” leader to ensure frequent and consistent engagement, recognition, development, and promotion, with a continuous eye on department and team morale.
- Coach and mentor associates and direct reports as well as Engineers in other departments as a recognized subject matter expert.
- Create a long-term vision and plan for the department to include Capital Investments to a 3-to-5-year horizon.
- Be the voice of the customer, internal and possibly external, to ensure that organizational needs are prioritized appropriately, and achieved consistently.
- Be ready, willing, and able to take calculated risks, make sound data-driven decisions, and speak truth to power.
- Translate corporate strategy into department priorities, and communicate to all levels whilst ensuring that all department needs and other feedback are communicated.
- Represent the Project Engineering function in meetings, presentations, and communications.
- Responsible for departmental P&L up to $4MM/yr, and Capital Investment allocation of $10MM/yr and up.
- Consider processes holistically from beginning to end, introducing innovation to improve outcomes, enhance profitability, and allow the organization to meet business objectives and goals.
- Leverage department resources and strategic alliances to address issues that are highly complex, multi-dimensional, and generally but not always highly technical in nature, sometimes without precedence.