Project Director, Yogurt, Utilities & Environment

Description

Lactalis USA is currently seeking candidates to join our Engineering Team.

Lactalis Group, the world leader in dairy, is a family-owned business with more than 85,000 pragmatic and ambitious professionals worldwide, committed to providing healthy and delicious dairy products that bring people together every day. At Lactalis, our core values of AMBITION, ENGAGEMENT, and SIMPLICITY are at the heart of everything we do.

If you're looking for a unique experience with a company that offers strong brands, professional expertise, and a dynamic work environment that champions entrepreneurial spirit, hands-on responsibility, and real opportunity for career development, we want to hear from you!

At Lactalis US Yogurt, we are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive, and authentic workplace and we know that our candidates come from many different backgrounds, cultures, and experiences. If you're excited about this role but your past experience doesn't align perfectly with every qualification in the job posting, we still encourage you to apply and share with us your STORY, your PASSION, and your EXPERTISE! You may be just the perfect candidate for this or other roles within our company.

From your PASSION to ours

We are seeking a dynamic Project Director to lead and manage our Yogurt, Utilities & Environment Project Management teams. You will be instrumental in overseeing projects related to Yogurt, Utilities, and Environment equipment across all our manufacturing facilities, guiding them from the initial design stages through to successful and complete implementation. A key focus will be on ensuring these projects effectively support plant operations while strictly adhering to local regulatory requirements. This role necessitates close collaboration with fellow Project Directors and plant-based teams to guarantee seamless and well-coordinated project rollouts that minimize any disruption to ongoing plant processes.

You will be the primary point of contact for all financial matters and project schedules related to LUSY Capex projects, providing regular and comprehensive status reports to the LUSY VP of Manufacturing.

This role requires significant travel, estimated at 50-80%, to our various plant locations in NY, WI, CA, ID, NH, VT, AZ, TN, & MI, as well as to the sites of our equipment manufacturers and vendors, both within the United States and internationally.

From your EXPERTISE to ours

Key responsibilities for this position include:

• Provide leadership and direction to a team of Project Managers, fostering a collaborative and high-performing environment.
• Ensure the successful completion of all project management responsibilities within the team.
• Recruit, develop, and evaluate the performance of project management team members.
• Facilitate regular team meetings to ensure alignment on project goals, progress, and challenges.
• Maintain a comprehensive LUSY active project report, providing timely updates on project status (schedule and financial) to the LUSA Director and LUSY VP of Manufacturing.
• Champion continuous learning by organizing and participating in training on relevant global/local regulations and company standards/goals.
• Contribute to the strategic direction of the company by analyzing long-term plans and identifying key project opportunities.
• Lead audits of manufacturing plants (Yogurt, Utilities & Environment) to identify and prioritize needs for major maintenance, upgrades, and replacements.
• Prepare comprehensive Capex project documentation for annual stakeholder presentations.
• Monitor and analyze key financial metrics related to LUSY division capital expenditures.
• Establish and maintain a centralized and easily accessible repository for all documentation related to Yogurt, Utilities & Environment projects.
• Actively research and evaluate new technologies to drive innovation and continuous improvement within our manufacturing processes.
• Champion and implement effective project management principles across all team activities.
• Lead and contribute to the development of the annual capital budget.
• Willingness to travel and adjust work hours as required by project demands.

From your STORY to ours

Qualified applicants will contribute the following:

• A Bachelor's degree in Mechanical or Chemical Engineering.
• 5+ years of progressive experience leading and developing project management teams within a manufacturing environment (food industry experience is a significant plus).
• Deep-seated expertise in Yogurt production systems.
• Comprehensive knowledge of heating, cooling, and air handling systems.
• A strong understanding of Waste Water Treatment Plant operations and systems.
• A track record of successfully optimizing complex industrial systems.
• Experience driving impactful energy saving projects.
• Experience contributing to carbon footprint reduction efforts.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office, particularly Excel (including macros and pivot tables), and familiarity with AutoCAD for reviewing building, equipment, and P&ID drawings.
• A thorough understanding of regulatory requirements from agencies such as USDA, FDA, OSHA, and DEQ, including PSM and PHA.
• Exceptional attention to detail and a passion for process improvement.
• The ability to conduct thorough audits, perform insightful investigations, and implement effective improvements to manufacturing processes.
• Outstanding communication skills to effectively engage with both internal and external partners.
• Exceptional organizational and time management skills, with a proven ability to prioritize, follow up, and drive projects forward.
• A proactive and continuous improvement-oriented approach.
• The capacity to work autonomously and manage responsibilities with minimal oversight.
• Flexibility and willingness to travel extensively, both nationally and internationally, to plant and vendor locations.
• The ability to assess team performance, provide effective training, and address disciplinary matters when necessary.
• Willingness and ability to travel extensively (50-80%) to support project needs across various plant locations and vendor sites, both domestically and internationally.

Lactalis is an equal employment opportunity employer. We will not discriminate against applicants with regard to any legally-recognized basis including, but not limited to: veteran status, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, sexual orientation, and physical or mental disabilities.