Automation Engineering Manager

About Flora Food Group

We offer consumers a compelling choice in four growing categories: butters and spreads, creams, liquids and cheeses. We hold leadership positions in many of the 100 countries we operate in, with iconic brands including Flora, Becel+ProActiv, Blue Band, Country Crock, I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter, Rama, and Violife, together with our local brands and Professional business.

Global branded food champion Flora Food Group, offers the next generation of delicious, natural, nutritious food. Our products are more affordable and more sustainable than their dairy equivalents.

Location: Hugoton, Kansas

About the Role

As Automation Engineering Manager, you will lead the delivery of the regionally agreed Executive Committee (ExCo) capital investment program related to automation systems and production applications. This role is critical in driving engineering excellence, ensuring safe and compliant project execution, and advancing automation capabilities across the Americas region. You will act as a key partner to the Americas Lead Engineering Manager, managing automation-related capital projects from concept through handover, and ensuring alignment with Flora Food Group's Engineering, Quality, and Safety standards.

What You'll Do

• Lead the implementation and continuous improvement of the Automation Engineering strategy across the region

• Support the Americas Lead Engineering Manager in defining project priorities and resource planning for automation initiatives

• Manage automation-related capital projects to ensure they are:

• Properly planned and governed

• Delivered safely, on time and in full (OTIF)

• Executed strictly within approved budgets

• Successfully handed over to the respective Sourcing Unit teams

• Maintain and optimize Hugoton OT and MES systems, including those supporting ScMM

• Take full accountability for project delivery within your scope, leveraging:

• Local Global Engineering teams

• Central Global Engineering resources

• External EPCM partners, based on feasibility and urgency

• Provide technical input and approval for regional capital investment proposals prior to submission to the Global Engineering Director

• Ensure all projects comply with:

• Flora Food Group Engineering and QA standards

• Local regulatory, safety, and statutory requirements

• Actively identify and deploy new automation technologies and methodologies to improve efficiency, accuracy, productivity, and sustainability across the global supply chain

• Demonstrate visible leadership in project safety, health, and environmental stewardship, leading by example

• Contribute to the development of engineering talent within the region through coaching, mentoring, and knowledge sharing

• Build strong, long-term relationships with preferred suppliers and contractors, in collaboration with Procurement, to ensure reliability and cost optimization

Performance Metrics

• Safety performance in project execution

• Adherence to approved budget and project schedules

• Engineering quality and compliance with standards

• Sustainability outcomes and cost savings delivered

• Customer and stakeholder satisfaction

Minimum Requirements

• 5+ years of experience in FMCG or a related manufacturing industry

• Proven track record delivering automation implementation and integration projects

• Strong experience in project engineering and/or project management

• Demonstrated accountability for project outcomes and ability to provide clear leadership and direction

• Excellent communication and coordination skills, both written and verbal

• Willingness and flexibility to travel within North America

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We understand your resume might not be up to date and recommend that you apply with what you have or your LinkedIn Profile. Flora Food Group is dedicated to building an inclusive and diverse workplace, we understand that you might not meet all the requirements stated in the description, but we encourage you to apply anyway. You might be the right candidate for this role or other roles. 

Flora Food Group is an employer committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace and equal opportunities for all. We recruit based only on values, qualifications, performance, skills, behaviours, experience, and knowledge. We ensure job advertisements are free from unintentional bias.

No personal characteristics should be a barrier to joining Flora Food Group. We prohibit discrimination and harassment based on race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, or other personal characteristics.