Director of Engineering and Maintenance
- St Stephen, NB
- Permanent
- Temps-plein
Location: St. Stephen, New Brunswick
TP-8345Ganong Bros., Canada's oldest chocolate and confectionery company, has been crafting premium treats in St. Stephen, New Brunswick for over 145 years. As a proudly Canadian, family-owned business, Ganong has built a legacy of quality, innovation, and community commitment. Today, the company is embracing the future with bold investments in automation, modernization, and growth.In partnership with Meridia Recruitment Solutions, Ganong is seeking a Director of Engineering and Maintenance to lead critical modernization efforts and help drive operational excellence across their manufacturing facilities.Role Description
As the Director of Engineering & Maintenance, you will lead Ganong's engineering, maintenance, and project management teams through an exciting transformation. Reporting directly to the COO, you will shape and implement a forward-thinking strategy that supports scalable growth, equipment reliability, and modern production capabilities. This is a key leadership role for a visionary technical leader who thrives on continuous improvement, automation, and cross-functional collaboration.Your responsibilities will include:
- Provide leadership and direction to the Engineering, Maintenance, and Project Management teams.
- Develop and implement an integrated strategy to modernize infrastructure, improve system reliability, and support Ganong's automation and growth objectives.
- Lead capital investment (CAPEX) planning and execution, with a focus on automation, equipment upgrades, and facility improvements.
- Champion preventive maintenance and asset management programs to reduce downtime and extend equipment life.
- Ensure compliance with safety, environmental, and regulatory standards across all facility systems.
- Collaborate with cross-functional departments (Finance, Operations, Supply Chain) to align technical projects with business needs and ensure readiness across the organization.
- Oversee project scoping, budgeting, vendor selection, and on-time delivery of strategic engineering initiatives.
- Monitor and manage departmental budgets, identifying opportunities for cost control and operational efficiency.
- Build and maintain high-performing technical teams through effective leadership, mentorship, and professional development.
- Foster a culture of safety, innovation, collaboration, and continuous learning.
You are a forward-thinking senior manufacturing leader with a strong command of both technical operations and strategic planning. Throughout your career, you've demonstrated the ability to lead multidisciplinary teams through complex, high-impact initiatives that balance immediate operational needs with long-term business goals. Your leadership style is rooted in collaboration and accountability, and you're known for developing strong cross-functional relationships that support organizational alignment and execution. You are adept at navigating change, managing ambiguity, and leveraging technology to optimize performance across systems and teams. Whether you're overseeing a multimillion-dollar capital project or mentoring emerging leaders, you bring a balanced, people-centric approach that drives measurable results and fosters a culture of continuous improvement.Your qualifications include:
- 10+ years of progressive leadership experience in a manufacturing setting.
- Familiarity with food manufacturing or consumer packaged goods industries is an asset
- Bachelor's degree in Engineering (mechanical, electrical, or industrial) or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
- Experience driving continuous improvement initiatives; an understanding of Lean or Kaizen methodologies is considered an asset.
- Excellent change management skills, able to build buy-in across cross-functional teams and sustain momentum through transformation
- Proven experience leading engineering and maintenance teams through organizational change and department integration
- Strong project management skills, with a track record of successfully delivering automation and capital projects on time and within budget
- Demonstrated ability to troubleshoot complex operational issues and create efficient, scalable processes
- Strong communication and interpersonal skills to foster collaboration
- Comfortable managing capital budgets and aligning engineering initiatives with long-term business growth plans