Head of Engineering

The organization

The LIVEKINDLY Collective, a collective of heritage and startup brands, is on track to become one of the world’s largest plant-based food companies. Under the leadership of founders, entrepreneurs and global leaders, their mission is to make plant-based living the new norm by creating delicious and nutritious food without the need for animals or the depletion of natural resources.

Join them on their journey to inspire change in the world by bringing kindness where it belongs: to your plate!

The position

This position is a critical position within the LIVEKINDLY Collective Operations team, reporting directly to the Chief Operations Officer. The Head of Engineering oversees all new capital growth projects, as well as, the mechanical, electrical and digital needs of the equipment and machinery required in the process of manufacturing plant-based food. This role will strive to maximise plant productivity by ensuring scalable manufacturing processes combined with full automation and digitisation. In addition, productivity should be maximised by engaging in preventive actions in reference to health and safety, good manufacturing practices (GMP), hygiene compliance and performance of preventative maintenance of machines and equipment.

This role will be based in their factory in Oss, in The Netherlands and has global oversight of other factories in Pinetown, South Afria and Stora Levene, Sweden, plus any new factories/operations that will be added in the future.

Tasks and responsibilities

• Lead and manage key growth capital projects to serve demand
• Implement intelligent digital monitoring, advance warning and redundancy processes and technologies to minimise down-time
• Implement 21st century Factory Acceptance Tests (“FAT”) as well as technical commissioning processes and procedures and hold suppliers accountable for reliable supply of manufacturing processes and equipment from date of start-up
• Set processes and activities to deliver high quality products
• Develop processes and techniques for food production or food preservation. Engage in the design, development, construction and operation of industrial processes and techniques for food manufacturing
• Find innovative ways to improve OEE and effective output at lower cost
• Managing all process engineering activities in the plant keeping track of plant maintenance (including critical spare parts), plant improvement and requirements for effective production
• Apply regulations regarding manufacture of food and food safety compliance. Employ food safety procedures based on Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP) and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP)
• Evaluate and identify opportunities to use resources more efficiently whilst continuously striving to reduce waste
• Implementing preventative action, corrective action and continuous improvement plans from internal and third party audits to meet food safety, external certification and quality performance indicators with adherance to agreed timescales
• Apply and follow national, international and internal requirements quoted in standards, regulations and other specifications related with manufacturing of food
• Carry out checks of the machinery and equipment used in the production plant. Ensure that the machinery is working properly at all times, are well maintained so as to ensure continuous operability of the equipment
• Design highly scaleable plant configurations, including sources and equipment for the food industry so that they can be readily adapted to suit the product range and the process technologies involved. Take environmental and economic aspects into account

Candidate profile

• A highly interactive leader who inspires and enables others to reach their full potential
• Communicates effectively with multi-functional team members at all levels of the organisation
• Demonstratrable ability to be agile at all times
• Demonstratrable ability to deal with ambiguity with multiple stakeholders in a multi-cultural environment
• Appreciates and is able to embrace diversity and inclusion in how we work with each other

Interested?

You can apply to this position by using the link below. For more information please contact Wiebe Teeuwen, +31 (0)23 754 86 60.