Senior Director, Global Engineering

Avantor is a global science and technology company serving life sciences and regulated manufacturing markets. The Senior Director, Global Engineering provides strategic and operational leadership across global engineering, capital projects, automated manufacturing systems, digital transformation, operational excellence, and EHS/PSM compliance. The role leads major capital investments, improves manufacturing performance and OEE, develops engineering talent, and drives collaboration across global operations.

Responsibilities:

• Define and execute the global engineering strategy aligned with Avantor’s growth objectives, operational excellence standards, and sustainability goals
• Translate strategy into functional objectives, governance structures, and execution roadmaps across a multi-site engineering organization
• Establish global engineering standards, design principles, and best practices to ensure consistency, scalability, and compliance
• Serve as a key member of the operations PMO leadership team, influencing enterprise decisions related to manufacturing footprint, capacity, and technology strategy
• Own and govern a global capital portfolio, including Programs up to $50M (process improvements, automation upgrades, equipment installations, and operational initiatives) and Capital projects up to $150M (new plant builds, major expansions, and large-scale infrastructure investments)
• Ensure disciplined execution across the full project lifecycle: concept development, FEED, design, execution, commissioning, and handover
• Lead front-end engineering design, and execution of major capital investments
• Drive cross-functional alignment (operations, supply chain, quality, EHS, finance) to ensure delivery against scope, schedule, budget, and business case KPIs
• Ensure capital decisions are evaluated with a long-term strategic lens, balancing risk, return, and enterprise impact
• Establish global standards and upgrade strategies for automation systems, applicable to both existing and next-generation equipment
• Drive integration of manufacturing systems with enterprise digital platforms, enabling real-time visibility, analytics, and data-driven decision-making
• Partner with IT, digital, and cybersecurity teams to ensure secure, resilient, and future-ready architectures
• Deploy Industry 4.0 technologies, advanced analytics, and smart factory solutions to modernize operations
• Develop and implement global asset lifecycle and reliability strategies to improve uptime, maintainability, and cost efficiency
• Drive enterprise-wide improvements in Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) across sites to enable predictable production output
• Leverage digital tools, connected systems, and advanced analytics to identify variability, improve performance, and standardize outcomes
• Lead the development and application of new technology to enhance OEE and operational predictability
• Partner with site leadership to implement Lean, Six Sigma, and continuous improvement methodologies
• Lead root cause analysis and systemic corrective actions for major operational and safety events
• Provide technical leadership in discrete assembly & fill, chemical processing, scale-up, and optimization within regulated environments
• Guide design and deployment of discrete automated manufacturing systems, including robotics, PLC/SCADA, MES integration, and advanced controls
• Ensure processes are robust, validated, and compliant with GMP, ISO, and customer requirements
• Support modernization of manufacturing capabilities through automation, digitalization, and advanced process control
• Ensure project compliance with Process Safety Management (PSM), including hazard studies (PHA, HAZOP), mechanical integrity, and management of change (MOC)
• Ensure engineering designs meet or exceed all regulatory and corporate safety standards
• Embed inherent safety and risk-based decision-making into engineering strategy and execution
• Ensure containment, safe design, and environmental stewardship are integral to all capital and operational decisions
• Address multi-dimensional problems by adapting methods and approaches in the absence of defined procedures or precedent
• Work on issues impacting current performance and future-state capabilities, including next-generation manufacturing concepts
• Evaluate complex situations where outcomes depend on both data and intangibles such as stakeholder alignment and organizational impact
• Exercise independent judgment in defining methods, techniques, and evaluation criteria
• Decisions have critical, long-term impact on the function and enterprise success
• Lead, coach, and develop director-level and managerial talent across the global engineering organization
• Build and sustain a strong pipeline of technical and leadership talent aligned to future business needs
• Responsible for workforce planning, including hiring, staffing, and resource allocation to ensure execution capability
• Holds full people management authority, including hiring, firing, promotion, and reward decisions in accordance with corporate guidelines
• Lead one or more functional areas through subordinate directors and managers, ensuring accountability for overall performance
• Foster a culture of accountability, innovation, and continuous improvement
• Act as a visible leader across regions, reinforcing alignment and organizational capability
• Collaborate with operations, quality, supply chain, regulatory affairs, and commercial teams to support enterprise objectives
• Manage relationships with external partners, including EPC firms (Engineering, Procurement, Construction), vendors, equipment suppliers, and technology providers
• Balance global standardization with regional flexibility to meet regulatory and market requirements
• Influence and align diverse stakeholders across geographies, often requiring persuasion and executive-level communication

Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, or Operations (or related discipline)
• 15+ years of progressive engineering and operations leadership experience in chemical, life sciences, pharmaceutical, or similarly regulated environments
• Demonstrated experience leading global engineering organizations and capital portfolios, including Programs up to $20M and plant builds and expansions above $100M
• Strong background in process engineering and discrete automated manufacturing systems
• Proven expertise in Process Safety Management (PSM) and regulatory compliance
• Experience managing new plant builds, large-scale expansions, and brownfield transformations
• Track record of building and leading high-performing technical and leadership teams
• Master's degree preferred in Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations, or an MBA
• PMP certification from the Project Management Institute (PMI) preferred
• Experience in multi-site global organizations with complex supply chains
• Exposure to digital manufacturing, IT/OT integration, MES, EBR systems, and advanced controls
• Prior responsibility for engineering budgets, capital allocation, and portfolio governance
• Familiarity with GMP, ISO 9001/13485, and other regulated quality systems