Engineering Manager

Who We Are

Founded in Italy in 1919, IRCA Group is a leading international B2B provider of high-quality semi-finished ingredients for the food industry, including chocolate, creams, decorations, inclusions, nuts and pistachios, pastry mixes, gelato ingredients, and other specialty solutions. Today, IRCA Group employs more than 2,400 people, operates 22 manufacturing facilities worldwide, and generates approximately €1 billion in annual revenues.

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What We Offer

• A key role with direct impact on the development and performance of our Italian manufacturing operations at the beginning to be further extended at European level.
• The opportunity to lead strategic, high-value industrial investment projects.
• A dynamic and international environment with exposure to multiple functions and senior stakeholders.
• Potential evolution towards people management responsibilities following the organization growth.

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The Role

We are looking for an experienced and hands-on Engineering Manager to lead engineering activities across our manufacturing operations in Italy as first step and in Europe later, with a location in Gallarate.

The role combines operational presence on sites with end-to-end project management responsibility. The Engineering Manager will lead major capital investment projects, including multi-million-euro initiatives, and support the installation and start-up of new production lines, plant upgrades, and continuous improvement projects in all involved areas.

What will you do:

• Lead complex capital investment projects in the multi-million-euro range, from designing/feasibility assessment and business case development through execution, commissioning, and handover.
• Manage project scope, budget, timing, risks, and performance, ensuring alignment with business, operational, safety, and quality requirements.
• Coordinate the design, installation, commissioning, and start-up of new production lines, equipment, utilities, and plant infrastructure.
• Identify and implement engineering and plant improvements to increase capacity, efficiency, reliability, and operational performances.
• Prepare technical specifications, evaluate proposals, select suppliers, and manage contractors and external engineering partners.
• Lead commercial and technical negotiations, ensuring effective cost control and strong supplier performance.
• Work closely with Operations, Maintenance, R&D, Quality, HSE, Supply Chain, Procurement, Finance, and other stakeholders.
• Ensure all engineering activities comply with health, safety, environmental, food safety, and regulatory requirements.

Requirements:

• Education: Degree in engineering, preferably Mechanical, Industrial, Electrical, Chemical Engineering, or a related discipline.
• Experience: At least 10 years of experience in Engineering Manager or comparable engineering leadership roles within manufacturing companies (food or pharma businesses are preferable).
• Professional skills: Proven track record in managing complex industrial investment projects with multi-million-euro budgets, including new production lines, plant expansions, and equipment or infrastructure upgrades. Strong knowledge of manufacturing and plant engineering, equipment installation and commissioning, continuous improvement, project budgeting, cost control, and risk management. Project and Supplier Management: Strong project management capabilities, including vendor and contractor management, technical evaluation, and contract negotiation.
• Languages: Fluent Italian and English,
• Soft Skills: Excellent communication, people management, stakeholder management, influencing, and negotiation skills. Pragmatic, agile, autonomous, solution-oriented, and comfortable combining strategic thinking with hands-on execution.

Other details:

• Location: Availability to work in the Gallarate area and travel to European manufacturing sites as required.
• Working hours: Full time, 40h/week, from Monday to Friday
• Contract: CCNL Alimentare Industria
• Level: Impiegatizio di alto livello
• Meal vouchers: €8 for each day spent in the office
• Remuneration: starting from RAL 70.000€