Director, Engineering & Business Development

Just Born, Inc . is a family-owned candy manufacturer that has been creating joyful moments for generations. Founded in 1923 and headquartered in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, we are proud to produce iconic brands like PEEPS®, MIKE AND IKE®, HOT TAMALES®, and GOLDENBERG’S® PEANUT CHEWS®. Our purpose is simple: to create joyful moments and build stronger communities .

Guided by our highest ideals - to take care of each other, do the right thing, and give forward - we remain committed to our people, our consumers, our community, and the planet. Position Summary: The Director of Engineering Business Development leads engineering strategy, capital planning, commercialization support, and long-range capacity planning across Just Born's manufacturing network. This role drives the manufacturing capabilities, infrastructure, and technologies needed to support growth, innovation, and operational excellence.

The Director leads a team of three professionals across Project Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, and Contract Manufacturing, while partnering across the business to evaluate capacity, advance commercialization efforts, oversee capital investments, and execute strategic manufacturing initiatives. Location: Bethlehem, PA How You’ll Impact Results: · Engineering Strategy Technical Leadership o Set the long-term engineering strategy aligned with operational goals, asset optimization priorities, and growth requirements. o Establish and maintain engineering standards that ensure safety, quality, regulatory compliance, and operational excellence. o Champion advanced processes, equipment strategies, and technologies that advance manufacturing and enhance asset performance and manufacturing efficiency. o Provide strategic oversight of facilities, utilities, and site infrastructure to maintain safe, compliant, and reliable manufacturing environments. o Develop relationships with 3 rd party engineering firms to deliver high quality, on time, on budget engineering projects. · Commercialization Business Development o Support commercialization of new and renovated products by providing operational feasibility assessments, capacity inputs, and manufacturing readiness. o Ensure accurate engineering and technical deliverables for commercialization stages, including risk assessments, material readiness, and operational data. o Influence product design, packaging, and process decisions for cost efficiency, manufacturability, and network fit. o Identify new equipment to meet future state business needs. · Network Capacity Strategy o Lead enterprise-level capacity assessment to support long-term growth, network scaling, and operational resilience. o Conduct make/buy analyses to determine whether production should be internal or outsourced to contract manufacturers, considering cost, capability, capacity, and capital needs. o Recommend network strategies that optimize total cost, service performance, asset utilization, and scalability. · Capital Planning Project Portfolio Management o Lead development and execution of the 3-5 year capital strategy that supports growth, infrastructure needs, and technology advancement. o Oversee the Operations Capital Equipment Approval (CEA) process and ensure consistent application of the Capital Project Process (CPP). o Direct the portfolio of capital projects across manufacturing sites and functional areas, ensuring alignment to budget, schedule, scope, and expected outcomes. o Provide accurate capital budgets, forecasts, and IRR evaluations to drive disciplined financial decision-making. · Productivity, Continuous Improvement Operations Support o Drive site productivity plans and annual productivity planning, as they relate to capital projects, ensuring alignment with company cost, waste, and operational targets. o Lead engineering-related process optimization, simplification, and loss-elimination initiatives in partnership with CI resources. · Leadership, Talent Development Culture o Lead and develop a multi-disciplinary engineering and facilities organization, ensuring capability-building, technical depth, and succession readiness. o Drive a culture of innovation, disciplined project execution, and cross-functional partnership.