Senior Director: Global Engineering- Decatur, IL
ADM · Decatur, IL
- Level
- Director+
- Team
- Manufacturing
- Degree
- Required (or equivalent experience)
- Experience asked
- 15+ years
- Industry
- Food & beverage
- Posted
- 30+ days ago
The role in 30 seconds
A director-level manufacturing role at ADM (food & beverage) in Decatur, IL.
- They ask for
- 15+ years · degree required (or equivalent experience)
- Tools it names
- Casting, AutoCAD
Read from the posting. The full description is below.
From the plant jobs report · week of November 2, 2026
Manufacturing Engineer roles in Illinois: typical posted base $97k–$134k.
Median of the low and high ends of 40 live postings that list pay, out of 75 manufacturing engineer openings in Illinois, read from manufacturers' own careers sites.
Illinois plant jobs report →Pay by team and state →What moves pay →
How this role compares
Against 74 other live manufacturing postings in Illinois.
- Base pay
- Not listed in this posting
- Experience asked
- More than usual (15+ vs 5+)
Typical $87k–$112k, from 35 postings that list pay.
Similar roles usually ask 5+ years.
Skills these teams ask for most
- Root cause 40%
- Validation (IQ/OQ/PQ) 35%
- Tooling 32%
- Automation 32%
- Lean 31%
- New product launch 25%
✓ = this posting asks for it too. % = share of similar postings that mention it.
Stands out: this posting asks for Casting, AutoCAD, which few similar roles mention. If you have it, lead with it.
At a glance
Pulled from the posting text. If it's not listed here, the posting didn't say.
How to get in at this plant
Five moves over a week or two. The first one takes ten minutes.
- 1
Pick 2–3 people on the Manufacturing team at ADM
Engineers who joined in the last year or two reply the most. Use the team search on this page to find them.
- 2
Send a short, curious note
One real question about their work. No favors yet. Each person gets a different note, written for this role.
- 3
Turn a reply into a short call
Questions worth asking about this team:
- What does a normal week look like on your team?
- Is the work mostly new product launches or sustaining existing lines?
- How much time do you spend on the floor versus at a desk?
- How did you land the job? What stood out in your interviews?
- 4
Apply with someone vouching for you
If the call went well, ask whether they’d pass your résumé to the hiring manager. Send your résumé link, apply that day, and let them know.
- 5
Bring proof to the interview
One page of before-and-after numbers from projects you led: scrap, OEE, cycle time, cost. Plant managers hire on results.
This plant: ADM in Decatur
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Full description from ADMAs posted on their careers site.ShowHide
Position Summary
We are seeking a Senior Director, Global Engineering to design, build, and lead a centralized, fit-for-purpose global engineering function that enables safe, reliable, and efficient capital project delivery across global operations. This role will serve as the enterprise engineering leader for capital projects, accountable for engineering strategy, technical governance, engineering standards, resource capability, and engineering deliverables across the project lifecycle.
The role will partner closely with Project Management, Project Controls, Procurement, Operations, and Business Leadership to support capital project delivery through a clearly defined FEL stage-gate. Depending on project size, complexity, and risk profile, this leader will establish the appropriate engineering delivery model, including self-perform engineering, internal shared services, external engineering partners, offshore delivery centers, and global capability centers.
Qualification and Experience
- ✓Bachelor’s degree in engineering required; advanced degree (MS, MBA, or equivalent) preferred.
- ✓Licensed Professional Engineer, PMP preferred.
- ✓15+ years of progressive engineering, project execution, and capital project experience within manufacturing, industrial, energy, chemical, food processing, or related industries.
- ✓Minimum 5+ years of leadership experience directing global or multi-site engineering organizations, including responsibility for strategy, talent development, and organizational performance.
- ✓Demonstrated success building, leading, and developing high-performing, multidisciplinary engineering teams across multiple geographies.
- ✓Proven track record of delivering complex capital projects and portfolio programs utilizing Front-End Loading (FEL), Stage-Gate, and project governance methodologies.
- ✓Extensive experience managing engineering resources, budgets, CAPEX portfolios, and competing business priorities in a fast-paced global environment.
- ✓Proficiency with engineering and design platforms, including Autodesk, AutoCAD, Plant 3D, BIM, and other digital engineering and design collaboration tools.
- ✓Experience leveraging digital technologies, engineering data systems, and AI-enabled solutions to improve project execution, planning, forecasting, and operational performance.
Requirements
- ✓Highly organized with the ability to manage multiple priorities, deadlines, and stakeholders simultaneously.
- ✓Demonstrated success working in diverse, matrixed, and project-oriented global organizations.
- ✓Willingness and ability to travel internationally as required.
Excited about this role but don’t think you meet every requirement listed? We encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this rol
Show full description ↓Show less ↑
Senior Director: Global Engineering - Decatur, IL
This is a full-time, exempt position.
Scope and Accountability
This role is accountable for the engineering function, engineering governance, technical standards, engineering resource strategy, and quality of engineering deliverables across the capital project portfolio. The role will provide engineering leadership across FEL, FEED, detailed design, procurement support, construction support, commissioning support, and technical handover.
The role will work in close partnership with project management and project controls functions, which retain accountability for integrated project execution, schedule, cost control, and overall project delivery governance
Setting Engineering Strategy: Develop and implement engineering strategies, standards, policies, and processes that align with business objectives and improve project execution.
Engineering Lifecycle Leadership: Provide engineering support and technical assurance across the full capital project lifecycle, including conceptual design, FEL, FEED, detailed engineering, procurement, construction, commissioning, and technical handover. Ensure deliverables are complete, risk-based, cost-effective, and aligned with project objectives.
Building Integrated Engineering Services :Create and optimize end-to-end engineering and mechanical services by leveraging synergies between Engineering and ADM Mechanical to design, fabricate, and install static processing equipment across the Decatur complex.Managing and Developing Teams: Lead, mentor, and develop engineering personnel while fostering a high-performance culture focused on collaboration, continuous improvement, and succession planning.Ensuring Compliance and Safety: Maintain adherence to technical standards, safety requirements, environmental regulations, and industry best practices throughout project execution.
Overseeing Resources and Budgets: Self perform engineering projects, manage engineering budgets, workforce planning, vendor relationships, procurement support, and technical resource allocation to ensure efficient project delivery. Driving Stakeholder Alignment: Collaborate with operations, business leaders, clients, contractors, suppliers, and other stakeholders to align engineering initiatives with organizational goals.
Promoting Innovation and Engineering Excellence:Proactively identify and resolve engineering challenges, identify emerging technologies and industry trends, implement advanced engineering tools and methodologies, and drive improvements in efficiency, scalability, and project performance.
Technical & Business Capabilities
- •Deep understanding of engineering governance, project controls, asset lifecycle management, risk management, and capital efficiency.
- •Experience implementing continuous improvement, value engineering, cost optimization, and productivity initiatives that drive measurable business results.
- •Ability to evaluate project economics, develop investment justifications, and ensure alignment with business and operational objectives.
- •Strong analytical and critical thinking skills with the ability to make data-driven decisions in complex and ambiguous environments.
Additional