Project Engineering Manager - Core Spreads Manufacturing

About the role

Location: Pratau, Germany On-site About the position As a Project Engineering Manager – Core Spreads Manufacturing, you will be responsible for leading, coordinating, and delivering engineering and capital investment projects across the Core Spreads manufacturing network, with a primary focus on the Pratau and Katowice factories. The role is critical to strengthening manufacturing capability by implementing technically robust, safe, compliant, and cost-effective solutions that improve safety, quality, sustainability, reliability, capacity, and overall operational performance. The role covers the full project lifecycle, from initial business needs definition, feasibility assessment, concept development, budgeting, technical design, and supplier selection through installation, commissioning, qualification, operational handover, and post-implementation review. You will ensure that projects are delivered on time, within the approved budget, in accordance with company engineering standards, and in full compliance with safety, quality, food safety, GMP, and regulatory requirements. You will: Lead engineering and capital expenditure projects within the Core Spreads factories, ensuring clear scope, objectives, deliverables, responsibilities, timelines, and governance are established from project initiation. Develop and manage project documentation, including business case inputs, user requirement specifications (URS), scope definitions, technical specifications, cost estimates, project schedules, risk registers, procurement packages, commissioning plans, and handover documentation. Coordinate engineering design, equipment selection, vendor technical clarification, procurement support, installation planning, construction supervision, commissioning, qualification, and start-up activities. Monitor project progress, costs, risks, and milestones, escalating issues where required and implementing corrective actions to ensure delivery against agreed targets. Ensure effective project close-out, including completion of technical documentation, training, asset registration, maintenance requirements, lessons learned, and operational handover to site teams. Perform engineering assessments, feasibility studies, option evaluations, and technical risk reviews to support investment decisions and project prioritisation. Analyse process, packaging, utilities, and equipment performance data to identify opportunities to improve reliability, increase efficiency, reduce waste, improve yield, reduce energy consumption, and optimise costs. Lead or support structured troubleshooting activities for recurring technical issues, applying root cause analysis and practical engineering problem-solving methodologies. Drive value creation, continuous improvement, and operational excellence initiatives in close collaboration with Manufacturing, Maintenance, Quality, and T&I teams. Support the standardisation of technical solutions, equipment specifications, and engineering ways of working across the Core Spreads manufacturing network. Work closely with Manufacturing, Maintenance, Supply Chain, Quality, Safety, Procurement, Finance, and T&I stakeholders to ensure project objectives are aligned with business priorities and site operational needs. Coordinate external suppliers, contractors, OEMs, and engineering service providers, ensuring clear technical communication, effective scope management, safety compliance, and high delivery performance. Prepare clear project updates, decision papers, presentations, budget summaries, risk assessments, and steering committee materials for site and regional leadership teams. Facilitate effective communication between sites, functions, and project teams to enable timely decision-making, resource availability, and smooth project execution during factory operations. Ensure all project activities comply with company engineering standards, site safety rules, contractor management requirements, food safety standards,