Location: Mannheim, Germany (Hybrid).
Head of Investment & Operational Excellence — BENEO & CropEnergies Reporting to: COO BENEO & CropEnergies | Scope: 11 production sites across Europe
Head of Investment and Operational Excellence
About the role
As Head of Investment and Operational Excellence (m/f/d), you will define and execute the engineering and technical strategy across all BENEO and CropEnergies operations globally. You will play a key role in securing the long-term competitiveness and sustainability of our manufacturing footprint by leading investment planning, asset optimization, operational excellence, digital transformation, and technological innovation. In partnership with the Boards, Südzucker Group functions, and local leadership teams, you will leverage synergies across businesses, establish best-in-class standards, and drive future growth through strategic investments and technology-enabled development.
Your key responsibilities
Develop a long-term Asset Lifecycle Strategy and replacement roadmap to safeguard the technical integrity and reliability of high-value production assets while optimizing total cost of ownership
Manage the integrated Technical Project Portfolio from ideation to implementation — on time, within budget, and in quality
Steer the operational and technical aspects of product portfolio extensions for both food ingredients and bio-based chemicals, providing cost estimations and strategic guidance for growth projects
Develop and implement the Südzucker Group Operatonal Excellence Program (Optimum) tailored to each site, focusing on increasing OEE, reducing manufacturing costs, and expanding production capacities
Drive sustainability engineering initiatives (heat recovery, carbon reduction) to reduce the combined ecological footprint of BENEO and CropEnergies
Lead the Corporate Maintenance Management community in budgets, criticality rankings, and systems (SAP-EAM), developing group-wide best practices
Define and execute the group's digital and automation strategy, identifying opportunities for digital transformation across all sites
Report CAPEX, KPIs, and project approval status to the Executive Boards, providing timely data for strategic decision-making
Coach and develop engineering teams and project execution resources across the organization
Standardize technical investment and optimization processes across BENEO and CropEnergies to leverage synergies and harmonize engineering standards
What we're looking for
Master's degree in Process Engineering, Food Technology, or Chemical Engineering
At least 10 years of professional experience in the food, process, or (bio-)chemical industry
Proven track record in managing large-scale capital investment projects and technical portfolios
Strong understanding of operational excellence, maintenance management, and sustainability engineering
Experience with digitalization and automation in industrial environments
Excellent leadership skills with the ability to coach and align multi-site, cross-functional teams
Comfortable operating at both strategic and operational level within a large international group
Fluent in English; additional languages are an asset
What we offer
A group-level leadership role with genuine scope and impact across 11 European production sites within the Südzucker Group, one of Europe's leading food and agribusiness organizations
A key seat at the table in shaping the technical and sustainability future of two well-established food and biotech businesses
A competitive remuneration package in line with the seniority and responsibility of the role
Interested?
Call Ralf Gutschoven on +32 (0)478 43 61 68 (or via WhatAapp) for more info or an application. On weekdays between 9h00 and 11h00 and in the evening from 19h00 to 21h00, on Saturday between 10h00 and 12h00.
Or mail your CV to ralf@talentselection.be
