Head of Engineering

Our client, an established and internationally recognised food manufacturing business based in Rotterdam, is seeking an experienced Head of Engineering to take responsibility for the engineering and maintenance function at site level. This is a key leadership position, offering the opportunity to drive engineering performance, improve equipment reliability, develop maintenance systems and support significant investment in automation and technology.

The successful candidate will play an integral role in ensuring maximum equipment availability, operational efficiency and the successful delivery of engineering projects across the facility.

Job Role

Reporting to the Operations Director, the Head of Engineering will provide overall leadership of the site's engineering and maintenance operations, ensuring all equipment, machinery and utilities are maintained to the highest standards.

You will lead the engineering team, develop and implement preventative and predictive maintenance strategies, and drive improvements across equipment reliability, asset utilisation and operational performance.

The role will have a strong Electrical & Instrumentation (E&I) focus, alongside responsibility for automation, PLC/SCADA systems, engineering stores, contractor management, energy efficiency and capital projects. You will also work closely with corporate engineering teams to support the planning and execution of key projects and future technology investments.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership, technical guidance and direction to the engineering team, developing individual capabilities and maintaining high standards of performance.
• Develop and implement preventative, predictive and breakdown maintenance strategies to maximise equipment availability, minimise downtime and improve reliability.
• Monitor key engineering performance indicators including MTBF, MTBR and OEE, driving continuous improvement and reducing recurring equipment failures.
• Oversee electrical and instrumentation maintenance, including LV distribution, MCCs, control panels, motors, drives, sensors and industrial instrumentation.
• Manage PLC, HMI and SCADA systems, including troubleshooting, fault finding and programme changes, ideally across Siemens, Allen Bradley or similar platforms.
• Drive Root Cause Analysis (RCA), corrective and preventive actions (CAPA), and continuous improvement initiatives across the engineering function.
• Manage engineering budgets, maintenance expenditure, spare parts inventory and engineering stores, ensuring effective cost control and integration with SAP.
• Oversee engineering contractors, suppliers, purchase orders and invoices, building strong working relationships and ensuring value for money.
• Ensure full compliance with health & safety, quality and electrical legislation, including relevant Dutch standards such as NEN 1010 and NEN 3140.
• Manage engineering documentation, work permit systems, equipment histories, SOPs, preventative maintenance schedules, technical drawings and calibration records.
• Drive energy monitoring, reduction initiatives and effective asset utilisation across the facility.
• Lead CAPEX and engineering projects in coordination with corporate teams, ensuring projects are delivered on time, within budget and to the required technical and operational standards.
• Support the development of automation, data-driven maintenance and predictive technologies, helping shape the future engineering strategy of the business.

Personal Profile

• Degree-qualified in Engineering, ideally from a well-regarded engineering institution.
• Proven experience within an engineering or maintenance leadership role in FMCG, food manufacturing or a similar industrial environment.
• Strong Electrical & Instrumentation (E&I) engineering background, with hands-on technical knowledge.
• Demonstrable experience with PLC, HMI and SCADA systems, ideally Siemens, Allen Bradley or similar.
• Good understanding of industrial automation, VFDs, servo drives, motors and instrumentation systems.
• Experience developing preventative and predictive maintenance programmes and improving equipment reliability.
• Strong understanding of engineering performance metrics including MTBF, MTBR and OEE.
• Experience managing engineering teams, budgets, contractors and capital expenditure projects.
• Knowledge of SAP, MES, IIoT and data-driven maintenance would be advantageous.
• Exposure to AI-based maintenance tools or technologies would be a strong advantage.
• Strong leadership, communication and problem-solving skills.
• Fluent English is essential.

This is an excellent opportunity for an ambitious engineering professional to join an established international food manufacturing business and play a significant role in developing its engineering capabilities, automation systems and future investment strategy.

Salary & Benefits

Gross basic salary of approximately €72,000 per annum.

8% holiday allowance and additional commuting allowance.

Management performance bonus scheme of up to 10%.

Relocation package available in line with company policy.

Potential eligibility for the Dutch Expat Tax Scheme, subject to individual circumstances and applicable requirements.

• Highly Skilled Migrant visa sponsorship may be available for eligible candidates.

Location: Rotterdam, Netherlands

Ref Code: W013325

To apply, please send your comprehensive CV in strict confidence, quoting the reference above and for the attention of Jon Hemming-Nash. Please include current salary details within your application.

Due to high response levels, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. If you have not received a response within one week, regrettably your application has not been successful on this occasion.