Job Description

Alcott Global is retained by an international consumer goods company to search for a Global Head of Engineering based in Germany.

The Global Head of Engineering leads the worldwide capital-investment agenda for all factories, ensuring every innovation, expansion, upgrade, and greenfield build delivers best-in-class productivity, sustainability, and return on invested capital. You will own the full CapEx life-cycle from early business case to start-up, acting as the single point of accountability for a multi-million-dollar portfolio of projects across our global FMCG network.

Key Responsibilities:  

• Develop and execute a global factory investment strategy aligned with long-term business, innovation, and sustainability goals
• Build and manage a 3–5 year capital expenditure (CapEx) roadmap for factory expansions, upgrades, and greenfield developments
• Oversee the full project lifecycle of major investments, from feasibility through to commissioning and performance tracking
• Lead the implementation of new processing, packaging, and manufacturing technologies across global facilities
• Ensure all investments contribute to sustainability goals, including energy efficiency, carbon reduction, waste minimization, and water stewardship
• Partner with regional and site leadership to prioritize and deliver CapEx projects that enhance capacity, resilience, and flexibility
• Monitor project performance, ensuring delivery on time, within budget, and according to agreed KPIs (IRR, ROI, payback, etc.)
• Establish and enforce global standards for engineering, project governance, and safety compliance
• Manage relationships and contracts with engineering firms, equipment suppliers, and construction partners
• Champion innovation and continuous improvement in factory design and project delivery processes
• Lead and develop a high-performing, cross-regional team of project managers, engineers, and investment planners
• Report regularly to senior leadership and the board on capital investment progress and outcomes

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s or Master’s in Engineering (Mechanical, Chemical, Industrial) or related field; MBA desirable.
• 15 + years in multi-site manufacturing or engineering within FMCG/CPG; minimum 5 years at regional or global leadership level.
• Proven track record of delivering large-scale capital programmes (> US$ 100 m per year) across multiple countries.
• Deep knowledge of lean manufacturing, utilities, automation, and digital plant technologies.
• Demonstrated expertise in embedding sustainability targets into CapEx master plans 
• Professional certifications such as PMP, PRINCE2 or IPMA are advantageous.

Key Competencies:

• Strategic & commercial acumen
• Influencing & stakeholder management across the C-suite and site level
• Cross-cultural leadership & team development
• Data-driven decision making, strong financial literacy
• Change management & continuous-improvement mindset