Corporate Director of Energy, Utilities & Refrigeration

Position SummaryIndiana Packers Corporation's (IPC) Corporate Director of Energy, Utilities & Refrigeration is a strategic leadership role responsible for driving the enterprise-wide vision, performance, and continuous improvement of all utility and refrigeration systems across Indiana Packers Corporation's protein processing and multi-site manufacturing operations. IPC has locations in Indiana, Kentucky, and Michigan.This leader ensures the safe, reliable, and cost-effective operation of critical infrastructure supporting fresh pork and protein processing facilities, including industrial refrigeration (ammonia and CO₂ systems), boilers, compressed air systems, electrical distribution, and water/wastewater utilities.The role is accountable for optimizing energy consumption, improving system uptime and reliability, advancing sustainability initiatives, and ensuring full regulatory compliance in a high-volume, temperature-controlled protein production environment. This position plays a key role in supporting operational excellence, food safety, and long-term capital planning across all IPC protein processing facilities.Key ResponsibilitiesEnterprise Strategy & Capital PlanningDevelop and lead the corporate strategy for energy, utilities, and refrigeration systems across all protein processing facilities Establish long-range infrastructure plans aligned with growth, throughput demands, cold-chain requirements, efficiency, and sustainability goals in protein manufacturing operations Lead capital planning for system upgrades, modernization, and standardization across high-capacity protein production environments Serve as the corporate subject matter expert for utilities and industrial refrigeration systems supporting protein processing operations Refrigeration & Utilities OversightProvide enterprise oversight of industrial refrigeration systems (ammonia and CO₂) critical to protein chilling, storage, and food safety compliance Ensure optimal performance, reliability, and safety of boilers, compressed air, electrical, and water systems supporting continuous protein processing operations Standardize maintenance programs, including preventive and predictive maintenance practices across all protein processing facilities Drive consistency in system design, operation, and documentation to support food safety, USDA compliance, and cold-chain integrity Energy Management & Cost OptimizationLead enterprise energy procurement strategy, including utility rate negotiation and demand management for large-scale protein processing facilities Identify and execute energy efficiency initiatives to reduce cost per unit of protein production Monitor, analyze, and report energy consumption and performance metrics across all protein manufacturing locations Partner with plant leadership to identify continuous improvement opportunities in energy usage without compromising food safety or production continuity Reliability Engineering & Performance ImprovementImplement reliability-centered maintenance (RCM) principles across utility and refrigeration systems supporting continuous protein processing operations Lead root cause analysis for critical system failures impacting production, refrigeration, or cold storage capacity Drive measurable improvements in uptime, system reliability, and maintenance cost across protein production facilities Establish benchmarking systems to compare performance across protein processing plants and drive standardization Safety, Compliance & Risk ManagementEnsure full compliance with OSHA Process Safety Management (PSM), EPA Risk Management Plan (RMP), USDA requirements, and other applicable regulations governing protein processing facilities Partner closely with Environmental, Health & Safety (EHS) teams to manage high-risk systems and emergency preparedness in food production environments Champion a strong safety culture focused on ammonia refrigeration systems, high-energy utilities, and food safety-critical infrastructure Oversee audit readiness and corrective action management for regulated systems supporting protein processing operations Leadership & Organizational DevelopmentLead, mentor, and develop a high-performing team of utilities and refrigeration professionals across protein processing facilities Establish training standards and technical development pathways for facility-level teams in food manufacturing environments Foster strong collaboration between Operations, Engineering, Maintenance, EHS, and Finance to support protein production reliability and efficiency Support commissioning, startup, and optimization of new or expanded protein processing facilities QualificationsEducationBachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or related technical field required. Master's degree in Engineering, Science, Business, or related discipline desired. Significant relevant experience may be considered in lieu of education.ExperienceMinimum of 10+ years of progressive leadership experience in utilities, energy systems, or industrial refrigeration is preferredMulti-site experience in protein processing, food manufacturing, or cold-chain production environments is preferredStrong preference for experience in fresh meat, poultry, or pork processing operations is preferredDemonstrated success managing large-scale industrial utility infrastructure supporting continuous food production environments Certifications (Preferred)RETA Certifications (CARO and/or CIRO) Professional Engineer (PE) license Certified Energy Manager (CEM)Other Duties:Please note, this job description is not designated to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties and responsibilities may change at any time with or without notice.Work Environment:While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally exposed to a variety of extreme conditions on the site including exposure to fumes or airborne particles, moving mechanical parts and vibration. The noise level in the work environment can be loud and hearing protection is required. The position regularly works near moving mechanical parts and in cold, hot, and outdoor conditions that include inclement weather, heat and humidity, and exposure to dust.Physical Demand:The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.The position lifts heavy objects, walks and stands for long periods of time under adverse field conditions. The employee lifts, pushes, pulls, or carries objects; uses abdominal and lower back muscles to provide support without fatigue. The position requires good manual dexterity (hand, hand with arms and fingers, two hands) and multi-limb coordination. The position requires the ability to quickly move arms and legs. The employee must have excellent stamina and vision.Background Screening/Checks: This position is contingent upon the successful completion of a background check. This may include verification of employment, education, criminal background, driving history, and other relevant information, conducted in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations.EOE, including Disability/Veteran