Job Description

Job Title: Director of Engineering and Maintenance
Location: St. Stephen, New Brunswick
TP-8345
Ganong Bros., Canada's oldest chocolate and confectionery company, has been crafting premium treats in St. Stephen, New Brunswick for over 145 years. As a proudly Canadian, family-owned business, Ganong has built a legacy of quality, innovation, and community commitment. Today, the company is embracing the future with bold investments in automation, modernization, and growth.
In partnership with Meridia Recruitment Solutions, Ganong is seeking a Director of Engineering and Maintenance to lead critical modernization efforts and help drive operational excellence across their manufacturing facilities.
Role Description
As the Director of Engineering & Maintenance, you will lead Ganong's engineering, maintenance, and project management teams through an exciting transformation. Reporting directly to the COO, you will shape and implement a forward-thinking strategy that supports scalable growth, equipment reliability, and modern production capabilities. This is a key leadership role for a visionary technical leader who thrives on continuous improvement, automation, and cross-functional collaboration.
Your responsibilities will include:

• Provide leadership and direction to the Engineering, Maintenance, and Project Management teams.
• Develop and implement an integrated strategy to modernize infrastructure, improve system reliability, and support Ganong's automation and growth objectives.
• Lead capital investment (CAPEX) planning and execution, with a focus on automation, equipment upgrades, and facility improvements.
• Champion preventive maintenance and asset management programs to reduce downtime and extend equipment life.
• Ensure compliance with safety, environmental, and regulatory standards across all facility systems.
• Collaborate with cross-functional departments (Finance, Operations, Supply Chain) to align technical projects with business needs and ensure readiness across the organization.
• Oversee project scoping, budgeting, vendor selection, and on-time delivery of strategic engineering initiatives.
• Monitor and manage departmental budgets, identifying opportunities for cost control and operational efficiency.
• Build and maintain high-performing technical teams through effective leadership, mentorship, and professional development.
• Foster a culture of safety, innovation, collaboration, and continuous learning.

Your Qualifications
You are a forward-thinking senior manufacturing leader with a strong command of both technical operations and strategic planning. Throughout your career, you've demonstrated the ability to lead multidisciplinary teams through complex, high-impact initiatives that balance immediate operational needs with long-term business goals. Your leadership style is rooted in collaboration and accountability, and you're known for developing strong cross-functional relationships that support organizational alignment and execution. You are adept at navigating change, managing ambiguity, and leveraging technology to optimize performance across systems and teams. Whether you're overseeing a multimillion-dollar capital project or mentoring emerging leaders, you bring a balanced, people-centric approach that drives measurable results and fosters a culture of continuous improvement.
Your qualifications include:

• 10+ years of progressive leadership experience in a manufacturing setting.
• Familiarity with food manufacturing or consumer packaged goods industries is an asset
• Bachelor's degree in Engineering (mechanical, electrical, or industrial) or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Experience driving continuous improvement initiatives; an understanding of Lean or Kaizen methodologies is considered an asset.
• Excellent change management skills, able to build buy-in across cross-functional teams and sustain momentum through transformation
• Proven experience leading engineering and maintenance teams through organizational change and department integration
• Strong project management skills, with a track record of successfully delivering automation and capital projects on time and within budget
• Demonstrated ability to troubleshoot complex operational issues and create efficient, scalable processes
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills to foster collaboration
• Comfortable managing capital budgets and aligning engineering initiatives with long-term business growth plans

Located at the Canadian American border across from Calais, Maine, St. Stephen (population around 4,500) is a bustling town with a beautiful coastal setting, easy connections to three major cities & international airports, affordable property and a low-stress lifestyle.
To express interest in this opportunity please apply online by clicking "Apply Now" below.
For more information contact Thomas Pugh, Partner, at 902-818-4506 and tpugh@kbrs.ca or Heather Simmons, Sr. Recruitment Specialist at 902-421-2335 and hsimmons@kbrs.ca, or please apply online by clicking the "Apply Now" button below. If you require accommodation to participate in the recruitment process, please let us know.
Meridia Recruitment Solutions connects leading organizations with top talent by building strong relationships and creating ideal matches with candidates because we are only successful when you are. We appreciate your interest in this opportunity.
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