Job Details

Director of Engineered Solutions - Commercial Foodservice Design, Consulting & Construction

As an industry-leading commercial foodservice distributor, we have an opportunity to hire a newly created Director of Engineered Solutions for our New York City office. This full-time onsite position provides strategic leadership for engineering, estimating, design, procurement, project execution, compliance, and operational excellence across commercial foodservice projects, specifically overseeing three different departments – Project Management, CADD, and Estimating – comprised of over 60 staff across the country. This position reports to our Chief Commercial Officer.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategic Planning & Leadership

• Strategic Development: Translate organizational objectives into actionable, long-term construction and engineering plans, strategizing competing project priorities
• Team Management: Recruit, mentor, and lead project managers, engineers, and support staff, fostering a culture of efficiency.
• Organization Values: Foster a high-performance culture rooted in accountability, collaboration, continuous learning, training, mentoring and support
• KPIs: Establish quantifiable metrics to track the progress and success of departments and staff
• Fee Structure: To be judged and reviewed continuously to ensure profitability of the department

Financial & Resource Management

• Budgeting & Forecasting: Develop cost estimates, manage project budgets, and authorize expenditures.
• Contract Administration: Negotiate contracts, review invoices, and manage relationships with vendors and subcontractors. This is a dotted line to Finance, who would retain primary control.
• Project Procurement: Ensure job sites are equipped with the necessary materials, equipment, and labor to complete each phase.
• Product Procurement: Work with Purchasing to ensure that we are buying the right products in the right quantities at the right price, with an eye towards maximizing discounting, reducing secondary costs (freight, warehousing, etc.), and making adjustments consistent with corporate goals (maximizing rebates, timing purchasing decisions, etc.)

Engineering &Technical Oversight (dotted line to various design departments)

• Design & Surveying: Collaborate closely with architects and design teams to refine structural blueprints, feasibility studies, and engineering specifications.
• Quality Control: Implement best practices and quality assurance protocols to ensure all builds adhere to regional design codes and engineering standards.
• Problem Resolution: Identify potential engineering or structural bottlenecks and orchestrate technical solutions to keep builds on track.

Compliance & Risk Management

• Safety Protocols: Enforce strict health and safety standards across all active jobs to minimize accidents and ensure a secure working environment. This is primarily the install team's responsibility, with a dotted line here.
• Regulatory Compliance: Guarantee full compliance with local, state, and federal building codes, permitting requirements, and zoning laws, as well as union concerns, etc.
• Risk Mitigation: Continuously assess project risks (e.g., weather delays, supply chain disruptions) and develop actionable contingency plans.

Estimating & Preconstruction

• Conceptual Budgeting: Develop high-level, early-stage cost estimates for developers, architects, and owners based on rough square footage, kitchen concepts (e.g., fine dining vs. quick-service), and raw facility capacity.
• AutoQuotes (AQ) Strategy: Oversee the team’s use of AutoQuotes to compile comprehensive equipment schedules, ensuring that dealer multipliers, freight costs, and correct option packages (e.g., voltage, gas types) are accurately configured.
• Value Engineering (VE): Act as part of the team responsible for enacting strategy to reduce project costs if a kitchen design exceeds the client’s budget. This involves strategically swapping premium equipment brands for mid-tier alternatives without sacrificing the required culinary output or utility footprints.
• Scope-of-Work Clarification: Write and review precise “Inclusions and Exclusions” lists for bids. They protect the company by defining exactly who pays for tasks like uncrating equipment, final utility connections, hoisting heavy pieces, and field welding.

Compliance, Sanitation, & Safety

• NSF & Sanitation Standards: Ensure all equipment selections, custom fabrication designs, and installations comply fully with NSF International sanitation standards for food safety and cleanability.
• Regulatory Compliance: Navigate local Department of Health guidelines, ADA accessibility requirements for workspaces, and local fire department codes to guarantee the facility achieves an operational certificate of occupancy.
• Warranty Hand-Off: Organize specialized equipment training, manufacturer demonstrations, and operation manuals for the client’s culinary and facilities team.

REQUIRED EXPERIENCE

Experience, Education, and Professional Certifications

• Overall Career Span: Minimum of 10+ years of progressive experience in commercial construction, engineering, or project management.
• Industry Focus: Minimum of 5+ years of dedicated experience working specifically within a foodservice design-build dealership, a commercial kitchen consultancy, or a major mechanical contracting firm specializing in hospitality/foodservice environments.
• Leadership Experience: Minimum of 3+ years in a senior supervisory role, directly managing a multidisciplinary team of project managers, commercial kitchen designers, estimators, and specialized field installers.
• Track Record: Proven success managing high-value capital projects ($1M+ to $10M+ in equipment and construction scope) from initial design concepts through health department sign-off.
• Academic Degree: A bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering (BSME), Civil Engineering, Construction Management, or a closely related technical field.
• Professional Engineering (PE): A valid Professional Engineer (PE) license is highly preferred, especially for oversight of HVAC/CKV (commercial kitchen ventilation) engineering.
• Industry Certifications: Holding a Certified Foodservice Professional (CFSP) designation from NAFEM or an active membership/accreditation with the Foodservice Consultants Society International (FCSI) is considered a significant competitive advantage.
• Project Management: Project Management Professional (PMP) or Certified Construction Manager (CCM) credentials are highly valued.

Technical Skills & Software Knowledge

• Foodservice Software: Deep familiarity with industry-standard design tools, including Autodesk Revit (BIM), AutoCAD, and specific foodservice design plug-ins (like KCL CADalog or AQ Design).
• Estimating & Procuring: Proficiency with AutoQuotes (AQ) for compiling equipment schedules, sourcing, and calculating project margins.
• MEP & Structural Competency: Advanced ability to read, interpret, and cross-reference structural, electrical, plumbing, and architectural blueprints with equipment submittal data.
• System Calculations: Expert knowledge in calculating commercial kitchen ventilation (CKV) load requirements, exhaust airflow (CFM), utility load calculations (BTU, kW), and grease trap sizing.

Field & Regulatory Expertise

• Code Familiarity: Comprehensive understanding of NSF/ANSI sanitation standards, the National Electrical Code (NEC), National Fire Protection Association codes for commercial cooking (NFPA 96), and local health department criteria.
• Subcontractor Management: Deep experience vetting and managing specialized trades, such as commercial refrigeration mechanics, kitchen installation crews, and stainless-steel fabricators.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• Salary based on experience
• Relocation payment will be considered
• Office Hours of Operation: 8 am-5 pm
• Qualified candidates should respond with their cover letters and/or resumes for consideration.
• We value each and every one of our dedicated staff and therefore are pleased to offer a competitive salary and a comprehensive benefits package including: medical, dental, vision, long-term disability, 401k with company match, paid time off, and paid holidays.
• We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. Minorities or people of color, as well as women, are encouraged to apply. We welcome anyone to apply without regard to race, sex, color, creed, religion, national origin, age, disability, marital status, citizenship, or sexual orientation.

Job ID: 357030