Food Application Center Manager

Summary

Job Responsibilities

• Lead entire Food Application Center including all aspects of operations and business focused on customers for NAM and SAM as Center of Competence for Americas.
• Lead P&L management for the FAC, developing pricing models for third‑party usage to recover costs and drive margin.
• Partner with the Customer Service group to position the FAC as the primary hub for onboarding and high‑level maintenance training.
• Utilize interconnected SCADA systems and data historians to create live performance dashboards that demonstrate Outcome as a Service (OaaS).
• Manage a team of process experts who use the FAC to provide customers with technical insights into equipment capabilities and recipe optimization.
• Serve as a liaison to Project Engineering and Customer Service, using FAC testing data to influence equipment design and methodology.
• Oversee digital integration within the center to provide data‑driven visibility into equipment ROI and operational efficiency.
• Collaborate with Customer Service to deliver internal certification programs and customer‑facing maintenance courses.
• Maintain the FAC as a showcase‑ready facility that reflects the highest standards of safety, technology, and branding.
• Control process related risk for the company, reduce costs and increase safety initiatives related to the FAC.
• Recruit, train, develop, supervise, and evaluate the FAC department staff.
• Maintain regular communication with customers and track and follow-up on customer satisfaction issues.
• Lead, strengthen, and develop the Sortex Application Center.
• Address primary key performance indicators: revenue generation, customer conversion rate, training throughput, and operational efficiency.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Business Administration or equivalent.
• +7 years of managing and customer service experience, preferably in a capital equipment manufacturing environment at an international level.
• Milling experience is ideal.
• Demonstrates leadership as an effective role model for the department in tasks both internal and external to the company.
• Strong organizational skills and an ability to plan, prioritize, coordinate, delegate, and manage work simultaneously.
• An entrepreneurial mindset with the ability to convey the center’s value to both internal stakeholders and external clients.
• Strong cross-functional collaborator who can navigate the needs of both Engineering and Customer Service.
• Familiarity with SCADA, Data Historians, and IoT frameworks.
• Understanding of "Outcome as a Service" (OaaS) or subscription-based industrial models.
• Knowledge of food processing methodologies and equipment application.
• Speaks and understands English, Spanish is a plus.
• Domestic and international travel 10-20% time which may include long hours and non-traditional work schedules.