Senior Director of Innovation

About CPM Holdings, Inc.

CPM Holdings, Inc. is a diversified leading global supplier of process equipment and engineered technologies that sustainably feed, fuel, and build a better world. With its growing family of 17 market-leading product brands, CPM serves a variety of industries including animal feed, consumer food, green energy, advanced materials and sustainable packaging. Founded in 1883, CPM has 1,700 employees across 36 facilities on 4 continents with presence in 150+ countries. From the foods you eat to the fuels you require, CPM plays an important role in making the world more efficient and more sustainable.

Position Summary

The Senior Director of Innovation is responsible for defining and driving the company’s innovation strategy to accelerate growth, improve operational efficiency, and strengthen competitive advantage. This role bridges engineering, product development, operations, and commercial teams to bring new ideas from concept to market. The ideal candidate combines strategic thinking with practical execution in an industrial/manufacturing environment. This person must also foster relationships with customer development partners and understand the real-world challenges in the equipment operating environment.

Key Responsibilities

Innovation Strategy & Leadership

• Assist in the identification of Innovation and New Product development projects
• Support the company-wide innovation and product roadmaps aligned with business objectives and market trends
• Identify emerging technologies, materials, and processes relevant to industrial equipment and manufacturing
• Build and foster a culture of innovation across the organization

Product & Technology Development

• Partner with Engineering and Product teams to drive next-generation equipment solutions
• Oversee early-stage product ideation, prototyping, and validation processes
• Champion advancements in automation, digitalization, and smart equipment
• Support efforts to ensure alignment between innovation initiatives and customer needs

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Work closely with Sales, Product Management, and Customer Support to identify market opportunities and improve services
• Translate customer insights and needs into actionable innovation initiatives
• Facilitate collaboration between technical and commercial teams

Partnerships & Ecosystem Development

• Identify and manage relationships with external partners (key Beta customers, universities, and vendors)
• Evaluate build vs. buy vs. partner opportunities for new technologies
• Represent the company in industry forums and innovation networks

Portfolio & Investment Management

• Support management of the innovation pipeline, prioritization, and resource allocation
• Support the development of business cases and ROI models for innovation initiatives
• Track KPIs to measure timely completion of milestones & impact of innovation programs

QUALIFICATIONS

Education, Experience And General Job Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, (master’s degree considered a plus).
• 7 – 10+ years of experience in industrial equipment, manufacturing, or related sectors
• Proven track record of leading innovation, R&D, or product development initiatives
• Experience scaling ideas from concept to commercialization
• Ability to travel domestically and abroad a total of 30 – 40%

Skills & Competencies

• Strong strategic thinking combined with execution focus
• Deep understanding of industrial technologies (automation, robotics, IoT, etc.)
• Experience with stage-gate or similar innovation frameworks
• Financial acumen and ability to evaluate investment decisions
• Excellent leadership, communication, and stakeholder management skills
• Ability to prioritize high-impact initiatives and move quickly with limited resources

KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS (KPIs)

• Revenue contribution from new products/solutions
• Time-to-market for new innovations
• Cost savings or efficiency gains from operational improvements
• Innovation pipeline health (number and quality of initiatives)
• Adoption rate of new technologies/processes

LEADERSHIP EXPECTATIONS

• Acts as a change agent across the organization
• Ability to continue process development while achieving timely results
• Spends time in field validating concepts, willingness to lend “hands-on” support
• Balances long-term vision with near-term business impact
• Builds cross-functional alignment without heavy bureaucracy
• Mentors and develops innovation talent

Equal Opportunity Employer

CPM Acquisition Corp. is an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status. CPM Acquisition Corp. offers competitive compensation and benefits, including paid holidays and vacations, 401k, medical/dental insurance, tuition assistance, and more.