Value Engineer

Build your career at Sazerac! With almost 400 years of rich history, Sazerac Company has thrived as an independent, American family-owned company with operations in the United States and around the world. Since the 2000s, Sazerac has averaged double digit growth every year! Sazerac Company produces and markets the most award-winning bourbons and whiskeys in the world, including Buffalo Trace, Pappy Van Winkle, Eagle Rare, Blanton’s, Traveller, and Sazerac Rye. Additionally, Sazerac owns many popular brands across a range of spirits, including Fireball, Svedka, Wheatley, BuzzBallz, Southern Comfort, Seagram’s V.O., Myers’s, Goldschläger, Parrot Bay, 99 Brand, and Platinum Vodka.

We’re proud of our award-winning culture and distilleries. Our Louisville office has been named one of the “Best Places to Work in Kentucky” four times, and our Buffalo Trace Distillery has earned the title of “world’s most award-winning distillery” through the dedication of our craftsmen for well over 200 years. Whether you’re a recent graduate or an experienced professional, Sazerac provides extraordinary opportunities for growth with competitive salaries and benefits in an exciting, entrepreneurial industry.

As the global lead of Value Engineering, you will be responsible for driving efforts to identify and evaluate the opportunity costs related to value engineering for raw and packaging materials, while adding value to the product by reducing costs and improving the sustainability footprint. This will be achieved through substituting existing materials with alternative ones, working within the current specification range of materials, using different and new methods of production or application, and potentially changing types of materials. If necessary, you may also revisit brand features. You will oversee these efforts for the complete product portfolio, working with cross-functional stakeholders across the organization and across all operations functions and markets to support the integrated global supply chain.

• Work with site team leads, procurement (global and local), and cross-functional teams to benchmark packaging material specifications and complexity in terms of variants. Consolidate the opportunity cost to provide a comprehensive value picture, ensuring product functionality and quality are preserved with minimal or no impact on the brand and consumers. Following the opportunity cost consolidation, collaborate with each market/site and cross-functional stakeholders to align on the next steps for execution.
• Ensure the CAPEX budgets are managed effectively, tracked, and reported on throughout the execution of value engineering initiatives.
• Collaborate with site team leads and cross-functional stakeholders to benchmark the skills needed to execute packaging and complexity reduction initiatives effectively.
• Conduct an annual idea generation workshop to continuously fill the idea bucket with opportunities for improving team skills and competencies. Provide ongoing training and support to staff on value engineering principles and practices, ensuring alignment with the company’s goals of reducing packaging complexity and optimizing materials without compromising product quality or brand integrity.
• Work with site teams and global packaging engineers to benchmark packaging material specifications and complexity to ensure that product functionality and quality are maintained, with minimal impact on the brand and consumers. Monitor customer feedback to assess how packaging improvements impact customer satisfaction and adjust packaging material strategies to align with consumer needs while preserving the brand’s reputation. The role ensures that the company consistently delivers world-class customer service by maintaining the highest standards in packaging material quality and efficiency.
• Lead cost-saving initiatives by collaborating with site teams, procurement (global & local), cross-functional teams to benchmark packaging materials, identify opportunities for cost reduction by simplifying material variants. Work with processing & distillation teams to understand the complexities of raw materials, flavors, and product formulations. Consolidate opportunity costs to drive complexity reduction and deliver savings. Conduct benchmarking and share best practices within and outside the company, ensuring that cost-savings projects are effectively executed. Track the progress and report on the savings achieved from these initiatives.
• Work with site teams and global packaging engineers to develop execution protocols for the end-to-end implementation of packaging material initiatives, ensuring that material complexity is reduced while maintaining product functionality and quality. Ensure that all operational initiatives align with the company’s standards of excellence, improving efficiency and performance across the business. Collaborate with cross-functional leaders to identify and share best practices, driving operational excellence throughout all packaging processes. Track progress and ensure continuous improvement in all areas of operations.
• Work with site leads, procurement, and global packaging engineers to develop clear execution protocols for each value engineering initiative, prioritizing the steps to reduce packaging complexity while ensuring the desired product quality and brand integrity. Organize and allocate resources effectively, planning for the smooth execution of each project. Ensure that all tasks and timelines are clearly defined, tracked, and adjusted as necessary to meet deadlines and stay within budget. Maintain coordination with cross-functional teams to ensure seamless implementation of the agreed initiatives.
• Collaborate with site teams and cross-functional stakeholders to ensure alignment on the key initiatives and next steps for execution. Manage and prioritize the workflow of all related projects, ensuring that key tasks are completed on time and in line with the overall project goals. Ensure that all stakeholders are aligned on project objectives and that tasks are completed efficiently while minimizing packaging material complexity. Track progress and adjust workflows and timelines as necessary, ensuring the successful and timely execution of all tasks and projects.
• Ensure that safety protocols are followed during the execution of packaging and material handling projects. Work with site teams to assess the safety risks associated with the use of packaging materials and their complexity, especially during the implementation of complexity reduction initiatives. Regularly assess safety practices to ensure a safe working environments and compliance during all stages of the project lifecycle.
• Ensure that all packaging material initiatives and projects comply with relevant industry standards, regulations, and legal requirements. Work with site teams and global packaging engineers to ensure that packaging material specifications, including complexity reductions, meet both local and international regulatory standards. Provide guidance on regulatory compliance and conduct audits to ensure all projects align with legal and regulatory frameworks.
• Lead continuous process improvement efforts by identifying areas to reduce complexity, improve efficiency, & lower cost while maintaining product quality & brand integrity. Collaborate with site teams & cross functional stakeholders to assess the current packaging material usage & identify opportunities for improvement. Conduct regular benchmarking to evaluate leading/lagging performance, identify best practices & implement solutions to improve processes. Organize annual idea generation workshops to continuously add to the idea bucket. Track progress, report findings & ensure that improvements are implemented & measured for long term impact.

• Strong planning and organizational skills
• Ability to communicate with all levels of an org
• Knowledge of Lean Manufacturing principles
• Bachelor's Degree
• Change Management experience
• Manufacturing systems experience
• Innovative, analytical, solution-oriented mindset with problem solving and strategic thinking skills to evaluate and provide actionable insights
• Proficiency in cost analysis and cost optimization strategies, with a focus on maintaining product quality
• Strong proficiency with systems and data analysis tools.
• Ability to manage multiple projects at one time
• 6 years relevant experience (minimum)

PREFERRED

• Experience in Alcohol Beverage Industry or CPG overall

Physical Requirements

• Ability to move about to accomplish tasks or moving from one worksite to another
• Ability to travel up to 50%

#LI-AF2

A career at Sazerac offers you the opportunity to reach your full potential as part of a creative, decisive, high-performance team. Sazerac values the needs and wants of our team members and offers inclusive benefits to attract and retain the best talent. Our culture is built upon the values of hard work, diligence and personal responsibility.

Sazerac Team Members enjoy:

• Competitive Pay
• Comprehensive Benefits from Day One including medical, dental, vision, disability, and life insurance.
• Family Coverage: Options to cover family members, including domestic partners.
• 401(k) Plan: Immediate access to a matching 401(k) plan.
• Flexible Time Away: Enjoy paid time off (PTO), holidays, and parental leave.
• Mental Health and Wellness: Access to mental health care and wellness incentive programs.
• Educational Support: Benefit from tuition reimbursement and our scholarship program for dependents of Sazerac team members.
• Fun Extras: Enjoy branded apparel, fun events, and a team member bottle purchase program.
• Training and Development: Opportunities for professional growth and development.

Benefits, salary range, and programs may vary by role or location. For roles within our commercial team - the Salary range refers to base salary only and does not include car allowance, annual bonus, fuel or cell phone reimbursement. Please ask your Talent Acquisition Partner for more information about our total rewards package. Sazerac is committed to equality of opportunity without regard to race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, veteran status, age, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, genetic information, physical or mental disability or any other legally protected status.