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Director, Client Development – Design‑Build - Capital Projects - CPG

Barry-Wehmiller · Chicago, IL · Full time

Posted Sep 11, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 6, 2026

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Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

About your past

Tell me about a design-build capital project for a consumer packaged goods client that you helped win. What made the difference?

What they are checking: Whether they have won CPG capital work and know what drives client selection.

How do you hand off a won project to the delivery team so the client stays confident?

What they are checking: Whether they stay connected after the sale and protect the client relationship through execution.

Tell me about a time you had to say no to a client request during a pursuit.

What they are checking: Whether they protect the firm from bad commitments while keeping trust.

What would you do

A client loves your design team but chooses a lower-priced contractor for construction. How do you respond for the next pursuit?

What they are checking: Whether they learn from the loss and find ways to show the value of integrated delivery.

A client asks for a fast-track schedule that your delivery team says is risky. What do you do?

What they are checking: Whether they bring delivery and client together to find a realistic plan instead of overselling.

How do you use your network to open doors at accounts where we have no history?

What they are checking: Whether they can create new relationships, not just manage existing ones.

About the work

What pressures are CPG manufacturers facing right now that lead to new capital projects?

What they are checking: Whether they understand drivers like capacity, automation, labor and speed to market in CPG.

How do you build relationships with plant and engineering leaders at large CPG companies?

What they are checking: Whether they have a real approach to long-term relationship building with operations decision makers.

How would you explain the benefits of our integrated architecture, engineering and construction model compared to separate firms?

What they are checking: Whether they can clearly sell integrated delivery in terms of cost, schedule and risk.

How do you set and measure your own sales goals over a long sales cycle?

What they are checking: Whether they track leading indicators and pipeline health, not just closed deals.

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The full job description

As published by Barry-Wehmiller.

About Us: BW Design Group is a fully integrated architecture, engineering, construction, system integration, and consulting firm committed to helping our clients realize their most critical goals from Strategy to Commercialization. As the only firm born from a manufacturing technology company to become an independent and fully integrated firm, we combine deep domain expertise in the manufacturing environment with an approach that is built to serve the dynamic needs of our clients. Rooted in our distinct culture of Truly Human Leadership, we cultivate the leaders who will define tomorrow and partner with our clients in the food & beverage, life sciences, industrial, and advanced technology industries to build the future of manufacturing and technology. Barry-Wehmiller is a diversified global supplier of engineering consulting and manufacturing technology for the packaging, corrugating, sheeting and paper-converting industries. By blending people-centric leadership with disciplined operational strategies and purpose-driven growth, Barry-Wehmiller has become a $3 billion organization with nearly 12,000 team members united by a common belief: to use the power of business to build a better world. Job Description: Who You’ll Work With You will join one of our 45 offices in the US, be part of a committed team of over 1500 professionals, and work in teams and directly with our clients doing work that is shaping the world around us. You will be welcomed into a rapidly growing business and team and empowered to make an impact. You will be valued, cared for, and challenged on your path to becoming a world-class professional consultant and surrounded by leaders who are committed to creating an environment that enables you to realize your own success and fulfillment. When you join BW Design Group as a Director, you are joining a team that will challenge you and position you for growth. In this role, you will work with a team of industry experts to help the world’s leading companies solve their most difficult problems. You will join our Architecture + Engineering + Construction (AEC) Business and partner with seasoned leaders, technical specialists, and subject matter experts to deliver the highest quality solutions to our clients with consistency and accuracy. Role Overview We are seeking a Director, Client Development (Food & Beverage Manufacturing – Design Build/EPC) to build, secure, and execute large-scale capital programs ($100M+), with direct accountability for bookings, commercial strategy, and delivery outcomes. This client-facing growth leadership role blends strategic client alignment with deep technical expertise to expand multi-project initiatives across processing, packaging, utilities, and facility modernization—including hygienic design, cold chain, and regulated food manufacturing environments—in both brownfield and greenfield settings. Operating outside traditional utilization expectations (e.g., billable hours), the role is measured by bookings, margin-aware account growth, delivery performance, and long-term client value—empowering you to focus on high-impact client strategy, pursuit leadership, and capital alignment in an entrepreneurial environment. Dedicated preconstruction, engineering, and construction teams support the role, ensuring technical depth and delivery leadership partnership complement your accountability in client development. Success in this role is defined by secured bookings, profitable delivery of multi-project capital programs, and sustained executive-level client relationships. What You’ll Do • Own bookings targets, pricing strategy, and commercial positioning, developing opportunities into secured design-build (DB) and engineer-procure-construct (EPC) initiatives supporting food and beverage processing, packaging, utilities, and distribution facilities—leveraging your technical insights to achieve outcomes. • Engage client executive stakeholders across Engineering, Operations, Supply Chain, Quality, Finance, and Environmental, Health, and Safety (EHS) to align capital investment with growth, reliability, Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA)/Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) compliance, and speed-to-market objectives. • Lead pursuit strategy and executive presentations; negotiate commercial terms, delivery approach, pricing, and risk allocation with direct accountability for contractual outcomes, drawing on technical expertise to build client trust. • Lead internal subject matter experts (SMEs) across process, architecture/engineering (A/E), preconstruction, construction, and controls to deliver integrated DB/EPC solutions. • Participate in go/no-go reviews, pipeline governance, forecasting, and customer relationship management (CRM) discipline to support predictable growth and backlog health. • Serve as executive sponsor through execution and closeout, remaining accountable for client satisfaction, commercial performance, and long-term account profitability. What You’ll Bring • 15+ years leading and delivering capital programs for manufacturing clients in a design-build, EPC, or integrated A/E/C environment—particularly within food, beverage, CPG, or other regulated production environments—with personal responsibility for securing work, pricing, and delivery execution. • Deep understanding of food manufacturing operations, including people and material flows, hygienic zoning, adjacency planning, reliability constraints, and operational readiness across processing and utility systems, applied to inform client alignments and de-risking strategies. • Experience leading large, multidisciplinary delivery teams with authority over scope, cost, schedule, and margin. • This role requires ownership of commercial outcomes and delivery risk within a DB/EPC model, using technical expertise to secure and execute high-value contracts. • Use industry experience and technical knowledge in delivery strategy development and cost/schedule de-risking, including preconstruction, constructability, phasing, shutdown/tie-in planning, and risk management—all to support client pursuits and margin-aware growth. • Food & Beverage manufacturing experience strongly preferred; Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) or life sciences/pharma experience transferable where candidates have delivered regulated, capital-intensive manufacturing facilities. • Experience working in quality-driven and regulated environments; Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP)/current GMP (cGMP) and HACCP exposure a plus. • Executive-level communication skills with the ability to influence and align technical and non-technical stakeholders. • Willingness to travel for client engagement, site walkdowns, and industry events. • BS or MS in Engineering, Architecture, Construction Management, or related field. • Professional Engineer (PE) preferred but not required; Master of Business Administration (MBA) and/or Project Management Professional (PMP) a plus. Our culture and commitment to our people is what sets us apart. We foster an environment of mutual respect, integrity, and unconditional interest in the individual and collective success of our professionals. Our model and entrepreneurial mindset offer a rewarding, challenging, and highly flexible path. As a Director, you will build a meaningful and fulfilling career with the support of professional development resources and mentorships including our First Year Experience program, Individual Development Plans, and Career Path resources and tools. You will be surrounded by exceptional talent who will support your development as both a world-class engineer and a highly effective leader. Feel like you're on the path to becoming a Director but you're not quite there yet? We'd love to connect with you to see if we can take you from where you are today and grow you into a BW Design Group Consultant. #LI-BH1 At Barry-Wehmiller we recognize that people come with a wealth of experience and talent beyond just the technical requirements of a job. If your experience is close to what you see listed here, please still consider applying. We know that our differences often can bring about innovation, excellence and meaningful work—therefore, people from all backgrounds are encouraged to apply to our positions. Please let us know if you require reasonable accommodations during the interview process. ​ Barry-Wehmiller is an equal opportunity employer. M/F/D/V This organization uses E-Verify. Applicants may be subject to pre-employment screening which may include drug screening, reference checks, employment verifications, background screening and/or skills assessments. Company: Design Group

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