At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead and develop a team of Forward Deployment Engineers while driving AI initiatives.
- Company: Join McCain, a global leader in food production with a focus on innovation.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive salary, health coverage, retirement savings, and well-being programs.
- Other info: Flexible hybrid work model with opportunities for professional growth.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in AI and digital transformation while growing your career.
- Qualifications: 10+ years in tech leadership and experience in commercial business functions required.
The predicted salary is between 70000 - 149000 $ per year.
In every role, McCainers are ambitious, curious, and passionate about creating exceptional work experiences - together. With a customer-first mindset, we make doing business with McCain easy.
About The Role
The Forward Deployment Engineer Commercial Manager is responsible for setting and maintaining the FDE skill standard across McCain, developing and coaching the FDE community, and leading the Portfolio FDE talent pool. Reporting to the VP, Artificial Intelligence, this role operates as a player-coach, balancing hands-on engagement with strategic practice leadership. The Forward Deployment Engineer Manager - Commercial partners closely with business sponsors, AI leaders, and pod-based FDE teams to drive quality, consistency, and measurable business outcomes across AI deployments while ensuring adherence to Responsible AI, security, and governance standards.
What You’ll Be Doing
- Establish and maintain the FDE capability framework, role definition, and development pathways across McCain.
- Coach, mentor, and develop Forward Deployment Engineers through structured feedback, community building, and career development initiatives.
- Lead hiring, talent calibration, performance management, and workforce planning for the Portfolio FDE organization.
- Oversee assignment of FDE resources across Portfolio business areas, aligning skills, business priorities, and development goals.
- Personally lead select AI and digital transformation engagements each quarter while modeling best practices as a player-coach.
- Partner with Commercial FDE leaders to establish consistent standards, practices, and quality expectations.
- Collaborate with AI Platform & Engineering, Knowledge Engineering, Deployment & Enablement, and Governance leaders to successfully deliver enterprise AI initiatives.
- Develop reusable playbooks, engagement methodologies, and operating standards that improve delivery effectiveness and scalability.
- Ensure all engagements comply with McCain’s Responsible AI, security, risk management, and governance requirements.
- Represent the FDE practice with senior business leaders and executive stakeholders, driving adoption and enterprise impact.
What You’ll Need To Be Successful
- Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related discipline; advanced degree preferred.
- 10+ years of experience leading complex business, technology, or customer-facing engagements.
- 3+ years of experience leading a practice, function, or team of senior individual contributors.
- 3+ years of experience supporting Commercial business functions, including areas such as Sales, Revenue Growth Management, Customer Solutions, Trade Promotion Management, Category Management, Marketing, or Commercial Operations.
- Demonstrated ability to operate effectively as a player-coach while developing high-performing teams.
- Proven success setting and maintaining quality standards across a community of experienced practitioners.
- Strong influencing, stakeholder management, and executive communication skills with the ability to lead without direct authority.
- Experience driving measurable business outcomes and enterprise-scale transformation initiatives.
- Customer-focused mindset with strong problem-solving capabilities and comfort navigating ambiguity.
- Experience within AI-driven organizations, consulting firms, manufacturing, food service, consumer packaged goods, or related industries is considered an asset.
About The Team
The FDE Commercial Manager is part of McCain’s Artificial Intelligence organization and reports to the VP, Artificial Intelligence. This role leads the Portfolio FDE talent pool and works closely with dedicated FDE leaders supporting Commercial domains. The position also collaborates across AI Platform & Engineering, Knowledge Engineering, AI Deployment & Enablement, Governance & Operations, and senior business leadership teams to accelerate AI adoption and business value creation across the enterprise.
About McCain
McCain Foods is an equal opportunity employer. As a global family-owned company, we strive to be the employer of choice in the diverse communities around the world in which we live and work. We recognize that inclusion drives our creativity, resilience, and success and makes our business stronger. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, age, veteran status, disability, or any other protected characteristic under applicable law. McCain is an accessible employer. If you require an accommodation throughout the recruitment process (including alternate formats of materials or accessible meeting rooms), please let us know, and we will work with you to find appropriate solutions.
Forward Deployment Engineer Manager in Toronto employer: McCain Foods
At McCain Foods, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer that fosters a collaborative and high-performing work culture. Our commitment to innovation, accountability, and continuous improvement is matched by our dedication to employee growth and inclusivity, making Florenceville-Bristol an ideal location for those looking to make meaningful contributions in the R&D field. With a flexible hybrid work approach and a focus on personal and professional development, we empower our team members to thrive while delivering impactful solutions in the food industry.
