Senior Director Manufacturing

Senior Director - Manufacturing Automation

🌎 Global, Highly Regulated Manufacturing Organization

A global, multi-billion-dollar manufacturing organization operating in highly regulated industries is seeking a Senior Director
Manufacturing Automation to lead enterprise-wide smart factory transformation.

This is a strategic leadership role responsible for architecting and scaling automation initiatives across multiple global sites. The successful candidate will drive Industry 4.0 deployment, digital manufacturing innovation, and measurable operational performance improvement across complex manufacturing environments.

Develop and execute a multi-year automation roadmap aligned with operational excellence and long-term business growth objectives. Build scalable deployment models across global sites and divisions.

Evaluate and deploy advanced automation technologies including:

• Robotics & AMRs/AGVs
• IIoT and connected factory platforms
• Machine vision & advanced inspection systems
• Digital twins
• MES and enterprise manufacturing platforms

Deliver measurable improvements in OEE, throughput, safety, quality, and cost productivity.

Partner with Engineering, Supply Chain, Quality, IT, and Site Leadership to ensure automation initiatives are harmonized and scalable. Influence senior stakeholders and align transformation efforts across a matrixed global organization.

Establish dashboards, KPIs, and governance frameworks to track program impact and value realization. Own multi-year capital planning, budgets, and resource allocation for automation programs.

Drive adoption across all organizational levels. Build and mentor high-performing teams of engineers, architects, and program leaders. Standardize playbooks and execution models to accelerate deployment.

• 10+ years in manufacturing, engineering, or industrial operations
• 5+ years leading enterprise-scale automation or digital transformation initiatives
• Proven success implementing advanced automation in regulated or complex industries (Life Sciences, Medical Device, Pharma, Electronics, Automotive, etc.)
• Experience leading global or multi-site rollouts
• Demonstrated ownership of significant CAPEX programs

• Industry 4.0 architecture & integration
• Robotics, MES, IIoT, AI/ML applications
• Lean manufacturing & Six Sigma
• Performance improvement in regulated environments

• Strategic thinker with strong execution discipline
• Executive presence and stakeholder influencing ability
• Experience operating in matrixed, global organizations
• Strong program governance and change leadership capability Why This Opportunity?
  • Enterprise-level impact across global operations
  • Executive visibility and influence
  • Opportunity to shape the future of digital manufacturing
  • Competitive compensation and long-term incentives

  If you are a transformation-oriented manufacturing leader ready to drive scalable automation at global scale, we welcome a confidential conversation.