Director, Digital Manufacturing Operations

Position Description

The Director, Digital Manufacturing Operations serves as the strategic partner between IT and manufacturing operations, ensuring technology initiatives support and drive business objectives. This role owns the digital factory strategy—focusing on the processes, standards, and systems (such as MES, SCADA, and IoT) that drive shop-floor excellence. The ideal candidate will establish the standards for IT/OT convergence, driving multi-site modernization and ensuring our manufacturing technologies are secure, scalable, and highly reliable.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Partnership & IT Alignment:

· Serve as the primary strategic partner to the VP IT, Data Centers, aligning operational technology roadmaps with enterprise capabilities.

· Collaborate closely with Enterprise IT teams to ensure plant-floor technologies (OT) integrate seamlessly and securely with IT systems.

· Act as the primary liaison for manufacturing operations, translating complex shop-floor challenges into standardized technology initiatives.

Digital Factory Strategy & Transformation:

· Own and execute the digital factory strategy, encompassing MES, IoT, and automation roadmaps.

· Lead multi-site transformation initiatives, ensuring standardized yet flexible solutions across our global manufacturing footprint.

· Drive manufacturing execution modernization, replacing legacy systems with next-generation platforms to improve visibility, quality, and throughput.

Process, Standards & Business Governance:

· Establish digital standard work, aligning plant-floor systems with lean manufacturing principles to drive throughput, quality, and OEE.

· Govern the rollout of digital manufacturing tools by measuring success against tangible business KPIs rather than just technical milestones.

· Lead plant-level change management to drive operator adoption while balancing production agility with necessary corporate compliance.

IT/OT Convergence & Security:

· Lead the strategy for IT/OT convergence, creating a seamless technology environment from the plant floor to the enterprise.

· Partner directly with cybersecurity and networking teams to implement robust security protocols for industrial control systems and connected devices.

Technology & Automation Leadership:

· Champion the integration of automation, and intelligent systems to enhance operational efficiency and safety.

· Establish and manage robust data pipelines, analytics, and AI for operations, transforming raw data into actionable insights for process optimization.

· Implement a continuous improvement and reliability engineering mindset for operational technology, ensuring high availability and performance of plant systems.

Required Education & Qualifications

Education & Experience:

· Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology, Engineering, Business Administration, or related field.

· 10+ years of progressive experience in IT or Engineering, including 5+ years in a senior leadership role at the intersection of manufacturing operations and technology.

· Proven track record of leading digital transformation projects (e.g., MES, IoT, SCADA) in a global manufacturing environment.

Skills & Competencies:

· Deep understanding of manufacturing processes and operational technologies (OT).

· Strong knowledge of IT/OT convergence, industrial cybersecurity, and data architecture.

· Demonstrated ability to partner effectively with Enterprise IT teams.

· Excellent communication, negotiation, and interpersonal skills with the ability to influence at the executive level.

· Familiarity with enterprise architecture, digital transformation, and IT governance frameworks.