Senior Director, Manufacturing Excellence, Automation & Change

ConnectedGroup Limited; Hong Kong; On-site; HKD 2,400,000 - 3,600,000; Full time

Job summary

ConnectedGroup Limited in Hong Kong seeks a Senior Director to lead Manufacturing Excellence, Automation & Change. You will work with suppliers, engineering, sourcing and senior leadership to create a technology-driven manufacturing ecosystem that is productive, resilient and scalable.

The role focuses on transforming operations across regional sites, championing Industry 4.0, AI, and data-driven decisions while embedding Lean Six Sigma practices. Travel across Asia is expected.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering or related field.
• Minimum 15 years of manufacturing leadership experience.
• 8+ years leading large-scale transformation and automation initiatives.
• Proven track record implementing automation in high-volume environments.
• Fluency in English and Mandarin; willingness to travel extensively across Asia.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement a multi-year automation and digital transformation roadmap across regional manufacturing operations.
• Define strategies to improve productivity, flexibility, quality, and resilience.
• Identify and prioritize high-impact transformation opportunities across the network.
• Lead automation initiatives across partners including injection molding, robotics, and packaging.
• Develop business cases and ROI analyses for automation investments.
• Establish governance and standardized methodologies for operational excellence.
• Drive Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma and TPM programs.

Skills

Lean Six Sigma

Change leadership

Executive stakeholder mgmt

Robotics & automation

AI in manufacturing

Data-driven decisions

Supplier management

Continuous improvement

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering

Tools

Smart factory platforms

Industrial IoT

Robotics integration

Vision/inspection tech

Job description

Senior Director, Manufacturing Excellence, Automation & Change

The successful candidate will work closely with supplier partners, engineering teams, sourcing functions, and senior leadership to build a more productive, resilient and technology-driven manufacturing ecosystem.

Key Responsibilities

Manufacturing Transformation Strategy

• Develop and implement a multi-year automation and digital transformation roadmap across regional manufacturing operations.
• Define strategies to improve productivity, operational flexibility, quality performance, and supply chain resilience.
• Identify and prioritize high-impact improvement opportunities throughout the manufacturing network.
• Partner with executive stakeholders to align manufacturing capabilities with future sourcing and geographic diversification plans.
• Establish a long-term vision for smart manufacturing, automation, robotics, AI, and data-driven operations.

Automation & Advanced Manufacturing

• Lead implementation of automation initiatives across manufacturing partners, including:
  • Injection molding automation
  • Robotic handling systems
  • Automated assembly solutions
  • Vision inspection technologies
  • Packaging automation
  • Collaborative robotics
  • Smart factory applications
• Evaluate emerging technologies and identify scalable solutions for broader deployment.
• Develop business cases and ROI analysis for automation investments.
• Standardize best practices and drive implementation across multiple manufacturing sites.

Supplier Capability Development

• Act as the organization's senior manufacturing transformation advisor to external manufacturing partners.
• Build strong relationships with factory leadership teams and operational stakeholders.
• Establish assessment frameworks covering:
  • Automation maturity
  • Digital capability
  • Operational excellence
  • Capacity scalability
  • Workforce dependency
  • Manufacturing resilience
• Guide suppliers in identifying and prioritizing transformation initiatives.
• Develop capability-building programs that support long-term operational improvement and technology adoption.

Continuous Improvement Leadership

• Lead and develop a regional Manufacturing Continuous Improvement team.
• Establish governance and standardized methodologies for operational excellence programs.
• Drive Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, TPM, and productivity initiatives.
• Build technical capabilities within both internal teams and supplier organizations.
• Foster a performance-driven culture focused on measurable business outcomes.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Industrial Engineering, Automation, Mechanical Engineering, or a related discipline.
• Minimum 15 years of manufacturing leadership experience.
• At least 8 years leading large-scale transformation, automation, or operational excellence initiatives.
• Demonstrated success implementing automation solutions within high-volume manufacturing environments.
• Strong supplier-facing manufacturing experience.
• Deep expertise in:
  • Plastic injection molding
  • Manufacturing engineering
  • Assembly operations
  • Factory automation
  • Lean Manufacturing
• Proven track record developing multi-site improvement strategies and delivering measurable business impact.
• Strong leadership presence with the ability to influence senior stakeholders and external partners.
• Willingness to travel extensively across Asia.
• Experience within consumer products, toys, electronics, promotional merchandise, or contract manufacturing sectors.
• Exposure to Industry 4.0 and smart factory implementations.
• Experience applying AI technologies within manufacturing environments.
• Lean Six Sigma Green Belt, Black Belt, or equivalent operational excellence certification.
• Familiarity with manufacturing operations across China and Southeast Asia.
• Fluency in English and Mandarin.
• Open for Hong Kong / Shenzhen as work location.