Senior Director, Manufacturing Excellence, Automation & Change

ConnectedGroup; Hong Kong; On-site; HKD 2,000,000 - 4,200,000; Full time

Job summary

ConnectedGroup is seeking a senior Manufacturing Transformation leader to partner with supplier, engineering, sourcing, and executive teams across Asia to build a more productive, resilient, and technology-driven manufacturing ecosystem.

This role will own the strategy for automation, advanced manufacturing, and continuous improvement across multi-site operations, driving Lean, Six Sigma, Industry 4.0 initiatives, and long-term capability development with external partners and internal teams.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering or related field.
• 15+ years manufacturing leadership experience.
• 8+ years leading large-scale transformation or automation initiatives.
• Proven automation deployment in high-volume plants.
• Strong supplier-facing experience.
• Experience in plastics, injection molding, factory automation, Lean manufacturing.

Responsibilities

• Lead regional Manufacturing Continuous Improvement team.
• Develop multi-site transformation strategies across Asia.
• Drive Lean, Six Sigma, TPM and productivity initiatives.
• Partner with suppliers and internal stakeholders to align capabilities.
• Travel across Asia as needed to drive initiatives.
• Define and implement smart factory and automation programs.

Skills

Manufacturing leadership

Automation strategy

Continuous improvement

Lean Six Sigma

Supplier management

Stakeholder influence

AI in manufacturing

Project leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor's in Engineering

Job description

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.