Regional Technical Manager

Samtec Asia Pacific (M) Sdn Bhd; Iskandar Puteri; On-site; MYR 500,000 - 750,000; Full time

Job summary

Samtec Asia Pacific (M) Sdn Bhd seeks a Regional Technical Manager to align technical and sustaining engineering across APAC manufacturing sites. You will drive regional strategies, KPIs, and TPM programs, collaborating with Engineering, Manufacturing, NPI/NR, Supply Chain, and Quality.

This role emphasizes continuous improvement and scalable operations across multiple sites. Applicants should bring 10+ years in high-precision manufacturing and regional leadership, with proven automation and

Qualifications

• 10+ years of high-precision manufacturing experience.
• 10+ years in regional management roles leading technical manufacturing functions across multiple sites.
• Proven track record delivering capital projects and automation programs on time.
• Knowledge of MES, TPM, GD&T, EIA, MIL standards, and GR&R.
• Familiar with Asia Pacific regulations and multicultural collaboration.
• Ability to travel up to 30% domestically and internationally.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement technical strategies for regional facilities.
• Establish and manage KPIs for operations, quality, and compliance.
• Lead TPM strategy deployment and maintenance standards.
• Drive automation roadmaps to reduce manual work and cut costs.
• Collaborate with global and regional leadership to scale operations.
• Build regional TPM capability through audits and knowledge sharing.

Skills

Technical leadership

Manufacturing operations

Cross-site collaboration

Lean manufacturing

Six Sigma

DMAIC

FMEA

DOE

OEE

Automation strategy

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering

Masters in Engineering or MBA

Tools

MES

ERP

PLC

HMI

DCS

Robotics

Vision systems

Job description

Summary/Objective:

The Regional Technical Manager serves as the primary integrator and collaborator of technical and sustaining engineering resources across Samtec's Asia regional manufacturing facilities. This role leads regional technical teams in achieving operational strategies while driving continuous improvement and elevating technical strength across all manufacturing operations. This role partners closely with Engineering, Manufacturing, NPI/NR, Supply Chain, and Quality to drive ongoing manufacturing execution, continuous improvement, and scaling — coordinating technical activities between sites to achieve consistent results aligned with short- and long-term goals.

Essential Functions/Responsibilities:

• Interface and collaborate with Operations, Engineering, and Sales to develop and implement technical strategies and goals that advance the Samtec operational and technical roadmaps.
• Provide the region with technical strategy and objectives required to carry out the Samtec service model in a manner consistent with Samtec company values and DNA to meet internal and external customer needs.
• Establish and oversee technical KPIs for all regional facilities performance for operations, quality, and compliance standards (CTPAT, AEO, ISO, IATF, etc.).
• Perform regular technical risk assessments across all regional facilities, identifying and mitigating risks to technical performance and product quality.
• Lead regional TPM strategy deployment, establish framework and all associated systems/processes
• Define and track leading and lagging KPIs for equipment reliability, including MTBF, MTTR, and maintenance cost per unit to drive measurable improvements in Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) and asset reliability.
• Establish and maintain standards for autonomous maintenance, planned maintenance, and early equipment management programs
• Build regional TPM capability through systems, site audits, cross-site knowledge sharing, etc.
• Lead regional sustaining manufacturing engineering teams in the optimization, standardization, scale-up of manufacturing processes, and design improvements across all product lines and facilities.
• Drive automation roadmaps that reduce manual operations where justified, improve ergonomic conditions, increase throughput, and lower unit cost by providing regional direction for machine controls, covering PLC, HMI, DCS, robotics, vision systems, and motion control platforms.
• Identify and deliver process improvement projects yielding significant cost reduction, capacity expansion, or quality enhancement by utilizing continuous improvement methodologies such as Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, DMAIC, FMEA, and Design of Experiments (DOE).
• Work with local Operations teams to develop and recommend capital expenditure strategies and resource rebalancing to make regional operations scalable, technically advanced, and efficient.
• Develop and maintain structured technical training curriculum encompassing front line technical support, sustaining manufacturing engineering (tooling/process), sustaining machine controls/vision, and sustaining engineering leadership ensuring common processes, systems, and tracking methods are aligned with global strategy.
• Develop and implement a regional framework for associate growth and performance management — encompassing career pathways, competency frameworks, and succession planning across front line technical support, manufacturing engineering, machine controls/vision, and engineering leadership — while overseeing performance evaluations, driving improvement plans where needed, and recognizing high performers in partnership with HR and site leadership.
• Build and oversee internal talent development programs where necessary (i.e. apprenticeship and co-op programs)
• Collaborate with Corporate and Regional Leadership to address current and future technical needs to ensure scalability.
• Conduct regular trips to corporate and manufacturing facilities to build relationships with cross-functional teams, receive critical training, and collaborate on technical initiatives. Provide corporate stakeholders with trip updates and technical action plans.
• Collaborate with HODs, HR, and administrative regional partners to ensure all business processes comply with government and industry standards, protecting Samtec's interests.
• Support and sponsor regional manufacturing execution systems (MES), ERP integration, and industrial automation platforms in alignment with global architecture standards.
• Champion smart manufacturing initiatives at the regional level, including IIoT infrastructure deployment, AI-assisted process control, and advanced analytics tools.
• Drive convergence of IT and OT infrastructure within the region, ensuring secure, scalable, and interoperable manufacturing systems.

*The responsibilities as defined are intended to serve as a general guideline for this position.
Associates may be asked to perform additional tasks depending on strengths and capabilities.*

Required Experience:

• 10+ years of experience in high-precision, tight-tolerance manufacturing.
• 10+ years of department or regional management experience in technical, engineering, or operations roles leading technical manufacturing functions across multiple sites or regions.
• Proven track record of delivering capital projects, automation programs, new technologies/processes, and core manufacturing initiatives on time.
• Knowledge across manufacturing systems/MES, Total Productive Maintenance, process engineering, machine automation, New Product Introduction, GD&T, EIA, MIL standards, and GR&R.
• Must be familiar with global regulations and manufacturing culture across Asia Pacific Region
• Ability to navigate multiple languages/cultures (China/Taiwan/Malaysia/Vietnam/Thailand) Outstanding
• Able to sit/stand for 90 consecutive minutes.

Education:

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, or related field required.
• Masters in Engineering, MBA, or advanced degree is preferred but not required.

Training Required:

• On-the-job training as appropriate.

Working Conditions:

• Regular presence at regional manufacturing sites with periodic travel to corporate headquarters.
• Domestic and international travel required, estimated at up to 30% of working time.
• Flexibility to engage across global time zones to support an international organization.

Samtec, Inc., is a worldwide manufacturer of P.C. Board level interconnects. Samtec was founded in 1976 and is privately held. Samtec, Inc. is ISO/TS 16949:2009, ISO 9001:2008, and ISO 14001:2004 registered with a 5-A1 Dun and Bradstreet rating, the highest available for a corporation this size.

Much more than just another connector company, Samtec puts people first with a commitment to exceptional service, quality products, and convenient tools. We believe that people matter, whether they are our external or internal customers. This belief is deeply ingrained throughout our organization and means we're all willing to go the extra step to build remarkable products and services that take the industry further faster.

Founded in 1976, we are a privately held, $613 million global manufacturer of a broad line of electronic interconnect solution blocks, including IC-to-Board/Ultra Micro, High Speed Board-to-Board, High Speed Cables, Future-Proof/Active Optics, Flexible Stacking, and Micro/Rugged components and cables. To meet the interconnect challenges of tomorrow and beyond, Samtec has developed unique Technology Centers to help optimize the entire signal transmission path… from the IC to the panel and beyond, and all points in between.

For more company information, please visit www.samtec.com.

Samtec, Inc., is a worldwide manufacturer of P.C. Board level interconnects. Samtec was founded in 1976 and is privately held. Samtec, Inc. is ISO/TS 16949:2009, ISO 9001:2008, and ISO 14001:2004 registered with a 5-A1 Dun and Bradstreet rating, the highest available for a corporation this size.

Much more than just another connector company, Samtec puts people first with a commitment to exceptional service, quality products, and convenient tools. We believe that people matter, whether they are our external or internal customers. This belief is deeply ingrained throughout our organization and means we're all willing to go the extra step to build remarkable products and services that take the industry further faster.

Founded in 1976, we are a privately held, $613 million global manufacturer of a broad line of electronic interconnect solution blocks, including IC-to-Board/Ultra Micro, High Speed Board-to-Board, High Speed Cables, Future-Proof/Active Optics, Flexible Stacking, and Micro/Rugged components and cables. To meet the interconnect challenges of tomorrow and beyond, Samtec has developed unique Technology Centers to help optimize the entire signal transmission path… from the IC to the panel and beyond, and all points in between.

For more company information, please visit www.samtec.com.