Automation Director, APAC

The Coca-Cola Company; Singapore; On-site; SGD 260,000 - 420,000; Full time

Job summary

The Coca-Cola Company seeks a Regional Automation Director to define and lead automation strategy across 19 manufacturing sites in APAC. The role drives deployment, standardization and optimization of automation, controls and digital manufacturing to improve safety, quality, reliability, productivity, and cost performance.

Reporting to the Sr. Director, CPS Automation, you will partner with plant engineering, operations, digital, IT/OT, quality, EHS and capital project teams to align automation

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or related technical discipline (Adv. degree preferred).
• 7–10+ years in automation, controls, or digital manufacturing in high-volume environments.
• Experience developing regional automation strategies across multiple sites.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute regional automation and controls strategy.
• Build multi-year automation roadmap across the plant network.
• Lead automation modernization and standardization initiatives across sites.

Skills

Leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

Strategic planning

Digital manufacturing

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering

Advanced degree preferred

Tools

Siemens PLC

Rockwell PLC

Schneider PLC

Job description

Job Description:

We are on a multi-year transformation journey to modernize our network of 19 manufacturing sites. We are investing heavily in automation and digitization as part of this strategy and to get the organization ready in the new ways of operation in CPS. The Regional Automation Director is responsible for defining and leading the automation strategy across the manufacturing network within their region. This role drives the deployment, standardization, and optimization of automation, controls, and digital manufacturing solutions to improve safety, quality, reliability, productivity, and cost performance across sites in APAC region. In addition, the role builds organizational capability in the plants for the automation and non-automation personnel for to increase uptime and drive down the maintenance cost.

Reporting to Sr. Director, CPS Automation, the role partners closely with plant engineering, operations, digital, IT/OT, quality, EHS, and capital project teams to ensure automation capabilities are aligned with business priorities and support the company’s broader manufacturing transformation agenda.

Responsibilities:

Regional automation strategy

• Develop and execute the regional automation and controls strategy aligned to business, manufacturing, and digital transformation priorities.

• Build a multi-year automation roadmap across the plant network in partnership with the site automation teams, including modernization of legacy control systems, digital integration, and smart manufacturing enablement.

• Identify and prioritize automation opportunities that improve operational performance, capacity, labor productivity, energy efficiency, and asset reliability.

Standards, Governance, and Technical Leadership

• Govern regional automation standards, architecture, and best practices across controls, SCADA, PLC, HMI, MES, historians, and OT infrastructure.

• Ensure consistency in automation design, cybersecurity, lifecycle management, and system support models across the region.

• Act as the regional subject matter expert for automation and controls, providing technical leadership to plants and project teams.

• Drive standardization of platforms, vendors, and engineering approaches were appropriate to reduce complexity and total cost of ownership.

Capital Projects and Program Delivery

• Provide strategic leadership for automation workstreams associated with regional capital projects, including new lines, plant expansions, equipment upgrades, and brownfield modernization.

• Lead automation initiatives, ensure automation scope is clearly defined and delivered on time, within budget, and in line with safety, quality, and operational requirements.

• Create automation project management and VSU standards.

Plant Performance and Continuous Improvement

• Establish regional governance, escalation processes and technical support models to ensure rapid resolution of critical automation issues impacting production, quality, reliability and safety.

• Drive root cause analysis and structured problem solving for recurring controls and automation failures.

• Leverage data and digital tools and coach site automation engineers to improve line performance, downtime reduction, process capability, and OEE.

• Identify and scale successful automation solutions across the regional network.

• Set regional automation maintenance strategy and drive automation maintenance cost reduction

Capability Building and Team Leadership

• Actively participate in hiring of the plant automation engineers.

• Build organizational capability in automation and controls across the region through training, coaching, and technical community development. This includes capability in both automation and non-automation personnel.

• Lead, mentor, and develop plant automation engineers and regional technical resources.

• Foster a high-performance culture focused on safety, operational excellence, collaboration, and continuous improvement.

• Build strong cross-functional relationships with operations, engineering, digital, IT, quality, maintenance, and external partners.

Qualifications & Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Automation, Electrical Engineering, Controls Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering or related technical discipline. Advance degree preferred.

• 7-10+ years of progressive experience in automation, controls, manufacturing engineering, industrial systems or digital manufacturing within FMCG, food & beverage, consumer products, pharmaceutical, or other high-volume manufacturing environments.

• Demonstrated experience developing and executing automation, controls or smart manufacturing strategies across multiple manufacturing sites or a regional manufacturing network.

• Proven track record leading large-scale automation modernization, digitization, Industry 4.0, or manufacturing transformation initiatives with measurable operational and financial outcomes. Experience leading complex, cross-functional programs involving operations, engineering, maintenance, digital, IT/OT, quality, and external partners. Experience influencing senior leaders and driving alignment across a matrixed organization without direct authority.

• Demonstrated success developing technical capability, building communities of practice, and leading technical talent across multiple locations. Experience managing automation-related capital investments, technology portfolios, or major capital project workstreams.

Technical competencies

• Deep knowledge of industrial automation systems including:PLCs (e.g., Siemens, Rockwell, Schneider)SCADA / HMI systemsDCS / batch control systemsManufacturing Execution Systems (MES)

• Industrial networks and OT infrastructure

• Data historians and connected factory solutions

• Detailed Hardware Knowledge of machine electrical safety standards, Control Panel design, Equipment connectivity protocols, robotics, Drives, Vision systems, etc

• Strong knowledge of OT cyber security requirements and network segmentation

Travel: up to 50%

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and do not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, sex, age, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, status as a veteran, and basis of disability or any other federal, state or local protected class.