Vice President, IT & Digital Transformation (Based in KL)

The Talent People; Singapore; On-site; SGD 150,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

A global manufacturing group seeks a leader for their digital and enterprise technology strategy. This role involves modernizing core systems, managing IT operations across various functions, and executing a comprehensive digital roadmap. Candidates should have over 12 years in enterprise IT, with a strong focus on digital transformations in process industries. The ideal candidate will champion change, lead high-performing teams, and engage with stakeholders to drive measurable impact.

Qualifications

• 12+ years in enterprise IT with experience leading digital transformations.
• Experience in process industries like oleochemicals or energy is preferred.
• Strong business acumen and ability to execute strategy.

Responsibilities

• Lead the digital strategy for the integrated palm oil business.
• Manage team resources for IT and digital transformation goals.
• Drive stakeholder engagement with senior leadership.

Skills

Leadership in digital transformation

ERP modernization

Data & analytics programs

Project management

Agile / DevOps methodologies

Influential communication

Education

Bachelor’s in Computer Science

Master’s / MBA

Tools

SAP

Agile certifications

PMP certifications

Job description

Our Client

The Talent People is representing our client, a global group of resource-based manufacturing companies with assets exceeding US$35 billion and a workforce of over 80,000. Its operations span pulp and paper, palm oil, viscose fiber, and energy sectors.

Role Summary

Lead the enterprise technology and digital strategy for a large, and growing integrated palm oil business, covering upstream, midstream and downstream businesses across the palm industry.

Modernize core systems and operations across plantation management, manufacturing, supply chain, and commercial functions—while ensuring secure, compliant, high-availability IT / OT services. Operate as the digital champion for the business unit, managing resources and delivering mobile, web, analytics / AI, and core IT (SAP) transformation to measurable outcomes.

Key Objectives

• Launch a 3-year IT / Digital roadmap focused on supply chain optimisation, margin uplift, manufacturing excellence, and automation of commercial operations.
• Deliver EBITDA impact via digital use cases (predictive maintenance, yield optimization, planning & inventory optimization, sales digitization).
• Modernize core platforms & data : SAP upgrade and S / 4HANA journey planning, modernization of trading systems, single-source lake / warehouse, and financial analytics.
• Uplift cybersecurity and OT security across plants and locations.
• Establish product-centric delivery, agile execution, continuous integration and delivery, and value tracking to improve time-to-value and adoption across sites in Malaysia and the region.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategy & Leadership

• Own the IT & Digital strategy aligned with Group architecture / security; translate P&L priorities into a funded portfolio with value cases, KPIs, and milestones.
• Build and lead a high-performing team (IT Ops, Enterprise Apps, Data, Cybersecurity) and a resilient vendor / partner ecosystem.
• Champion change management and a digital culture across plants, supply chain, commercial, and corporate functions.

Enterprise Technology and Digital Transformation

• Own the business-facing application landscape : including ERP (SAP), Trading Systems, MES, LIMS, WMS / TMS and CRM.
• Lead discovery→build→launch for mobile / web products and innovative solutions (analytics / AI / ML) clear SLAs / KPIs
• Build a scalable data platform (lakehouse / warehouse), self-service BI with standardized metrics. Operationalize analytics & AI for margin / price analytics, predictive maintenance and yield optimization.
• Partner with PMO on SoW creation, cost estimates, and evidence of outcomes; provide regular reporting to business leaders (technical and non-technical).

Stakeholder Engagement

• Serve as trusted advisor to the President and leadership on digital value and technology risks.
• Coordinate with Group CIO and shared services to leverage enterprise platforms, cybersecurity, infrastructure, and procurement synergies.
• Engage plant managers, supply chain, procurement, sales, R&D / technical, finance, and country teams to drive adoption and measurable impact.

Requirements: Experience

• 12–18+ years in enterprise IT with 5–8+ years leading digital / technology transformations in process industries; strong preference for experience working in IT for large oleochemical, energy, or specialty chemicals companies.
• Proven modernization of ERP with measurable operational & financial outcomes; hands‑on leadership of data & analytics programs.
• Success building hybrid internal / vendor teams and transforming ways of working (Agile / DevOps).
• Strategic operator with strong business acumen; converts strategy into a sequenced, funded portfolio with outcomes.
• Influential communicator from ExCo to plant floor; excellent English—Bahasa Indonesia and Mandarin advantageous.
• Change leader skilled in process redesign, training, adoption; resilient, hands‑on, outcomes‑oriented; comfortable in fast-moving, sometimes unstructured environments.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s in Computer Science, Engineering, Information Systems, or related; Master’s / MBA a plus.
• Certifications are a plus : SAP, PMP, Agile, TOGAF, ITIL
• KL-based and open to business travel (plants and regional offices).