Process Optimization and Integration Manager

Damco Spain SL; Elizabeth, Northern (NJ, KY); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

APM Terminals Elizabeth is seeking an experienced OT Integration and Quality Manager to lead integration, testing, validation, commissioning, and readiness of Operational Technology systems across the terminal.

Reporting to the Head of Operational Technology, you will drive governance, risk management, and measurable improvements in reliability, resilience, safety, and productivity in a complex port environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Industry 4.0, or a related discipline.
• Proven experience within container terminal operations, port digitization, industrial automation, or large-scale industrial environments.
• Strong expertise in OT systems including TOS, GOS, SCADA, ECS, OCR, APIs, middleware, OPC UA.
• Demonstrated project management experience leading complex technology deployments and implementation programs.
• Experience leading teams and managing diverse stakeholder groups across operational and technical environments.
• Strong understanding of cybersecurity frameworks and enterprise IT standards within OT environments.

Responsibilities

• Lead, coach, and develop the OT Integration and Quality team with clear priorities and governance.
• Own the terminal's OT integration strategy aligning requirements, infrastructure, and systems.
• Lead the OT quality assurance framework including test strategies and deployment validation.
• Ensure testing scenarios reflect terminal operating requirements and safe deployments.
• Manage vendor performance and post-handover support.
• Build relationships across Operations, IT, Engineering, Labor Relations, and global functions.
• Lead root-cause investigations for OT system failures and implement corrective actions.
• Drive continuous improvement by standardizing and automating OT processes.

Skills

Leadership

Continuous improvement

Problem solving

Cross-functional collaboration

People leadership

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Industry 4.0

Tools

TOS

SCADA

GOS

OCR

OPC UA

APIs

Job description

Process Optimization and Integration Manager

APM Terminals Step into the engine room of global commerce. At APM Terminals Elizabeth, you’ll be at the center of one of the busiest port complexes in North America. Every container you touch keeps freight moving through the Port of New York C New Jersey, supporting critical supply chains across the East Coast and beyond.

This is a place where speed, scale, and precision come together. You’ll collaborate with high- performing teams in a fast-paced, high-volume environment where safety and operational excellence are the top priorities. Here, your impact is immediate—and global.

Why you’ll love it here

• Be part of a major gateway on the U.S. East Coast
• Experience high-volume, complex terminal operations
• Work with driven teams in a fast-moving environment
• Continuous improvement mindset – where curiosity is encouraged, root-cause problem solving is valued, and making things better every day is part of how we win

At APM Terminals, a global leader in port and terminal operations, we enable global trade and drive sustainable growth. What drives us forward is a mindset of always improving, observing how work happens, identifying what creates value, and removing what gets in the way. We constantly look for smarter, simpler, and safer ways of operating. If you thrive in environments where people value learning and are committed to continuously improve daily operations, join us and be a part of our journey.

What We Can Offer

At APM Terminals, we foster a dynamic learning and training culture that empowers our employees to excel. Our commitment to improvement means every team member has the opportunity to develop their skills and advance their careers by continuously refining how we work. Experience a diverse, multinational workplace where your operational insights directly influence how we work.

• Lead the integration and quality strategy for critical operational technology systems supporting one of the largest container terminals in North America.
• Play a key role in the Elizabeth Upgrade Project, ensuring new technologies are successfully tested, validated, and deployed into live terminal operations.
• Partner with cross-functional teams including Operations, Engineering, IT, Labor Relations, vendors, and global stakeholders to drive operational excellence.
• Develop leadership capabilities while building specialist technical expertise, governance frameworks, and continuous improvement practices across the OT lifecycle.

OT Integration and Quality Manager

APM Terminals Elizabeth is seeking an experienced OT Integration and Quality Manager to lead the integration, testing, validation, commissioning, and operational readiness of Operational Technology systems across the terminal. This leadership role is responsible for ensuring new and modified technology solutions are safely and effectively integrated into terminal operations while meeting defined technical, operational, and business requirements.

Reporting to the Head of Operational Technology, you will provide leadership and governance across the complete technology implementation lifecycle. You will work closely with operations, IT, engineering, project teams, vendors, labor relations, and global functions to ensure technology investments translate into measurable operational improvements through enhanced reliability, resilience, safety, standardization, maintainability, and productivity.

This is a highly visible leadership role that combines people leadership, technical expertise, stakeholder management, project execution, and continuous improvement in support of both the Elizabeth Upgrade Project and ongoing terminal operations.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead, coach, and develop the OT Integration and Quality team, establishing clear priorities, performance expectations, governance, and accountability frameworks.
• Own the terminal's OT integration strategy, ensuring alignment between operational requirements, infrastructure, equipment, enterprise systems, and technical architecture.
• Lead the OT quality assurance framework, including test strategy, system integration testing, user acceptance testing, regression testing, commissioning, production validation, and post-deployment verification.
• Ensure testing scenarios, operational use cases, and validation processes accurately reflect terminal operating requirements and support safe production deployments.
• Manage vendor and technology partner performance, ensuring delivery of milestones, quality standards, issue resolution, and post-handover support.
• Build strong relationships across Operations, Engineering, IT, Labor Relations, project teams, global functions, and external vendors to resolve technical and operational challenges.
• Lead or support root-cause investigations for significant OT system failures and ensure corrective and preventive actions are implemented and sustained.
• Drive continuous improvement by standardizing, simplifying, and automating integration, testing, commissioning, release readiness, and documentation processes.

What We Are Looking For

• Continuous improvement mindset: we are looking for someone who brings a thoughtful improvement mindset, curious about how work gets done and motivated to make meaningful, sustainable improvements over time.
• Leadership expectation: We are looking for people who consistently put customers first, lead by example with respect for people, deliver results with integrity, and drive continuous improvement by solving problems at the root, developing people, and raising standards every day.
• Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Industry 4.0, or a related discipline.
• Proven experience within container terminal operations, port digitization, industrial automation, or large-scale industrial environments.
• Strong expertise in Operational Technology systems, including Terminal Operating Systems (TOS), GOS, SCADA, ECS, OCR, APIs, middleware, OPC UA, and related technologies.
• Demonstrated project management experience leading complex technology deployments and implementation programs.
• Experience leading teams and managing diverse stakeholder groups across operational and technical environments.
• Strong understanding of cybersecurity frameworks and enterprise IT standards within OT environments.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a TWIC card and Port Access Card.

Salary: $90K - $120K

Location: Elizabeth, NJ (5 days in office)

Notice to applicants applying to positions in the United States

Applicants must be authorized to work for any employer in the U.S.

APM Terminals is committed to equal employment opportunity and providing reasonable accommodations to applicants with physical and/or mental disabilities who are applying for positions in the U.S. We value and encourage diversity and solicit applications from all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, gender, sex, age, religion, creed, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, marital status, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, medical condition, veteran status, gender identity, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.

If you are interested in applying for employment with APM Terminals in the U.S. and need special assistance or an accommodation to use our website or to apply for a position, or if you need a reasonable accommodation to perform a job, please contact the applicable Human Resources Department by emailing [e-mail] . Determination on requests for reasonable accommodation are made on a case-by-case basis pursuant to an interactive dialogue between the applicant and the Company.

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Maersk is committed to a diverse and inclusive workplace, and we embrace different styles of thinking. Maersk is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applicants without regard to race, colour, gender, sex, age, religion, creed, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, marital status, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, medical condition, pregnancy or parental leave, veteran status, gender identity, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. We will consider qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with all legal requirements.

We are happy to support your need for any adjustments during the application and hiring process. If you need special assistance or an accommodation to use our website, apply for a position, or to perform a job, please contact us by emailing [e-mail] .