Site Director, Global Automation Technology Center

CHEP; Grand Prairie (TX); On-site; USD 171,000 - 250,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical benefits

Retirement benefits

Job summary

CHEP in Grand Prairie, Texas, seeks a Site Director to lead the Global Automation Technology Center, overseeing integration, testing, validation, and deployment readiness of next-generation automation technologies.

You will build a cross-functional team, establish safety and operational excellence, and translate innovations into measurable business value while collaborating with regional and global stakeholders.

Qualifications

• Significant leadership experience in manufacturing, supply chain, engineering, automation or related technical operations environments.
• Proven success leading automation integration, commissioning, validation, and deployment activities.
• Experience managing complex capital projects and cross-functional technology initiatives.
• Proven ability to influence executive stakeholders and lead across matrix organizations.
• Experience developing teams and building organizational capability in technical environments.
• Strong understanding of operational readiness, reliability, safety, quality, and performance management.
• Experience translating technical programs into measurable business outcomes.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Global Automation Technology Center as a world-class automation capability for innovation, testing, validation, and deployment readiness.
• Build and develop a high-performing, cross-functional team focused on engineering excellence and operational readiness.
• Create a culture grounded in safety, accountability, collaboration, and innovation.
• Oversee integration, commissioning, testing, and validation of advanced automation prior to deployment.
• Establish rigorous testing protocols, performance standards, and acceptance criteria.
• Translate technical innovation into measurable operational and financial outcomes.

Skills

Leadership

Manufacturing expertise

Automation integration

Strategy & transformation

Cross-functional leadership

Education

Bachelors degree in Engineering/Manufacturing/Operations/Technology

Advanced degree or professional certifications preferred

Job description

Location: Grand Prairie, Texas

We are seeking an experienced and visionary Site Director to lead our Global Automation Technology Center (GATC), a critical hub responsible for the integration, testing, validation, and deployment readiness of next-generation automation technologies.

This role sits at the intersection of automation engineering, operations, innovation, and business transformation. The Site Director will establish and lead a multidisciplinary team responsible for bringing advanced technologies from concept to operational reality, ensuring solutions are safe, scalable, reliable, and capable of delivering measurable business value.

Success in this role requires a leader who can combine technical credibility with strategic leadership, influence across a global matrix organization, and the ability to connect innovation with practical operational outcomes.

Key Accountabilities

Lead the Global Automation Technology Center

• Establish and lead a world-class automation technology center that serves as a global capability for innovation, testing, validation, and deployment readiness.
• Build and develop a high-performing, cross-functional team focused on engineering excellence, operational readiness, and continuous improvement.
• Create a culture grounded in safety, accountability, collaboration, and innovation.

Drive Automation Integration and Validation

• Oversee the integration, commissioning, testing, and validation of advanced automation technologies prior to operational deployment.
• Establish rigorous testing protocols, performance standards, and operational acceptance criteria.
• Ensure technologies are safe, reliable, maintainable, and scalable before deployment into live operations.

Deliver Business Value Through Innovation

• Translate technical innovation into measurable operational and financial outcomes.
• Support business cases, capital investment decisions, and value realization activities related to automation initiatives.
• Monitor performance, risks, budgets, timelines, and deployment readiness across multiple projects and initiatives.

Lead Enterprise and External Partnerships

• Collaborate with regional operations, engineering teams, suppliers, technology partners, and functional leaders globally.
• Build strong stakeholder relationships to align priorities, resolve challenges, and accelerate technology adoption.
• Represent the technology center with senior leadership, customers, and external partners as a trusted leader and subject matter expert.

Enable Global Deployment and Technology Transfer

• Develop repeatable processes, standards, and best practices that support global deployment of automation technologies.
• Lead technology transfer initiatives, ensuring successful adoption across multiple operating locations and regions.
• Capture and share lessons learned to strengthen organizational capability and future deployments.

About the Person

You are a proven leader who thrives at the intersection of technology, operations, and transformation. You have successfully led complex automation or manufacturing initiatives and understand how to balance technical innovation with business outcomes.

You are equally comfortable discussing automation architecture with engineers, operational readiness with site leaders, and investment strategy with executive stakeholders. You bring a disciplined approach to execution, strong commercial acumen, and a collaborative leadership style that enables results across a matrixed organization.

Experience and Qualifications

Required Experience

• Significant leadership experience within manufacturing, supply chain, engineering, automation, or related technical operations environments.
• Demonstrated success leading automation integration, commissioning, validation, and deployment activities.
• Experience managing complex capital projects and cross‑functional technology initiatives.
• Proven ability to influence executive stakeholders and lead across matrix organizations.
• Experience developing teams and building organizational capability in technical environments.
• Strong understanding of operational readiness, reliability, safety, quality, and performance management.
• Experience translating technical programs into measurable business outcomes.

Preferred Experience

• Experience within advanced manufacturing, automotive, aerospace, pharmaceutical, industrial automation, or similarly complex operational environments.
• Experience transferring technology, standards, or operational practices across multiple sites, regions, or business units.
• Exposure to Industry 4.0, digital manufacturing, robotics, controls systems, operational technology (OT), or advanced automation solutions.
• Experience engaging with suppliers, systems integrators, and technology partners.
• Experience supporting global operations and large-scale transformation initiatives.

Education

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations, Technology, or a related discipline.
• Advanced degree and/or relevant professional certifications preferred.

Why Join Us?

This is a rare opportunity to build and lead a strategic global capability from the ground up. You will play a critical role in shaping how advanced automation technologies are evaluated, validated, and deployed across a global network, directly influencing operational performance, innovation, and future growth.

Lead innovation. Build capability. Transform operations.

Base pay range is $171,000-$250,000 annually

Salary ranges provided take into account a wide variety of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions including but not limited to skill sets; experience and training; licensure and certifications, geographic differentials and other business and organizational needs. Therefore, actual amounts offered may be higher or lower than the range provided. If you have questions, please speak to your Talent Acquisition Partner about the flexibility and detail of our compensation philosophy.

Dependent on the position offered, other forms of compensation may be part of a total offering beyond medical & retirement benefits and may include other monetary incentives or business benefits.