Director, Digital Transformation & Innovation

Role Overview

The Director, Digital Transformation & Innovation is a strategic leadership position responsible for crafting and executing the organization’s enterprise-wide digital transformation strategy. This role is pivotal in driving business growth, operational excellence, manufacturing competitiveness, and innovation by leveraging cutting-edge technologies and aligning digital initiatives with corporate objectives and Industry 4.0 & 5.0 frameworks. The Director will provide visionary leadership across Digital Transformation, Enterprise Architecture, Data & Analytics, and Digital Project Management, ensuring seamless integration with the company’s long-term strategic goals.

Key Responsibilities

The Director will oversee a comprehensive portfolio of responsibilities, including:

• Strategic Leadership: Develop and lead the enterprise-wide Digital Transformation and Innovation strategy, ensuring alignment with the company’s vision, business objectives, and long-term growth plans. Establish a robust digital transformation roadmap and governance framework that prioritizes initiatives delivering maximum business value, operational excellence, and measurable return on investment.
• Digitalization & Technology Integration: Spearhead the digitalization of manufacturing and corporate functions by championing Industry 4.0 technologies, automation, artificial intelligence, advanced analytics, and smart manufacturing solutions. Collaborate with Executive Management and Business Leaders to identify strategic digital opportunities that enhance productivity, quality, customer experience, and market competitiveness.
• Portfolio & Project Management: Oversee the Digital Transformation portfolio, ensuring projects are executed on time, within budget, and achieve defined business outcomes and performance targets. Drive enterprise-wide process optimization through digital technologies, automation, and standardized business processes across all functions.
• Innovation & Partnerships: Foster a culture of innovation by identifying emerging technologies, evaluating new digital solutions, and promoting continuous improvement across the organization. Build and nurture strategic partnerships with technology providers, research institutions, and industry experts to accelerate innovation and adopt global best practices.
• Compliance & Governance: Ensure all digital initiatives comply with cybersecurity standards, information security policies, regulatory requirements, and corporate governance frameworks. Maintain a strong focus on risk management and data integrity throughout all transformation efforts.
• Team Leadership & Development: Develop, mentor, and lead high-performing managers and multidisciplinary digital teams, fostering a culture of collaboration, accountability, and continuous professional development. Align talent strategies with digital transformation objectives to build a future-ready workforce.
• Financial & Resource Management: Manage the Digital Transformation budget, technology investments, and resource allocation to ensure optimal utilization and sustainable business value. Define and monitor Digital Transformation KPIs, digital maturity metrics, and ROI realization to provide regular progress updates and strategic insights to Executive Management.

Qualifications & Experience

To excel in this role, candidates must possess the following qualifications and experience:

• Education: A Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or a related field is required. A Master’s degree in Industrial Engineering, Digital Transformation, Innovation Management, or a related discipline is highly preferred.
• Certifications: Professional certifications such as PMI/PMP, TOGAF, Certified Digital Transformation Officer, and Change Management are desirable and demonstrate expertise in strategic digital transformation leadership.
• Professional Experience: Minimum 15 years of progressive experience in IT leadership roles, with a proven track record in Digital Transformation, Enterprise Architecture, Data & Analytics, and Digital Project Management. Candidates must demonstrate hands-on expertise in industrial systems, manufacturing technologies, and digitalization programs within a manufacturing environment.
• Domain Expertise: Proven experience in developing and deploying Digital Transformation strategies aligned with manufacturing objectives. Strong stakeholder management skills, particularly with Plant and Manufacturing leadership, are essential. Experience in OT systems, regulatory compliance, industrial automation, and cybersecurity integrations is critical.
• Technical Proficiency: Extensive experience in deploying business applications such as ERPs, Human Capital Management systems, Payrolls, and Manufacturing Execution Systems. A deep understanding of digital business solutions across various company processes is required.

Core Competencies

The ideal candidate will exhibit the following competencies:

• Strategic thinking and the ability to translate business objectives into actionable digital transformation initiatives.
• Strong leadership and change management skills to drive organizational adoption of digital technologies.
• Exceptional communication and collaboration abilities to engage stakeholders at all levels.
• Analytical mindset with a focus on data-driven decision-making and performance measurement.
• Innovation mindset with a passion for exploring emerging technologies and fostering a culture of continuous improvement.
• Financial acumen to manage budgets, investments, and resource allocation effectively.