VP Global Automation & Innovation

Head of Innovation & Automation Engineering

Location: Mumbai, India

Travel: Global, frequent especially in the first year

Reporting to: Senior Executive Leadership

The Opportunity

We are partnering with a large, global manufacturing organisation to appoint a Head of Innovation & Automation Engineering , a newly created, highly strategic role with genuine board-level backing.

This position has been created to transform how manufacturing is done , not to optimise around the edges. The organisation is investing in the future and is committed to advanced automation, digital manufacturing, and innovative operating models to drive long-term competitiveness, efficiency, and growth.

For the right individual, this is a rare opportunity to build something from the ground up , shape strategy, and leave a lasting legacy across a global manufacturing network.

The Role

As Head of Innovation & Automation Engineering, you will define and deliver the automation and innovation roadmap across multiple manufacturing sites globally. You will operate at the intersection of engineering, manufacturing, quality, and digital , translating vision into practical, compliant, and commercially viable solutions.

This role combines strategy and execution , and requires someone who can think big, but also understands how things actually work on the shop floor.

Key responsibilities include:

• Defining and executing a multi-year automation and innovation strategy aligned to business growth
• Driving digital transformation and Industry 4.0 initiatives across manufacturing operations
• Leading the evaluation and implementation of advanced automation technologies, data-driven manufacturing, and smart factory concepts
• Supporting the evolution from traditional batch manufacturing towards more advanced and efficient operating models
• Ensuring all initiatives are GMP compliant, validated, and deliver measurable business impact
• Building and leading a high-performing automation and innovation function, initially with limited structure
• Working closely with senior stakeholders across operations, quality, engineering, and IT

The Challenge

This is not a maintenance role. You will be:

• Operating in complex, regulated manufacturing environments
• Challenging established ways of working and driving change at scale
• Making innovation feasible within existing plants, regulatory constraints, and financial realities
• Influencing senior leaders and site teams across regions
• Balancing speed, compliance, and commercial outcomes

Success in the first 12 months will be defined by clarity of vision, credibility with stakeholders, and a clear, actionable roadmap for the future.

The Ideal Profile

You are a technically strong engineering leader with deep manufacturing experience and a track record of driving automation and transformation.

You will likely bring:

• Strong experience in GMP-regulated manufacturing environments
• Deep exposure to automation, digitalisation, and industrial control systems
• Experience delivering large-scale automation or transformation initiatives
• Understanding of validation, regulatory requirements, and change control
• The ability to link innovation to efficiency, throughput, and P&L impact
• A mindset that is open, curious, pragmatic, and not constrained by legacy thinking

Backgrounds from pharmaceuticals or adjacent highly regulated manufacturing sectors will be considered.

Why This Role

• A newly created role with real mandate and senior leadership support
• Opportunity to shape the future of global manufacturing operations
• High visibility, strategic impact, and long-term career progression
• A platform to build, lead, and scale a global capability

If you are motivated by transformation, complexity, and building what doesnt yet exist, this role offers a genuinely career-defining opportunity.