Digital Manufacturing Transformation Lead

About the Role

This is a senior role focused on leading digital transformation within manufacturing operations across the EMEA region. You will play a key part in shaping and executing the digital roadmap for plants, driving standardisation, automation and data-driven decision-making in collaboration with regional manufacturing and global digital/IT teams.
You'll work across multiple sites and countries, ensuring that digital solutions (MES, OT, ERP integrations, analytics, automation, etc.) are designed around real operational needs and deliver measurable impact on safety, quality, efficiency and cost.

Location & Travel

Preferred base: Netherlands
Travel requirement: Regular travel within EMEA to key manufacturing sites and regional offices, based on project and deployment needs.

Key Responsibilities

• Act as the primary digital counterpart for Manufacturing leaders across the region.
• Shape and maintain the digital manufacturing transformation roadmap (Industry 4.0/Smart Factory).
• Lead a portfolio of initiatives involving MES, OT/automation, ERP integrations, data platforms and analytics.
• Translate business and plant requirements into scalable digital solutions and clear implementation plans.
• Drive standardisation of processes, data and ways of working across multiple plants.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams (Manufacturing, Quality, HSE, Engineering, Digital/IT) to ensure alignment and delivery.
• Define governance, KPIs and value metrics for digital manufacturing initiatives and track outcomes.
• Lead change and adoption activities in plants, including communication, training and stakeholder engagement.
• Identify opportunities for continuous improvement and further automation based on user feedback and performance data.
• Bring external best practices and market insights (Industry 4.0 trends, tools, vendors) into internal discussions.

Project Phases

Design:

• Assess current manufacturing processes, systems and data flows at plant and regional level.
• Perform FIT/GAP analysis between existing capabilities and target digital manufacturing strategy.
• Co-design future-state process and system landscapes together with business and digital stakeholders.

Planning:

• Develop and refine rollout strategies and deployment plans for plants in scope.
• Prioritise initiatives and sites based on business impact, readiness and dependencies.
• Contribute to business cases, resource planning and risk assessments.

Execution:

• Oversee implementation across sites, ensuring consistency with the agreed roadmap and standards.
• Support solution configuration, integration and testing from a business perspective.
• Drive user adoption, monitor KPIs post-deployment and lead post-go-live optimisation and scaling.

What We're Looking For

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Computer Science, Information Systems, or a related field (Master's degree is a plus).
• 5+ years of experience in digital/IT roles working closely with manufacturing or operations, ideally in industrial, FMCG or process environments.
• Proven track record leading digital transformation or Industry 4.0/Smart Factory programmes in multi-site or regional contexts.
• Hands-on exposure to technologies such as:
  • Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) and plant-level applications
  • OT/automation environments (SCADA, PLC, industrial networks)
  • ERP integration with manufacturing processes
  • Data platforms, dashboards and advanced analytics applied to production
• Strong understanding of plant operations, manufacturing performance drivers and shopfloor realities.
• Excellent stakeholder management skills with the ability to influence at different levels (plant, regional, global).
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with a structured approach to decision-making.
• Proven experience driving change, supporting training and securing adoption of new tools and ways of working.
• Flexible and adaptable, comfortable working in a Matrix, international environment with evolving priorities.

Contract Details

• Start Date: ASAP
• Type: Freelance
• Scope: Regional (EMEA)
• Workload: Full-time
• Location: Netherlands (hybrid, with regular travel to sites)
• Time zone: CET

If this sounds like a good match for your experience and ambitions, please send your CV

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