Director - Automation

Title: Director Automation

Career Level: F

Introduction to role:

Be part of history in the making. AstraZeneca is building its first biologics manufacturing campus in Singapore — a groundbreaking USD 1.5 billion investment that will serve as a global hub for innovation and excellence.

This state-of-the-art facility will deliver end-to-end Antibody-Drug Conjugate (ADC) capabilities with different manufacturing units/buildings in one campus Small molecule- chemical API production

• Large molecule- monoclonal antibody manufacturing

• Conjugation

• Fill-and-finish operations, including sterile filling and lyophilization

• Final secondary packaging

The campus will be equipped with modern digital and automation infrastructure, enabling autonomous manufacturing powered by artificial intelligence. In addition, it will be designed for carbon neutrality, embedding sustainability into every aspect of operations and setting a new benchmark for environmentally responsible biologics manufacturing.

We are looking for passionate individuals with relevant experience who thrive in dynamic environments and bring a “make-it-happen” attitude. Joining us means contributing to a project that will not only transform AstraZeneca’s global supply chain but also advance life-changing medicines for patients everywhere.

If you’re ready to shape the future of biologics and be part of a once-in-a-generation project, we want you on our team.

You will be guiding a team of inspired leaders and talented technical experts and contribute to the development of a high-performance team. How about joining a highly motivated engineering team embracing latest technology standards and developing autonomous manufacturing capabilities?

As Director Automation, you will align projects and operations to a clear automation strategy, partnering with engineering and technology teams to bring smart factory capabilities to life. Your decisions will drive reliability, safety and cost efficiency—accelerating our ability to scale from molecule to medicine with confidence.

You will coach a hardworking team of automation engineers, build an inclusive culture that thrives in “grey areas,” and turn diverse collaborators into a cohesive force for excellence. How will you use your expertise to connect data, systems and people into a single, high‑performing ecosystem?

Accountabilities:

• OT Strategy and Engineering Framework: Provide feedback into engineering approaches and OT strategy to strengthen the delivery of the engineering framework across project execution and operations.
• Global Collaboration and Readiness: Collaborate with global and site engineering teams to complete projects and achieve operational readiness that meets schedule, quality and safety targets.
• Automation Alignment: Ensure systems are specified and delivered in alignment with the company’s global automation strategy, enabling scalable and compliant solutions.
• Program Planning and Budgeting: Lead planning, budgeting, solution development, supplier liaison and contract management to deliver outcomes on time and within cost.
• Executive Technical Advisory: Act as a trusted technical advisor to senior leaders, shaping engineering delivery solutions that align with global and local business priorities.
• Cost and Capacity Control: Control and supervise costs, capacity planning and utilization to sustain efficient operations within budget.
• Technical Issue and Collaborator Engagement: Serve as a partner concern point for technical issues; build strong relationships with internal and external collaborators to unblock delivery and protect business continuity.
• Management of operations: Accountable for operating the campus with available facilities and utilities in the most cost efficient, compliant and sustainable manner. Coach and support team members and external partners to deliver on expectation every day
• Standards and Compliance: Develop technical standards that are right‑first‑time, regulatory compliant and commercially sound, improving profitability and performance.
• Supplier Performance and Contracts: Handle supplier performance and maintain contracts to ensure consistent delivery of engineering services across projects and operations.
• Change Enablement: Support the business in communicating, adopting and enabling change, turning strategy into practical actions and measurable results.
• Team Leadership and Coaching: Coach automation engineers, own development plans and build capability across the team to meet evolving business needs.
• Operational benchmarks: Own and drive benchmarks for productivity, quality, safety, schedule alignment and cost, connecting metrics to business value.
• multi-functional Culture: Create an inclusive, collaborative culture; own “grey areas” across functions and deliver best‑in‑class performance in multi‑team environments.
• Continuous Improvement and Sustainability: Champion continuous improvement and lean, cost‑efficient operations with a focus on environmental sustainability.
• Data and Smart Factory Enablement: Collaborate with collaborators including Global IT to align data standards and infrastructure, enabling the vision of autonomous manufacturing and smart factory implementation.

Essential Skills/Experience:

• Confirmed experience providing input into engineering approaches and OT strategy across projects and operations.
• Track record collaborating with global and site engineering teams to deliver operational readiness.
• Experience ensuring systems are specified and delivered in alignment with a global automation strategy.
• Demonstrated capability managing planning, budgeting, solution development, supplier engagement and contract management.
• Experience acting as a technical advisor to senior management, developing engineering delivery solutions aligned to business priorities.
• Evidence of controlling and monitoring costs, capacity planning and utilization within budget.
• Experience serving as a partner concern point for technical issues and building trusted collaborator relationships.
• Demonstrated ability to develop technical standards that meet regulatory requirements and improve profitability.
• Experience handling supplier performance and maintaining engineering services contracts.
• Experience supporting business change, communicating effectively and enabling adoption.
• Proven record of coaching automation engineers and owning development plans.
• Track record of owning and driving benchmarks across productivity, quality, safety, schedule and cost.
• Experience creating inclusive, collaborative cultures and leading across functional boundaries.
• Demonstrated continuous improvement attitude driving lean, cost‑efficient operations and environmental sustainability.
• Experience collaborating with IT and other collaborators to align data standards and infrastructure for autonomous manufacturing and smart factory technology.

Desirable Skills/Experience:

• Experience in biopharmaceutical manufacturing automation and regulated environments.
• Working knowledge of MES, SCADA, PLC, DCS and industrial control systems, with familiarity in standards such as ISA‑88/ISA‑95 and GAMP.
• Understanding of data governance and IT/OT integration, including cybersecurity for industrial environments.
• Experience with digitalization initiatives such as advanced analytics, digital twins or AI‑enabled production optimization.
• Lean or Six Sigma experience driving measurable improvements in throughput, quality and cost.
• Proven leadership across geographies and supplier ecosystems, with a record of contract performance management.

When we put unexpected teams in the same room, we unleash bold thinking with the power to inspire life-changing medicines. In-person working gives us the platform we need to connect, work at pace and challenge perceptions. That's why we work, on average, a minimum of three days per week from the office. But that doesn't mean we're not flexible. We balance the expectation of being in the office while respecting individual flexibility. Join us in our unique and ambitious world.

Why AstraZeneca:

Here you will help build the smart factory vision using leading science and digital technologies, backed by significant investment and a clear path to scale. You will join a global, connected network that balances disciplined execution with a supportive, inclusive culture—where unexpected teams come together to spark bold ideas and turn them into tangible outcomes for patients. We value kindness alongside ambition, encourage lifelong learning, and give you real ownership to drive change that reduces cost, improves speed and quality, and advances our sustainability goals. Your contribution will directly accelerate how medicines reach the people who need them.

Date Posted

Closing Date

AstraZeneca embraces diversity and equality of opportunity.  We are committed to building an inclusive and diverse team representing all backgrounds, with as wide a range of perspectives as possible, and harnessing industry-leading skills.  We believe that the more inclusive we are, the better our work will be.  We welcome and consider applications to join our team from all qualified candidates, regardless of their characteristics.  We comply with all applicable laws and regulations on non-discrimination in employment (and recruitment), as well as work authorization and employment eligibility verification requirements.