Global Director Production and Idustrialization (m/f/d)

About Hirschmann Automotive

Hirschmann Automotive has been a development and production partner for electromechanical assemblies and components in the automotive industry for over 60 years. The company’s products are used by all major automotive brands worldwide and cover all types of drives available on the market. Do you want to be part of this success story and help shape the future of the automotive industry?

Description

The Production & Automation department is dedicated to producing our products and developing and manufacturing customized machines and systems. The department is home to numerous high-tech systems, high-bay warehouses, and vehicles, which our employees operate and maintain. We are constantly striving to increase production efficiency and ensure the quality and competitiveness of our products.

Our team is looking for innovative minds who want to help shape the future of production and automation with passion and technical know-how.

#SkillCheck

University degree in Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing/Production Engineering, Mechatronics, or a related technical discipline; a Master's degree or MBA is an advantage
10+ years of progressive experience in production, manufacturing engineering, or industrialization within the automotive supply industry (connectors, cable harnesses, electromechanical components, or comparable high-volume precision manufacturing)
Proven track record of leading industrialization/new product launches in a multi-plant, international manufacturing environment
Several years in a senior leadership role with global or multi-site responsibility and experience managing managers across different cultures and locations
Strong command of Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, and continuous improvement methodologies; black belt certification is a plus
Solid understanding of automotive quality frameworks (IATF 16949, APQP, PPAP, FMEA) and of relevant manufacturing technologies (injection molding, stamping/crimping, automated assembly and testing)
Experience managing capital expenditure budgets and building data-driven business cases for investment decisions
Fluent in English (business level) and German as the role is based at the Austrian headquarters
Willingness to travel internationally on a regular basis to plants in Europe, Asia, and North Africa
Strategic thinker with hands-on, plant-floor credibility and a bias for action
Strong leadership presence; able to influence and align senior stakeholders across functions and geographies without direct authority
Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills; comfortable working with global KPI dashboards and data driven decision-making

#ChallengeCheck

Define and continuously evolve the global production and industrialization strategy, aligned with the company's growth, technology roadmap, and customer programs
Lead the global industrialization process for new products and projects — from feasibility during the RfQ and PEP process and process concept through pilot, PPAP/run-at-rate, and series launch — ensuring on-time, on-cost, on-quality ramp-up at the designated plant(s)
Own and standardize global manufacturing processes, methods, and equipment concepts (e.g., crimping, injection molding, assembly automation, testing) to ensure consistency, scalability, and best-practice transfer across all production sites
Drive global manufacturing footprint and capacity planning, including site/line allocation decisions for new business awards in close coordination with Sales, SCM, and Business Units
Set and govern global KPIs for production and industrialization (such as OEE, Production Performance, scrap, launch timing, capex) and lead structured performance reviews with plant management teams
Lead and develop a global network of industrialization and process engineering leaders; build a strong talent pipeline and foster a culture of operational excellence, Lean Manufacturing, and continuous improvement (CI/Kaizen) across all plants
Oversee and prioritize global capital expenditure for new equipment and production lines, ensuring sound business cases, technical standardization, and return on investment
Act as the central escalation and decision point for cross-plant industrialization issues, coordinating rapid problem-solving with Business Units, Quality, and Supply Chain Management
Champion digitalization and Industry 4.0 initiatives in production (such es MES, process data analytics, automation, digital twins) to increase transparency, efficiency, and predictive capability across the global plant network
Ensure industrialization and production activities comply with applicable automotive quality standards (IATF 16949, customer-specific requirements) and with health, safety, and environmental regulations
Represent Global Production & Industrialization in customer and supplier audits, new business pitches, and executive management reviews
Drive global standardization of production via the Hirschmann Automotive Operating System (HAOS)
Define global benchmarks and best practices to achieve operational excellence