Associate Director Automation and Digital Manufacturing
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About this opportunity
Associate Director, Automation & Digital Manufacturing
Location: Monksland, Athlone, Ireland
Competitive Salary and Benefits
Position Summary The Associate Director, Automation & Digital Manufacturing is accountable for the strategic leadership, governance and lifecycle management of site automation, operational technology (OT), manufacturing computer systems, industrial cybersecurity and digital manufacturing capabilities across the Athlone site.
The role develops and executes the site automation and digital manufacturing roadmap, leads a multi-disciplinary technical organisation, and partners with Manufacturing, Quality, Validation, IT, Engineering and global functions. The role ensures systems are safe, compliant, reliable, secure, validated and capable of supporting current operations and future business needs.
This leader will champion responsible adoption of advanced analytics, AI-enabled tools and Industry 4.0 technologies to improve safety, quality, supply reliability, cost, people capability and regulatory compliance.
Key Accountabilities Own and execute the site Automation, OT and Digital Manufacturing strategy, including multi-year roadmaps for capability, lifecycle, obsolescence, resilience, compliance, cybersecurity and investment.
Provide strategic and technical leadership for PLC, DCS, HMI, historian, MES interfaces, industrial networks, OT infrastructure and related manufacturing systems.
Establish and govern standards for automation architecture, integration, compatibility, configuration management, system ownership, documentation and technical decision-making.
Ensure manufacturing systems remain available, secure, supportable, validated and inspection-ready, with effective administration, access control, backup, recovery, on-call support and business continuity arrangements.
Lead systemic resolution of complex automation issues through risk assessment, structured problem-solving, root cause analysis, investigations, change controls and effective CAPAs.
Own the site OT cybersecurity improvement plan with IT and global teams, including segmentation, privileged access, patching, vulnerability management, monitoring, incident response and recovery controls.
Identify and prioritise opportunities to use AI, analytics, predictive maintenance, digital twins and manufacturing intelligence to improve reliability, yield, cycle time, cost, energy performance and decision-making.
Ensure digital and AI solutions meet applicable validation, data integrity, security, ethical and GxP requirements, and build team capability through practical use cases, coaching and structured learning.
Lead automation and digital workstreams for capital projects, capacity expansions, equipment upgrades, technology transfers and new product introductions from concept through handover.
Approve automation strategies, architectures, functional requirements, vendor designs, testing approaches and lifecycle support models, ensuring delivery to agreed scope, schedule, cost, quality and compliance.
Manage strategic system integrator, supplier and OEM relationships, including technical performance, deliverables, safety, risk and long-term support.
Develop and manage operating and capital budgets, workforce plans, external service strategies, business cases and KPIs for safety, quality, supply, cost, people, compliance, reliability, cybersecurity and digital adoption.
Lead, coach and develop managers, engineers, specialists and partner resources, maintaining clear goals, development plans, succession plans and targeted upskilling for critical capabilities.
Build strong cross-functional and global partnerships, communicate complex issues clearly, influence senior stakeholders and act as the senior site escalation point for critical automation and manufacturing systems events.
Maintain a safe and secure work environment and champion lean thinking, continuous improvement and sustainability opportunities enabled through automation and digital technology.
Education and Experience Bachelor's degree in Automation, Electrical, Electronic, Computer, Software or Control Engineering, Computer Science, or a related discipline. An advanced degree is desirable.
Relevant experience in GMP pharmaceutical, biopharmaceutical or similarly regulated manufacturing environments.
Substantial experience leading automation, manufacturing systems, digital or OT teams, including direct people leadership.
Demonstrated experience developing automation roadmaps, managing system lifecycles and delivering complex technology or capital programmes.
Experience managing budgets, suppliers, systems integrators and multi-disciplinary stakeholders in a regulated environment.
Technical Competencies Broad knowledge of PLC, DCS, HMI, historian, industrial networks, Windows-based OT infrastructure, vision, motion control and manufacturing system integration.
Strong understanding of automation architecture, process control, compatibility, integration, security, cybersecurity and lifecycle management.
Working knowledge of cGMP, GAMP, computer system validation, data integrity, electronic records and signatures, change control and inspection readiness.
Ability to apply data, analytics, AI and digital technologies to engineering opportunities in a responsible, compliant and value-focused manner.
Strong project and programme management capability across planning, risk, schedule, budget, vendor governance and benefits realisation.
Leadership Competencies Strategic thinking and business acumen: Connects technology, data and business trends to shape practical plans, priorities, investment decisions and measurable outcomes.
Results and execution focus: Creates actionable short- and long-term plans, anticipates risk, removes obstacles and builds team capability to deliver.
Digital fluency and stewardship: Leads adoption of digital tools and practices while promoting responsible, secure and compliant use.
Communication, collaboration and influence: Communicates with clarity, facilitates alignment and constructively influences stakeholders with different perspectives.
Adaptability and change orientation: Identifies barriers and enablers, leads structured change and remains resilient as priorities and technologies evolve.
Talent development and engineering breadth: Builds inclusive teams and applies broad understanding across automation, process, maintenance, validation, projects and manufacturing operations.
Date Posted
16-Sept-2026
Closing Date
05-Oct-2026
Our mission is to build an inclusive and equitable environment. We want people to feel they belong at AstraZeneca and Alexion, starting with our recruitment process. We welcome and consider applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of characteristics. We offer reasonable adjustments/accommodations to help all candidates to perform at their best. If you have a need for any adjustments/accommodations, please complete the section in the application form.
Job details
How this role compares
Computed from every other active Manufacturing & CMC role in our database, not just this employer's listings.
We currently track 916 comparable Associate Director Manufacturing & CMC roles across 108 biopharma companies.
Salary context
266 of 916 peers report a salary range (USD, annualized)
Peers share this role's job function and a matching or adjacent seniority level -- not necessarily the same therapeutic area or country.
Where these roles are based
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Seniority mix
916 of 916 peers have a known seniority level
Therapeutic area mix
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0 points, never a partial guess. A role we know almost nothing about beyond its function bottoms out at 25%; it never inflates to 100% just because there's little to compare against. Seniority uses a defined ladder (Associate → Manager → Associate Director → Senior → Principal → Director → Senior Director → Executive/VP) so "Director" and "Senior Director" count as adjacent, but "Director" and "Executive/VP" do not.