Global PC&L Manager, Automation and Innovation

Title: Global PC&L Manager – Automation & Innovation

 Key responsibilities

The Global PC&L Manager, Automation & Innovation is responsible for driving the global PC&L automation strategy

by identifying scalable opportunities, developing standards, supporting business cases, and accelerating the adoption of best practices across the organization.

The role serves as the key connector between Global Functions, Regional Teams, and Plants, ensuring strong alignment of automation priorities, technologies, and investments. Through collaboration with Manufacturing Engineering Automation, IT, Digital, Operations, and Regional PC&L teams, the position helps identify, evaluate, and scale solutions that improve material flow, warehouse operations, inventory performance, and supply chain efficiency.

The role does not own regional execution. Success is achieved by building alignment, developing strategies, facilitating collaboration, supporting business cases and proof-of-concepts, and enabling regions to successfully deploy automation solutions. Success in this role is measured not only by automation deployment, but by the ability to build alignment, connect organizations, and scale proven solutions across Nexteer globally.

Key Responsibilities

Global Alignment & Collaboration

• Serve as the primary link between Global Functions, Regional Teams, and Plants for automation and innovation initiatives.
• Build alignment across regions, plants, and functions on automation priorities, standards, and roadmaps.
• Act as a bridge between PC&L, Manufacturing Engineering, Operations, IT, Digital, and other key stakeholders.
• Drive knowledge sharing and development of global communities of practice.
• Facilitate replication of successful solutions and best practices across regions.
• Influence adoption of standards and best practices through collaboration rather than direct authority.
• Support regional teams in achieving automation objectives.
• Promote a One Nexteer mindset across automation and innovation initiatives.

Automation Strategy & Innovation

• Develop and maintain the Global PC&L Automation Roadmap.
• Identify automation opportunities across material flow, warehousing, logistics, planning, packaging, and inventory processes.
• Support regions in evaluating automation opportunities through business cases, feasibility studies, ROI analysis, and proof-of-concept activities.
• Benchmark internal and external best practices and promote standardization across the organization.
• Support replication of successful automation solutions globally.
• Drive simplification and standardization of processes before automation deployment.

Material Flow & Warehouse Automation

• Support regions in evaluating and implementing AGV, AMR, ASRS, smart warehousing, automated packaging, and material flow technologies.
• Partner closely with Manufacturing Engineering Automation teams to align factory automation and material flow automation strategies.
• Establish global standards and recommended practices for automation projects.
• Evaluate emerging technologies and support investment prioritization.
• Support initiatives that improve end-to-end material flow, warehouse productivity, and operational scalability.

Digital Solutions

• Support development and deployment of WMS , Control Tower, ERP enhancements, and material flow visibility solutions.
• Define global business requirements and standards.
• Facilitate sharing of successful digital solutions and implementation experiences between regions.
• Support process standardization required for scalable digitalization initiatives.

AI Enablement

• Collaborate with PC&L functional leaders to identify opportunities where AI can improve business processes and decision-making.
• Support redesign of PC&L processes to effectively leverage AI capabilities.
• Facilitate adoption of AI-enabled workflows in planning, inventory management, supplier collaboration, logistics, reporting, and operational decision-making.
• Partner with Digital, IT, and AI teams responsible for technical development and deployment.
• Act as a business champion and advanced user of AI solutions, ensuring practical application and measurable business value.

Key Success Measures

• Alignment of automation strategies across Global Functions, Regions, and Plants.
• Adoption of automation solutions across regions.
• Successful AGV/AMR and warehouse automation deployments.
• Strong pipeline of validated automation business cases and proof-of-concepts.
• Replication of best practices across plants and regions.
• Improved material flow efficiency and warehouse productivity.
• Increased adoption of WMS and digital solutions.
• Strong collaboration between PC&L, Manufacturing Engineering, IT, Digital, and Operations.
• Development and adoption of AI-enabled business processes.
• Increased organizational scalability through automation and digitalization initiatives.

Qualifications required:

1. Education:

• Bachelor's Degree in Engineering, Supply Chain, Manufacturing Operations, or related field (Required)
• Master's Degree in Business Administration or related field (Preferred)

1. Experience:

• 7+ years of experience in Supply Chain, Manufacturing Operations, Warehouse Automation, Logistics Automation, or related fields.
• Experience supporting automation projects involving AGV, AMR, ASRS, warehouse automation, material flow, or Industry 4.0 technologies.
• Project Management experience with focus on automation, digitalization, or operational improvement initiatives.
• Experience developing business cases, ROI analysis, and proof-of-concepts.
• Experience working within global matrix organizations.
• Demonstrated ability to influence without direct authority and build alignment across stakeholders.
• Experience leading cross-functional global initiatives.
• Strong understanding of ERP, WMS, TMS, and digital supply chain solutions.
• Demonstrated understanding of plant operations, financial analysis, and investment prioritization.

1. Skills/Training:

• Fluent English.
• Willingness to travel globally.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management abilities.
• Strategic thinking and business acumen.
• Ability to build alignment across functions, regions, and plants.
• Strong collaboration and facilitation skills.
• Results-oriented with a strong continuous improvement mindset.

Corporate competences:

• Empowered to Act
• Constructive Communication
• Personal Growth
• Passion for Perfect Quality
• Clear and Timely Decisions
• Integrity & Accountability
• Customer Focus
• Relentless Innovation
• Collaborative Relationships