Automation Director

• Job title: Automation Director – RPSI
• Department / Function: Global Advanced Manufacturing RPSI
• Location: EMEA/remote (flexible)
• Reports to: Global Advanced Manufacturing Leader RPSI
• Direct reports : 2x Specialist engineers
• Key contacts inside/outside the company: Many Director and VP internal stakeholders as well as Plant Leadership teams across the division. Many senior contacts at a broad external network of vendors – typically CEO/CTO/CSO level.

Job Purpose

• To lead and drive the automation pillar of the Advanced Manufacturing (“AM”) strategy for RPSI, translating enterprise AM direction into deployable standards, roadmaps, and programmes across the manufacturing network. The role is accountable for defining, governing, and enabling the successful creation, deployment, standardisation, and lifecycle management of physical automation technologies in partnership with plant organisations and key stakeholders.
• Reporting to the leader of Global Advanced Manufacturing RPSI, this role provides portfolio‑level oversight of automation initiatives and works closely with cross‑functional teams to ensure solutions are safely adopted and deliver measurable productivity, quality, and ergonomic benefits.

Know-How

• Strong knowledge of manufacturing operations and physical automation technologies (robotics, controls, vision/inspection, material handling and packaging automation) and how to deploy them across multi‑site environments. Working understanding of Industry 4.0 concepts and integration requirements with digital counterparts. Proficient in project and change management approaches to deliver safe, standardised automation solutions at scale.
• Working knowledge of manufacturing regulatory and compliance requirements relevant to automation deployment, including machine safety standards, EHS requirements, quality compliance, and vendor / contractor compliance expectations across different jurisdictions.
• Strong leadership and influence skills in a matrix organisation; able to lead through plant teams and cross‑functional stakeholders without direct authority. Able to coach and develop plant engineering capability, align priorities across sites, and manage external partners to deliver consistent outcomes.
• Strong practical expertise in Lean/CI and structured problem solving applied to automation opportunities. Proficient in programme/project governance, risk management, and change management to support successful adoption across sites (with plants typically executing delivery).
• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or related discipline (advanced degree beneficial). Typically 10–15+ years in manufacturing with deep experience in physical automation deployment and proven leadership in multi‑site projects or plant engineering/technical leadership roles. Prior leadership experience at plant or regional level is expected – likely as Plant or General Manager or Regional Director in a CI or Technical department.

Problem Solving

• Identifies, prioritises and resolves complex manufacturing automation challenges across multiple plants, translating strategic AM direction into executable physical automation roadmaps, and removing barriers to adoption (technical, capability, stakeholder, and change readiness).
• Safety and quality frameworks, capital processes, and project governance standards provide structure; however, the role must interpret and apply them consistently across varied plant contexts and contribute to establishing preferred approaches, vendors, and standards for physical automation.
• High. The role frequently adapts solutions to differing plant maturity and constraints, pilots new technologies, and helps standardise repeatable deployment models (while aligning with digital manufacturing counterparts).
• Selecting and sequencing the highest‑impact automation opportunities across plants, balancing ROI, feasibility, safety/compliance requirements, site readiness, and resource constraints—often with competing stakeholder priorities.
• Ensures automation solutions improve productivity while meeting safety and quality requirements and supporting sustainability goals (e.g., waste/energy reduction), taking a lifecycle view of equipment performance and maintainability.
• Moderate to high. Identifies and trials emerging automation capabilities (e.g., advanced robotics, AI‑enabled inspection) where they improve agility, quality, and efficiency, and supports scalable replication when proven.

Accountability

• Delivery of the physical automation pillar across 100+ RPSI plants: project portfolio outcomes, standardisation of automation approaches/technologies, plant capability development, and safe adoption of automation that improves productivity, quality, and ergonomics.
• Accountable for oversight and governance of a portfolio of physical automation projects delivered through plant organisations. Once scaled, a typical live portfolio could be in the magnitude of ~$50M combined capex budgets, ~$15M benefits from a cost base in the hundreds of millions. Leads/coordinates internal SMEs and external integrators, influences vendor selection and preferred technology categories, and drives processes for lifecycle management, reuse and redeployment of automation assets across sites.
• Influences OEE, downtime, labour productivity, automation uptime, quality defects/scrap, safety/ergonomics risk reduction, and time‑to‑deploy standard solutions across sites.
• Safety: Ensures AM projects and technologies support safe operations and reduce risk exposure.
• Quality: Supports initiatives that improve inspection process control, consistency, and compliance.
• Sustainability: Promotes energy‑efficient solutions, waste reduction, and asset reuse/redeployment.
• Independently defines/frames automation opportunities, recommends solutions/vendors within governance, sets delivery approach/standards for the pillar, and manages portfolio cadence/escalation. Capital approvals and major cross‑functional resource commitments follow established governance and require approval by senior leadership.
• Drives measurable operational performance improvement and supports RPSI transformation goals by accelerating safe automation adoption, improving productivity and quality, and increasing capital effectiveness through standardisation and reuse.

Job Context & Complexity

• Dynamic, multi‑site manufacturing environment with varying levels of automation maturity and changing business priorities; requires consistent execution across diverse plants and stakeholders.
• Aligning diverse plant needs to a coherent physical automation approach; securing buy‑in and resources in a matrix; integrating with digital initiatives; managing external partners; and ensuring adoption and sustainment post‑deployment.
• Portfolio oversight across 100+ RPSI sites and automation asset classes; direct operational control sits with plant leadership, while this role drives standardised approaches and delivery governance across the network.
• Customer requirements for quality, responsiveness, and efficiency drive the need for robust, repeatable automation solutions that can be scaled across plants while maintaining flexibility.
• Many RPSI plants operate in labour-sensitive or unionized environments. Proactive vision around change management and communication skills are essential to ensure smooth adoption of automation.

Additional Information

This role acts as a key enabler of Amcor’s operational and advanced manufacturing transformation through the physical automation pillar. It requires a strong combination of technical depth, structured problem solving, and stakeholder leadership to drive consistent outcomes across multiple plants, regions, and functions.
Success in the role depends on the ability to influence and align plant teams and cross‑functional stakeholders—often without direct authority—and to embed sustainable automation capability through coaching, standards, and repeatable approaches.

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