About this role
JOB DESCRIPTION: Are you an experienced technical leader with a passion for maintenance excellence, automation, and operational performance? We are looking for a Head of Maintenance & Automation (Weesp & Olst) to lead and shape the maintenance, reliability, and manufacturing automation strategy across two key manufacturing sites in the Netherlands. In this strategic leadership role, you will be responsible for ensuring the safe, reliable, and compliant operation of manufacturing assets and automation systems within a highly regulated and complex production environment.
You will lead multidisciplinary teams, foster a culture of continuous improvement, and drive initiatives that enhance asset reliability, maximize operational efficiency, and safeguard business continuity. As a key member of the Site Leadership Team, you will play an active role in shaping the broader site strategy and contributing to overall business performance. This position offers significant visibility and exposure to senior leadership, along with strong career development opportunities towards site leadership, senior operations management, and divisional technical leadership roles, based on business needs and individual performance.
Responsibilities Develop and execute the maintenance, reliability, and automation strategy across multiple manufacturing sites. Lead the Maintenance and Manufacturing Automation organizations, building a high-performing and future-ready workforce. Drive preventive, predictive, and corrective maintenance excellence to improve equipment uptime and asset reliability.
Own the manufacturing asset lifecycle strategy, including asset renewal plans and long-term investment roadmaps. Lead Manufacturing Automation and Operational Technology (OT) initiatives, ensuring systems remain reliable, compliant, secure, and aligned with business needs. Define and govern automation standards, cybersecurity strategies, and automation architecture frameworks.
Partner with Engineering and Operations on capital projects, ensuring maintenance, reliability, and automation requirements are embedded from design through commissioning. Establish KPI frameworks and leverage data-driven insights to continuously improve performance, reliability, and cost efficiency. Foster a culture of safety, accountability, innovation, and continuous improvement throughout the organization.
Qualifications Master's degree in Engineering, Technology, Operations Management, or a related discipline. Minimum 10 years of leadership experience within Maintenance, Reliability, Manufacturing Automation, or Technical Operations. Proven success leading large technical organizations across multiple manufacturing sites.
Strong expertise in reliability engineering and preventive and predictive maintenance methodologies. Experience working within a regulated manufacturing environment, preferably GMP regulated. Strong understanding of manufacturing automation systems, Operational Technology (OT), and computerized systems.
Demonstrated success in improving equipment reliability, uptime, and operational performance. Experience supporting capital projects, asset lifecycle management, and operational readiness initiatives. Why Join Us?
This is a unique opportunity to lead a critical function within a highly automated manufacturing environment. You'll have the chance to influence long-term site strategy, drive digital transformation, strengthen manufacturing reliability, and develop talented technical teams while making a direct impact on operational excellence and business performance. If you're ready to lead the future of maintenance and automation through innovation, reliability, and people development, we'd love to hear from you.
Apply today and help build the next generation of manufacturing excellence. The base pay for this position is N/A In specific locations, the pay range may vary from the range posted. JOB FAMILY: Engineering DIVISION: EPD Established Pharma LOCATION: Netherlands > Weesp : WHS 02 ADDITIONAL LOCATIONS: Netherlands > Olst : OAD WORK SHIFT: Standard TRAVEL: Yes, 20 % of the Time MEDICAL SURVEILLANCE: Not Applicable SIGNIFICANT WORK ACTIVITIES: Keyboard use (greater or equal to 50% of the workday)