Sector OT Project & Portfolio Manager (all genders, full-/part-time) at The businesses of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany

Darmstadt, Hesse, Germany -

Full Time

Start Date

Immediate

Expiry Date

30 May, 26

Salary

0.0

Posted On

01 Mar, 26

Experience

10 year(s) or above

Remote Job

Yes

Telecommute

Yes

Sponsor Visa

Skills

Project Management, Portfolio Management, Operational Technology, Digital Transformation, Industry 4.0, Stakeholder Management, Strategic Planning, Governance Frameworks, PLC, SCADA, DCS, MES, IT/OT Convergence, Cybersecurity, Lifecycle Management, Team Management

Industry

Pharmaceutical Manufacturing

Description

Your role: Step into a pivotal leadership position where you'll drive the digital transformation of over 50 manufacturing sites across our global Life Science network. As the sector OT Project and Portfolio Manager, you'll shape the strategic direction of operational technology initiatives, creating the roadmap that connects our plants and propels us toward our Industry 4.0 vision. You'll bridge the gap between local site needs and global strategic imperatives, ensuring that every project delivers maximum value while aligning with our overarching priorities. Working at the intersection of technology, operations, and strategy, you'll lead Communities of Practice that amplify customer voices and translate them into impactful programs. Your influence will extend across core OT pillars including Service and Lifecycle Management, Architecture, and Cybersecurity, as well as corporate IT infrastructure and security teams. You'll orchestrate portfolio intake, build consolidated roadmaps, and guide project execution across all sites with full transparency on investments and outcomes. This role offers you the unique opportunity to establish governance frameworks that build trust and provide clear direction to both sites and enabling functions. You'll represent the Life Science sector in cross-sector forums, manage strategic partnerships with key solution providers, and drive simplification initiatives that reduce costs while enhancing capabilities. Reporting to the Head of Sector OT Architecture & Cybersecurity within Global Engineering & Technology, you'll be at the forefront of building the technological foundation for the future of manufacturing. Who you are: • Graduate degree in industrial automation or equivalent field • 7+ years of proven experience in operational technology within manufacturing environments (laboratory experience is a plus) • 7+ years of demonstrated leadership in OT projects, automation initiatives, and I4.0 transformations with direct team management experience • Deep domain expertise in manufacturing processes, control systems, and industrial machinery with hands-on project execution experience • Technical proficiency across the OT stack: IO, PLC, HMI, SCADA, DCS, Historians, and MES/EBR systems, plus understanding of IT/OT convergence and industrial network protocols (Fieldbus, ISA-99) • Strong portfolio and project management capabilities with the ability to translate OT strategy into actionable programs and projects while ensuring compliance with industry regulations • Strategic thinker with exceptional stakeholder management skills, capable of influencing senior leadership in a complex matrix organization and orchestrating external partners • Excellent communicator and coach with multicultural experience, fluent in English and at least one additional language, able to persuade and drive systematic problem-solving with assertiveness AT Expert 3 LS-SC-ESO Digital Operations

Responsibilities

The manager will drive the digital transformation across global manufacturing sites by shaping the strategic direction of operational technology initiatives and building consolidated roadmaps. This includes leading Communities of Practice, establishing governance frameworks, and guiding project execution across core OT pillars.