Automation & Digitalization Manager

About Asahi

Asahi Europe & International is part of Asahi Group Holdings, a global beer, spirits, soft drinks and food group. We are proud of our strong portfolio of iconic brands, including Asahi Super Dry, Pilsner Urquell, Peroni Nastro Azzurro, Grolsch and Kozel.

Across our markets, we combine strong local businesses with the scale and expertise of an international organisation. We are continuously looking for new ways to improve how we operate, invest and innovate across our manufacturing network.

Position Overview & Purpose

We are looking for an Automation & Digitalization Manager to help shape and accelerate automation, digitalisation and AI across our manufacturing operations.

This is a regional role focused on turning technology into measurable business value. You will work across AEI breweries and malting plants to identify, develop and scale opportunities that improve productivity, reduce operating costs, optimise asset performance and enable better decision-making.

Rather than owning local engineering execution, you will connect expertise and opportunities across the organisation — challenging existing approaches, identifying scalable solutions and helping our sites get greater value from automation and digital technologies.

Your scope will cover the full manufacturing automation landscape, from field instrumentation, PLCs and control systems through SCADA and MES to data, reporting and higher-level digital and AI solutions.

What you will deliver

• Develop and drive a regional automation and digitalisation value roadmap aligned with productivity, cost reduction and Mid-Term Planning priorities.
• Identify and build a pipeline of high-value automation, digital and AI initiatives across our breweries and malting plants.
• Identify opportunities to reduce OPEX, including software licences, service contracts, maintenance models and automation-related operating costs.
• Develop lifecycle strategies for automation assets using Total Cost of Ownership, asset lifetime and repair-versus-replace considerations.
• Support and challenge automation scope within CAPEX projects, ensuring solutions are fit for purpose, cost-effective and not over-engineered.
• Create automation value playbooks and help replicate proven, high-impact solutions across multiple sites.
• Identify opportunities to reduce manual work, operational losses and dependency on repetitive activities through automation, digitalisation and AI.
• Enable better real-time data visibility, reporting and decision-making across manufacturing operations.
• Identify opportunities to optimise spare parts, asset care and standardisation where there is a clear business benefit.
• Track and communicate savings, productivity improvements and wider performance impact delivered by automation initiatives.
• Work closely with Process Engineering, Manufacturing, Procurement, Digital/IT, Finance and local brewery teams to turn technical opportunities into compelling business cases and delivered results.
• Build a strong cross-site automation and digitalisation community, sharing best practices, expertise and proven solutions.
• Maintain appropriate standards in critical areas including safety, cybersecurity and regulatory compliance while ensuring flexibility for local business needs.
• Continuously assess emerging technologies and identify where they can create practical and scalable value for our manufacturing operations.

Experience & Qualification Requirements

We are looking for someone who combines strong automation expertise with a commercial and value-driven mindset. You should be comfortable moving between detailed technical discussions and conversations about investment, productivity, cost and business impact.

You will ideally bring:

• A university degree in Automation & Control, Engineering or a closely related discipline.
• Significant experience in automation and control within an FMCG manufacturing environment, ideally including both hands-on automation exposure and broader engineering or asset-care responsibilities.
• Strong understanding of industrial control systems and manufacturing automation technologies.
• Good understanding of manufacturing processes; experience within brewing, packaging or utilities would be particularly relevant.
• Experience with asset lifecycle management, asset care, spare parts and Total Cost of Ownership principles.
• Experience working across multiple manufacturing sites, countries or regional structures.
• Experience working with external contractors, technology providers and equipment or software suppliers.
• The ability to identify technical opportunities and translate them into clear business value and investment cases.
• Strong analytical, strategic and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent stakeholder management and influencing capabilities, including the ability to lead through a matrix organisation without direct authority.
• The ability to communicate complex technical topics clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• A pragmatic, curious and innovative mindset, with the confidence to challenge existing approaches and avoid unnecessary complexity.
• Strong organisation and prioritisation skills, with the ability to navigate ambiguity and multiple stakeholders.
• Fluent English.

We are committed to nurturing a workplace where we celebrate and respect difference, and support everyone to be true to who they are! At Asahi Europe and International we believe you can SHINE AS YOU ARE - no matter your age, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disabilities, religion, or beliefs. We want to support you to be courageous in your individuality and to know that whoever you are and whatever your circumstances, you can belong with us without having to conform.