Regional MES Manager, Americas

KEMET Electronics Corporation • Simpsonville, SC

89d • Onsite

About The Position

The Regional MES Manager, Americas is responsible for the regional MES strategy, the platforms themselves, and the teams that keep them available and performing around the clock. This role requires a leader who understands manufacturing operations and can translate corporate MES and digital transformation strategy into regional execution that measurably improves efficiency, quality, and throughput. Success is defined by uninterrupted plant operations, disciplined project delivery, and a standardized MES footprint across the region.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Industrial Engineering, Automation, or a related technical field.
• Minimum of eight years of experience supporting manufacturing systems in a discrete manufacturing environment.
• Minimum of five years of leadership experience managing technical teams.
• Minimum of five years of hands-on experience with enterprise-scale MES platforms in a large manufacturing organization.
• Strong understanding of manufacturing processes, including production, inventory, quality, and traceability.
• Demonstrated understanding of the operational impact of MES downtime on production output, on-time delivery, and product traceability, with a track record of restoring service under pressure.
• Proven experience leading multi-site MES projects and application support organizations.
• Excellent communication, stakeholder management, and leadership skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively across functions and locations.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities, with a proactive approach to execution and follow-through.

Nice To Haves

• Working knowledge of ISA-95 standards and manufacturing system integration.
• Experience integrating MES with SAP or Oracle ERP, SCADA, PLC, and IoT systems.
• Familiarity with Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma methodologies.
• Experience with Azure DevOps and CI/CD pipelines.
• Experience with cloud-native architectures and container platforms such as OpenShift or Kubernetes.
• PMP or an equivalent project management certification.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the regional owner of MES platforms across the United States and Mexico, including the regional MES roadmap, governance model, and investment planning.
• Align regional activities with the global MES strategy and roadmap in close coordination with global MES teams and IT leadership.
• Drive MES standardization and the adoption of best practices across all Americas facilities.
• Ensure compliance with company IT standards, cybersecurity policies, SOX requirements, and documented operational procedures.
• Ensure high availability, performance, and responsive support of MES systems for 24/7 manufacturing operations.
• Lead incident, problem, and change management processes to minimize production disruption and shorten recovery time.
• Establish and monitor service levels, escalation paths, and after-hours support coverage for the regional plants.
• Treat MES availability as production-critical: anticipate risk, act with urgency when systems degrade, and keep plant leadership informed throughout any event that threatens output.
• Manage the regional MES project portfolio, including new plant deployments, system upgrades, business enhancements, and manufacturing digitalization initiatives.
• Coordinate resources, schedules, and budgets across multiple sites so that project execution and day-to-day operational support both succeed.
• Partner with manufacturing, quality, engineering, and supply chain teams to identify and deliver opportunities for process improvement and automation.
• Lead, coach, and develop the regional MES team, including performance leadership, capability building, and succession planning.
• Manage vendor and external partner engagement, covering scope, performance, and contract deliverables.
• Communicate progress, risks, and key decisions clearly to plant leadership, business stakeholders, and IT management.

Benefits

• Comprehensive benefits package including health, retirement, and employee programs
• Career growth opportunities with access to training, and mentorship
• Work–life balance support through flexible practices and employee wellness initiatives

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager