Director, Enterprise Manufacturing Applications

At Alcon, we're passionate about enhancing sight and helping people see brilliantly. With more than 25,000 associates, we innovate fearlessly, champion progress, and act swiftly to impact global eye health. We foster an inclusive culture, recognizing your contributions and offering opportunities to grow your career like never before. Together, we make a difference in the lives of our patients and customers. Are you ready to join us?

We foster an inclusive culture and are looking for diverse, talented people to join Alcon. Alcon is accelerating its digital manufacturing ambitions, integrating modern operational technologies with enterprise digital systems to enable world‑class performance across its 16+ global manufacturing sites. Central to this transformation is the strategic development, deployment, and optimization of enterprise manufacturing applications—including MES, SCADA, CMMS, calibration systems, and other foundational IT/OT platforms.

The Director of Manufacturing Enterprise Applications will own the strategic direction, business value, and lifecycle performance of these mission‑critical applications. This leader will guide global standardization, drive utilization and capability maturity, evaluate new technologies, and ensure that Alcon’s manufacturing systems remain at the forefront of operational excellence.

This role sits within the global Manufacturing Excellence organization and leads a high‑performing team responsible for orchestrating technology strategy, program delivery, system adoption and best practices, and continuous improvement across all manufacturing sites.

You will also serve as the business owner for global KPI dashboards, evolving them into predictive and prescriptive tools for metrics such as Purchase Price Variance (PPV), Inventory, Yield, OEE, Schedule Attainment, and more.

In this role, a typical day will include:

Strategic Leadership & Vision

• Define the global strategy and long‑term roadmap for enterprise manufacturing applications across MES, SCADA, CMMS, calibration systems, and related OT platforms.
• Partner with manufacturing, engineering, quality, supply chain, and IT leadership to ensure technology strategies align with business objectives, regulatory requirements, and site needs.
• Establish and evolve enterprise standards, architecture, and governance models for manufacturing applications across 16+ sites.
• Actively monitor emerging technologies, industry trends, and digital manufacturing innovations to drive transformative solutions.

Enterprise Application Ownership

• Serve as the business/system owner for key global manufacturing applications, accountable for system design, capability development, compliance, performance, and user adoption.
• Lead global planning, budgeting, and prioritization of application enhancements, upgrades, lifecycle management, and new platform introductions.
• Drive harmonization of manufacturing workflows, data structures, and application configurations to reduce complexity and increase scalability.
• Ensure systems effectively integrate with ERP, PLM, QMS, supply chain, and other enterprise platforms.

Program Delivery & Continuous Improvement

• Oversee global implementation programs—including new deployments, upgrades, migrations, and optimization projects—ensuring high quality, on‑time, and within budget delivery.
• Champion the use of advanced capabilities such as predictive analytics, digital workflows, IIoT connectivity, and process automation through integrations.
• Develop and execute continuous improvement strategies to expand system utilization, reduce downtime, and enhance data usability.
• Enable standardized KPIs and reporting frameworks to measure system effectiveness and drive data‑driven decision‑making.

Cross-Functional Partnership

• Act as the primary liaison between Manufacturing Excellence, IT, Quality, and operations to ensure aligned priorities and smooth execution.
• Collaborate with cybersecurity, validation, and compliance teams to ensure systems meet all regulatory and security requirements (e.g., FDA, EU MDR, GxP, 21 CFR Part 11, data integrity).
• Build strong relationships with site leadership teams to understand business needs and ensure platforms are effectively supporting operations.

Team Leadership & People Development

• Lead and develop a global team of technical and functional experts across manufacturing systems, digital platforms, and project delivery.
• Foster a high‑performance, inclusive culture centered on transparency, collaboration, innovation, and customer focus.
• Ensure the organization has the right skills, capabilities, and long‑term talent pipeline to support future digital manufacturing initiatives.

What You'll Bring to Alcon:

• Bachelor’s Degree or Equivalent years of directly related experience (or high school +18 yrs; Assoc.+14 yrs; M.S.+7 yrs; PhD+6 yrs)
• The ability to fluently read, write, understand, and communicate in English
• 10 Years of Relevant Experience
• 6 Years of Demonstrated Leadership

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience in the medical device, pharmaceutical, or highly regulated manufacturing environment.
• Knowledge of ISA‑95, ISA‑88, and digital manufacturing standards.
• Familiarity with cloud‑hosted architecture, IIoT platforms, and advanced analytics technologies.
• Demonstrated ability to build business cases and deliver measurable operational value through technology.
• Strong vendor management experience with major MES/SCADA/OT providers.

Leadership Characteristics

• Strategic Thinker: Able to translate enterprise goals into system strategies and structured roadmaps.
• Technical Credibility: Comfortable diving into system design, architecture, and manufacturing workflows.
• Change Leader: Skilled in navigating organizational complexity and driving global standardization.
• Communicator & Influencer: Effectively partners across diverse functions, cultures, and levels.
• Customer-Oriented: Focused on improving the experience and effectiveness of manufacturing sites.

How You Can Thrive at Alcon:

• See your career like never before with focused growth and development opportunities
• Join Alcon’s mission to provide outstanding, innovative products and solutions to improve sight, improve lives, and grow your career!
• Alcon provides robust benefits package including health, life, retirement, flexible time off, and much more!

See your impact at alcon.com/careers

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ALCON IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER AND PARTICIPATES IN E-VERIFY

Alcon takes pride in maintaining an inclusive environment that values different perspectives and our policies are non-discriminatory in recruitment, hiring, training, promotion or other employment practices for reasons of race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, sexual orientation, marital or veteran status, disability, or any other legally protected status. Alcon is also committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities. If, because of a medical condition or disability, you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application process, or in order to perform the essential functions of a position, please send an email to alcon.recruitment@alcon.com and let us know the nature of your request and your contact information.