The General Manager role offers the opportunity to lead Product Cost and Manufacturing Development functions in a multinational manufacturing environment based in Laem Chabang, Chonburi. This role plays an important part in driving cost competitiveness, enhancing manufacturing capability, leading value engineering initiatives, and strengthening material and supplier development.
Responsibilities
Strategic Management
Develop and execute strategies to improve product cost competitiveness and manufacturing capability.
Establish departmental objectives, policies, and performance targets aligned with business goals.
Monitor performance and drive continuous improvement initiatives.
Manage departmental budgets, resources, and organisational development plans.
Cost Development
Lead cost reduction and cost optimisation initiatives throughout the product lifecycle.
Drive Value Engineering (VE) and Value Analysis (VA) activities.
Identify cost-saving opportunities related to product design, materials, manufacturing processes, and suppliers.
Establish cost targets and track achievement against business objectives.
Manufacturing Development
Lead manufacturing process development from product design through mass production.
Improve productivity, process efficiency, and product quality.
Ensure product manufacturability through close collaboration with engineering and production teams.
Promote automation and manufacturing innovation initiatives.
Material & Technology Development
Lead material evaluation, selection, and development activities.
Identify and implement innovative materials and technologies to improve product performance and cost efficiency.
Work closely with internal teams and external partners on new technology development.
Supplier Development
Develop supplier technical capabilities and manufacturing competencies.
Lead supplier improvement programmes and capability assessments.
Support supplier readiness for new product launches and process changes.
Build and maintain strong relationships with key suppliers.
Leadership & People Management
Lead, coach, and develop managers and engineering teams.
Build organisational capability and succession plans.
Foster a culture of innovation, accountability, and continuous improvement.
Drive cross-functional collaboration and effective decision-making.
Requirements
Experience in the air-conditioning or electronics industry.
Minimum 12 years of experience in Design Engineering, Product Development, Manufacturing Engineering, Production Engineering, Cost Engineering, or related functions.
Minimum 5 years of managerial or senior leadership experience.
Bachelor's Degree or higher in Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Materials Engineering, or a related field.
Proven experience in cost reduction, value engineering, manufacturing process development, and supplier development.
Strong project management and cross-functional leadership skills.
Strong communication and stakeholder management skills.
Good command of English.
About the company
A Japanese company in the air-conditioning research and development industry, this organisation is involved in the design and development of air-conditioning products and related technologies. Its work includes product development, value engineering, and quality improvement for air-conditioning systems.