TalentSquare Asia Hiring! Full Time SITE MANAGING DIRECTOR in Federal Territory - Ricebowl

Our client is a European industrial technology group with a specialised manufacturing footprint across multiple continents and known for complex, precision-driven production in high-mix, low-volume environments. The group has recently completed a strategic acquisition in Malaysia and is now looking to expand production capabilities and further grow the business in the region. The Malaysian site, approximately 200 employees, is a strategically important node in the group’s global operations. For their Malaysian manufacturing site, our client is seeking an experienced and decisive:

SITE MANAGING DIRECTOR

HMLV Manufacturing for Semiconductor Industry - Penang

Responsibilities:

• Is responsible for the operational performance, organisational effectiveness and governance of the Malaysian manufacturing site (approx. 200 employees).
• Leads the ramp-up of the site and the expansion of its production capabilities, including the transfer of production from Europe to Malaysia.
• Acts as the statutory director of the legal entity, including legal representation and signing authority.
• Operates within a Group-led governance model; translates Group-approved commercial and strategic decisions into predictable, efficient and scalable operations.
• Reports to the Group CEO and works in close alignment with the Senior Business Development Lead SE Asia to ensure commercial objectives are effectively executed.
• Holds end-to-end operational responsibility for Production, Process Engineering, Supply Chain, Quality and Customer Service; drives KPI-based performance management and operational excellence.
• Responsible for operational cost control, efficiency and margin realisation; manages working capital (inventory, throughput, lead times) and provides transparent reporting to the Group.
• Acts as statutory director of the Malaysian entity; ensures compliance with local legislation, corporate requirements, audit readiness, certifications and EHS standards.
• Builds and develops a capable local management team; drives engagement, talent retention, succession planning and a performance-oriented organisational culture.
• Operates effectively within a matrix organisation, ensuring integration and performance of local HR, Finance and IT functions reporting into their respective Group functions.
• Provides input to the Group on capacity, scalability and operational footprint to support the long-term development of the site.

Profile Requirements:

• Bachelor degree in Engineering or related.
• 15+ years of experience in manufacturing environments, including experience in production transfer
• Experience in leading a 150–300 FTE site in a high-mix, low-volume context.
• Strong background in operational excellence and performance management.
• Experience in operating within an international group structure with centralised decision-making.
• Proven ability to execute within defined governance frameworks.
• Strong leadership and organisational development capability.
• Prior experience as statutory director of comparable legal responsibility is a strong advantage.
• Experience operating in a matrix organisation with functional reporting lines is strongly preferred.