Nestlé Purina PetCare - Electricity, Automation & Digital Manager (Greenfield Project) - Mantova (Assago, IT)

At Nestlé Purina we are committed to creating richer lives for pets and the people who love them, providing high quality nutrition for cats and dogs and doing more of what matters for pets, people and planet We are looking for passionate technical talents who will support the installation, start-up and operation of modern and highly automated production systems during the launch of a new manufacturing site. You will contribute to a project within a global organization committed to quality, safety and continuous improvement.

Position Snapshot

• Nestlé Purina Italy, Greenfield Project Mantova

• Permanent role, full-time

• Nestlé welcomes people with disabilities

• University Degree in Electrical, Automation, or related Engineering discipline

• Fluency in Italian and English is required

• Compensation Package: CCNL Industria Alimentare, Quadro, Gross Annual Base Salary: €75.000,00.

Position Summary As Electricity & Automation (E&A) and Digital Manager, you will lead the site's Electricity, Automation and Digital function, ensure the safe, reliable and efficient operation of production assets while develop a high-performing technical team. You will be responsible for defining and executing the site's E&A and digital strategy, ensuring compliance with Nestlé standards and local regulations, driving digitalization and automation initiatives, and delivering capital investments that support business growth and operational excellence. In this role, you will provide leadership, coaching and technical direction to professionals and contractors, fostering capability development and continuous improvement while ensuring the highest standards of safety, product quality, and environmental sustainability.

A Day in the Life of an E&A Manager: Lead and Develop the E&A Team

• Lead, coach and develop a team of E&A professionals, technicians and contractors.

• Define priorities, objectives and development plans aligned with the project engineering goals.

• Build technical capability in automation, electrical systems, digital manufacturing and operational technology.

• Foster a culture of collaboration, accountability, continuous learning and safety leadership.

• Support succession planning and talent development within the Engineering function.

Drive Factory Automation and Digitalization Strategy

• Define and deploy the project Digital-E&A roadmap in alignment with business priorities and Nestlé standards.

• Lead the implementation of automation, digitalization and Industry 4.0 initiatives that improve safety, quality, efficiency and reliability.

• Ensure robustness and sustainability of electrical, automation and digital systems across the factory.

• Promote innovation and leverage new technologies to enhance operational performance.

Deliver Capital Investment Projects

• Lead the E&A scope of Capital Investment projects from concept through commissioning and handover.

• Ensure technical solutions comply with Nestlé and regulatory standards while delivering expected business benefits.

• Manage project priorities, resources, risks and stakeholder alignment.

• Oversee preparation of specifications, design reviews, FAT/SAT activities, implementation, training and start-up support.

• Ensure projects are delivered safely, on time, within budget and with the required performance outcomes.

Manage Assets and Reliability

• Ensure safe and reliable operation of all electrical, automation and digital assets.

• Drive equipment reliability, asset lifecycle management and continuous improvement initiatives.

• Support maintenance strategy development and implementation through collaboration with Engineering and Operations teams.

• Lead root cause analysis and corrective actions for critical failures and recurring issues.

• Ensure effective deployment of engineering methodologies and tools such (NSAT, NET, AMM among others, and related practices).

Ensure Compliance and Governance

• Ensure all E&A and digital installations comply with Nestlé standards and local regulatory requirements relating to safety, electrical systems, automation, calibration, cybersecurity and/or quality.

• Own the governance of key E&A documentation including SLDs, URS, FDS, maintenance and calibration procedures.

• Ensure Management of Change (MOC) processes are rigorously applied.

• Act as the site's subject matter expert for E&A compliance and standards.

Champion Continuous Improvement and Operational Excellence

• Partner with Production, Quality, Engineering and Maintenance teams to improve operational performance.

• Use data and automation technologies to identify opportunities to improve Asset Intensity, reduce unplanned stoppages and optimize processes.

• Drive continuous improvement initiatives that enhance productivity, quality, sustainability and cost efficiency.

• Protect and strengthen Nestlé's technological know-how and competitive advantage.

What Will Make You Successful? Experience

• Minimum 7–10 years of experience in Electrical Engineering, Automation, Digital or Industrial Engineering within a manufacturing environment.

• Proven leadership experience managing technical teams, contractors and external partners.

• Demonstrated success in developing people, building team capability and leading organizational change.

• Experience delivering capital investment projects from design through implementation and commissioning.

• Experience driving automation, digitalization or operational excellence initiatives.

• Exposure to TPM, maintenance management, asset reliability and continuous improvement methodologies.

Technical Expertise

• Strong knowledge of electrical installations, automation platforms, PLCs, SCADA, Digital and industrial networks.

• Experience in process control, instrumentation and industrial automation.

• Knowledge of manufacturing systems, food industry processes and engineering standards.

• Understanding of operational and information technology (OT/IT) cybersecurity principles is highly desirable.

Leadership Capabilities

• Ability to energize and engage teams around common goals.

• Strong coaching and talent development skills.

• Proven stakeholder management and influencing capability.

• Strategic thinking combined with strong execution discipline.

• Ability to lead change and foster a culture of continuous improvement.

• Strong communication and collaboration skills across multiple organizational levels.

What Success Looks Like?

• A highly engaged and capable E&A-digital team with strong technical expertise and clear development plans.

• Reliable and sustainable electrical, automation and digital systems supporting factory performance.

• Capital projects delivered safely on time and within budget.

• Improved asset reliability, performance and operational efficiency.

• Full compliance with Nestlé standards and regulatory requirements.

• Successful deployment of digitalization and automation initiatives that create measurable business value.

What we offer? At Nestlé we believe that success is driven by people. That’s why we offer a well-rounded benefits package designed to support well-being, growth, and quality of life:

• Work-life balance – flexible working arrangements and hybrid options

• Continuous learning – access to training, certifications, and development programs

• Health & well-being – private health insurance and wellness initiatives

• Corporate welfare – flexible benefits platform

• Career growth – internal mobility and development opportunities

• Inclusive culture – collaborative and people-first environment.

What does it mean working at Purina? At Purina, we’ve worked hard to create a high-performing and caring environment where everyone belongs, and where everyone can push themselves. When you join our mission to create richer lives for pets, the people who love them and the planet we share, you’ll find lots of opportunities to develop your skills, knowledge and expertise, both at Purina and across the wider Nestlé community. You’ll become part of a passionate and successful international team who, as industry pioneers and leaders in their field, are continually striving for better, who feel safe and supported to challenge, to experiment, to drive change and to be their true selves at work. We’re committed to ensuring the whole team can experience the power of Purina, pushing their limits and realising their full potential. That’s the Power of Purina. Are you ready to discover what’s possible? Purina is part of Nestlé Group.

Kindly submit your CV in English to be considered for this position.