Director, Industrial Automation Controls & Technology

Director, Industrial Automation Controls & Technology (IACS & OTAC)
Director, Industrial Automation Controls & Technology (IACS & OTAC)Director, Industrial Automation Controls & Technology (IACS & OTAC)Position SummaryPengcorp is seeking a Director to lead two engineering and support departments —
IACS and OTAC
— as a single, integrated automation and operational technology organization. This is a role for a
practising Automation / Process Control Engineer
who has grown into leadership: someone who has configured a DCS, tuned a loop, commissioned a safety system and troubleshot a plant network, and who now builds the teams, standards and commercial offerings around that work.The two departments are deliberately paired under one Director. IACS owns the control systems that make the process run;
OTAC owns the networks,cybersecurity and compliance that keep those systems available, defensible and audit-ready. Historically these functions drift apart — engineering ships a system, security bolts controls onto it afterward, and both sides lose. This role exists to prevent that: one leader, one architecture, one set of standards, one delivery model.Beyond internal operations, the Director carries a
product and services development mandate. Pengcorp intends to package the capability resident in these two departments into repeatable, sellable offerings, and to grow revenue from them. The successfulcandidate will therefore combine three profiles that rarely appear together — control systems engineering depth, multi-department management, and demonstrated success developing and selling technical services.
Departmental ScopeThe Industrial Automation & Control Systems department provides engineering,integration, commissioning, maintenance, optimization, and lifecycle support services forindustrial control systems.
The department’s scope includes:
Distributed Control Systems (DCS)
Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC)
Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) Systems
Human Machine Interfaces (HMI)
Safety Instrumented Systems (SIS)
Process Control and Optimization
Alarm Management
Functional Safety Programs
Instrumentation and Control Engineering
Control System Modernization Projects
Control System Lifecycle Management
Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT)
Site Acceptance Testing (SAT)
Commissioning and Startup Support
Operational Technology Automation & Cybersecurity (OTAC)The Operational Technology Automation & Cybersecurity department provides cybersecurity, governance, infrastructure, compliance, and lifecycle management services for industrial and operational technology environments.
The department’s scope includes:
OT Cybersecurity Strategy and Governance
OT Infrastructure Design and Support
Industrial Network Architecture and Segmentation
ISA/IEC 62443 Assessments and Implementation
NERC CIP Compliance Services
OT Security Risk Assessments
Vulnerability Management
Secure Remote Access Solutions
Asset Inventory and Lifecycle Management
Security Monitoring and Threat Detection
Vendor and Third-Party Security Assessments
Incident Response and Recovery Planning
OT Program Development and Continuous Improvement
Key Accountabilities1. Strategic Leadership & Department ManagementThe Director shall:
Provide strategic leadership, direction, and oversight for the IACS and OTAC departments.
Develop and execute departmental business plans aligned with corporate objectives.
Establish departmental priorities, performance goals, and key performance indicators.
Develop annual operating plans, staffing plans, and budget forecasts.
Ensure departmental resources, capabilities, and competencies support current and future business needs.
Foster a culture of safety, accountability, innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
Lead succession planning, employee development, mentorship, and leadership development initiatives.
Monitor departmental performance and implement corrective actions where required.
Provide technical leadership and strategic direction for all automation and control systems activities.
Establish and maintain engineering standards, design practices, and quality assurance processes.
Support the planning, design, implementation, testing, commissioning, and lifecycle management of industrial control systems.
Oversee DCS, PLC, SCADA, SIS, HMI, and process control initiatives.
Ensure consistency in engineering execution across all projects and service activities.
Support control system modernization, migration, and optimization programs.
Promote the application of functional safety principles and industry best practices.
Support troubleshooting, root-cause analysis, and complex technical problem resolution.
Maintain strategic relationships with automation vendors and OEM partners.
3. Operational Technology Automation & Cybersecurity (OTAC)The Director shall:
Provide leadership and oversight for operational technology cybersecurity programs and services.
Ensure the development and implementation of OT cybersecurity standards, policies, and procedures.
Support the application of ISA/IEC 62443, NERC CIP, and other applicable cybersecurity frameworks.
Oversee OT risk assessments, security reviews, vulnerability management, and mitigation planning.
Ensure cybersecurity requirements are integrated into automation and control system projects.
Support network architecture reviews, segmentation strategies, and secure remote access solutions.Direct incident response preparedness, cybersecurity investigations, and recovery planning efforts.
Promote continuous improvement of OT cybersecurity capabilities and service offerings.
Maintain awareness of emerging technologies, threats, and regulatory requirements.
4. Integration of IACS & OTAC ServicesThe Director shall:
Establish a unified strategy across automation, control systems, operational technology, and cybersecurity disciplines.
Promote collaboration between controls engineers, automation specialists, network specialists, and cybersecurity professionals.
Ensure cybersecurity requirements are incorporated into automation and control system design and implementation activities.
Develop integrated service offerings that combine automation, control system, and cybersecurity capabilities.
Standardize processes, methodologies, governance models, and service delivery practices across both departments.
Identify opportunities to improve operational reliability, safety, efficiency, and cybersecurity performance.
5. Business Development & Market Growth
Support the growth and diversification of Pengcorp’s automation and operational technology service offerings.
Identify market opportunities, industry trends, and emerging technology solutions.
Support proposal development, project pursuits, client presentations, and technical sales activities.
Build and maintain strategic relationships with clients, partners, OEMs, and industry stakeholders.
Collaborate with business development teams to expand market presence and revenue opportunities.
Support the development of repeatable, scalable, and commercially viable service offerings.
Represent Pengcorp at industry conferences, technical forums, and customer engagements.
6. Governance, Compliance & Risk Management
Ensure compliance with applicable regulatory, client, and industry requirements.
Support implementation and maintenance of cybersecurity and operational governance frameworks.
Oversee operational and cybersecurity risk management activities.
Ensure departmental adherence to Pengcorp’s quality, safety, and security management systems.
Develop and maintain policies, standards, procedures, and technical guidelines.
Support audit activities, regulatory reviews, and client assessments.
Promote continuous improvement initiatives that strengthen operational and cybersecurity maturity.
Required Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Instrumentation Engineering, Control Systems Engineering, Mechatronics Engineering, Chemical Engineering, or a related discipline.
Minimum 12 years of industrial automation, control systems, process control, or operational technology experience.
Minimum 5 years of leadership experience managing technical, engineering, automation, or operational technology teams.
Demonstrated experience with DCS, PLC, SCADA, SIS, and industrial networking technologies.
Experience delivering complex automation, controls, operational technology, or cybersecurity projects.
Working knowledge of ISA/IEC 62443 and industrial cybersecurity principles.
Experience supporting NERC CIP or similar regulatory compliance programs.
Strong communication, leadership, stakeholder engagement, and business management capabilities.
Preferred Qualifications
Professional Engineer (P.Eng.) designation or eligibility.
Experience with Honeywell, Rockwell, Siemens, GE Vernova, Emerson, or Schneider automation platforms.
GICSP, CISSP, CISM, ISA/IEC 62443, PMP, or Functional Safety certifications.
Experience within oil and gas, utilities, pipelines, power generation, critical infrastructure, or industrial manufacturing environments.
Demonstrated experience developing and growing technical service offerings.
Experience managing departmental budgets, forecasts, and resource planning.
The successful candidate will demonstrate:
Strategic Leadership
Technical Excellence
Business Acumen
Client Focus
Relationship Management
Team Development
Innovation and Continuous Improvement
Accountability and Results Orientation
Success MeasuresTechnical and Operational
Zero significant automation- or OT-caused production, safety or environmental events.
Control system availability and support response sustained at target service levels.
Project automation scope delivered on schedule, on budget and commissioned without security rework.
Compliance
Clean audit and self-certification outcomes.
No repeat findings.
Mitigation plans closed on schedule.
Measurable reduction in OT cyber risk exposure against the assessment baseline.
Commercial
Offerings launched against the agreed roadmap.
Bookings, revenue and delivery margin against plan.
Client satisfaction, references and repeat or expanded engagements.
#J-18808-Ljbffr