Digital Manufacturing Innovation - Technical Project Lead

Owens Corning · Toledo

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The Digital Manufacturing Transformation (DMT) Innovation – Technical Project Lead role is responsible for driving the adoption of advanced digital tools and methodologies across Owens Corning’s manufacturing operations. This position partners with plant teams and business leaders to identify unmet operational needs, validate innovative solutions, and enhance organizational capability through technology-driven improvements.

This role will also lead proof-of-concept (PoC) work and execute related pilot implementation to demonstrate proof of value (PoV) in manufacturing operations and once validated, scale innovations across plants while ensuring secure, reliable operations and measurable business outcomes.

Reports to:                        Corporate Engineering Leader - Digital

Span of Control:               Individual contributor

Knowing Our Businesses and their Strategies

• Collaborate with plant teams and business leaders to understand and address unmet manufacturing operations needs across the enterprise.
• Understand the strategic direction of the company’s businesses and execute functional strategies to support and enhance business results; be knowledgeable of the project work that supports this direction and implications for the business.
• Understands the relationships with stakeholders and understands what it takes to ensure their success.
• Knows what best-in-class organizations do and obtain outside-in insights to understand and then apply to positively impact Owens Corning.
• Build transparent partnerships across the Global Information Services (GIS) organization, our businesses, Center of Excellence (CoE), Science and Technology (S&T) and operations; keep status, priorities, and outcomes visible.  Work closely to recognize analogous workstreams elsewhere in the organization.
• Leverage business partnerships to prioritize workstreams related to PoCs or pilots within the Digital Manufacturing Transformation portfolio
• Create capacity and increase capability of manufacturing teams by identifying and validating digital tools and services that address operational gaps.

Executing Strategy

Discover & Frame Unmet Needs

• Plan and lead Proof of Concept (POC), Proof of Value (POV), and Pilot projects to validate new digital tools and services.
• Build business cases for proposed solutions that quantify expected financial value and define success metrics.  Inform strategy to execute PoC or pilots that are prioritized in the Digital Manufacturing Transformation portfolio. 

Design Work Process and Roadmap

• Define end-to-end innovation work processes—from discovery and PoC through pilot execution—aligned to Business, Capital Delivery, S&T and GIS standards.
• Collaborate closely with key stakeholders and teams to collect requirements, define well-formed acceptance criteria, and develop the corresponding manufacturing technology solutions roadmap. 

Pilot and Prove Value

• Manage expectations across impacted organizations to plan and execute PoCs or pilots, to validate assumptions, prove value in live manufacturing environments; document outcomes, risks, and learnings. 
• Oversee respective budgets, risks, resource utilization, and stakeholder communications, and regular status reporting with success metrics.  Engage with business, Capital Delivery, and Global Information Services (GIS) teams to ensure visibility and successful outcomes.
• Define and execute the enterprise rationalization phases of new solutions before deployed at scale. Ensure smooth hand-off to delivery and support areas to scale successful pilots across sites with clear transition, training, and ongoing technical support plans. 

Platform and OT Innovation Ownership

• Drive the integration with manufacturing controls and OT systems platform (e.g., SCADA, automated backup/restore): lifecycle management, standards, and governance to keep systems relevant and secure.
• As needed, partners with relevant OC functions (i.e. Legal, IT Security, Sourcing) to adhere to their respective global requirements through the PoC and pilot implementation.
• Evaluate new functionality with structured pilots; standardize and expand innovations that deliver measurable value.
• Provide input with the project portfolio and participate in the sequencing and scheduling of significant innovation work to best fit resource capabilities

Operations, Change and Security

• Establish a sustainable support model leveraging internal teams and partners; act as escalation point for critical issues related to the PoC or pilot execution.
• Engage cross-functional team on thorough change management to minimize plant risk and achieve comprehensive visibility of changes; enforce access control and data security related to PoC or pilot execution.

Partner and Vendor Value

• Maximize PoC or pilot value from partners via achievement of clear deliverables, Service Level Agreements (SLAs), and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs); drive continuous improvement with new product and implementation providers
• Align with architecture and security governance; adhere to standards and approvals for solutions deployed in manufacturing environments.

Influencing in the Function

• Drive continuous improvement initiatives within the department and cross-functionally; encourage others to identify areas of waste (process, time, etc.); ideate and execute action plans to create productivity.
• Summarized complex information so that it is easy to interpret and understand.
• Collaborating with cross-functional teams
• Identify opportunities to improve the effectiveness, value, and perception of the organization

Developing Talent

• Provide impactful peer-to-peer leadership to others on the team, contributing to their development.
• Assist in building the talent pipeline, mentoring, and developing other team members.
• Invest in personal growth and development, clearly focused on self-learning.
• Create an inclusive environment where the team looks at you as a highly regarded leader and mentor the team.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree in information systems, engineering, business, or related field; advanced degree or MBA a plus
• 5+ years of experience in roles related to IT strategy, digital transformation, or innovation management, ideally within an enterprise or industrial/asset-intensive environment.
• Strategic & Analytical Skills: Proven ability to develop and execute technology or process improvement strategies that drive business value. Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with experience using data to support decision-making and measure outcomes.
• Technical/Digital Acumen: Familiarity with modern digital technologies and platforms – e.g., AI/ML, L2L, automation (RPA/IIoT), data analytics/BI tools, cloud services, enterprise systems – and an understanding of how to apply them to solve business problems. Experience with process improvement methodologies (Agile, Lean, Six Sigma) and project management practices to deliver innovation initiatives on time and within scope.
• Strong understanding and practical experience with Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) would be helpful.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

• Ability to translate business requirements into technical options and measurable value.
• Proven success leading medium-to-large, cross-functional/global initiatives with third-party vendors and partners.
• Strong stakeholder management, and organizational skills; adept at prioritizing in fast-paced environments.
• Curiosity, service mindset, and inventive flexibility; self-directed learner matching emerging technologies to operational needs.
• Strong problem-solving and planning skills.
• Ability to manage multiple projects in a fast-moving environment.
• Experience collaborating in a diverse cultural environment and across international boundaries.
• Ability to lead and partner effectively with team members, business partners, and 3rd party partners
• Strong written and verbal communication skills to convey relevant information clearly with confidence; understanding others through active listening; successfully sets and manages expectations
• Service Mindset– voluntarily initiates and takes lead roles in challenging work without explicit direction
• The ability to build trust, connections, and influence stakeholders
• Strategic & Analytical Skills: Proven ability to develop and execute technology or process improvement strategies that drive business value. Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with experience using data to support decision-making and measure outcomes.
• Technical/Digital Acumen: Familiarity with modern digital technologies and platforms – e.g., AI/ML, L2L, automation (RPA/IIoT), data analytics/BI tools, cloud services, enterprise systems – and an understanding of how to apply them to solve business problems. Experience with process improvement methodologies (Agile, Lean, Six Sigma) and project management practices to deliver innovation initiatives on time and within scope.
• Ability to travel up to ~20-30%, including internationally

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About Owens Corning  

Owens Corning is a branded building products leader with three complementary market-leading businesses providing roofing, insulation, and doors primarily for residential markets in North America and Europe. The company operates with an integrated go-to-market strategy and a unique set of OC Advantages™ – including its iconic brand, unparalleled commercial strength, leading technology, and winning cost position – to help customers win and grow in the market. Owens Corning is committed to helping build better and achieve more through winning partnerships, leading performance, and engaging people. Founded in 1938 and headquartered in Toledo, Ohio, Owens Corning is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: OC). For more information, visit www.owenscorning.com. 

Owens Corning is an equal opportunity employer. Except in limited circumstances such as formal apprenticeship programs, Owens Corning does not employ anyone under the age of 18.

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