Regional MES Manager, Americas

KEMET Electronics Corporation

We at KEMET, a YAGEO Group company, help make a wide variety of products possible in the world's most rapidly expanding industries.

Founded in 1919 in Cleveland, Ohio, with over 100 years of technological innovation, we manufacture capacitors and other components for computing, telecommunications, medical, aerospace, defense, and automotive markets. Our components are found in spacecrafts and defibrillators - from outer space to inside our bodies, and in products we use every day. We have the broadest selection of capacitor technologies in the industry, including an expanding range of electromechanical devices and electromagnetic compatibility solutions.

Job Summary

MES is the heartbeat of YAGEO / KEMET's manufacturing operations. Every unit built, tested, and shipped from our United States and Mexico plants depends on these systems running without interruption, and an hour of MES downtime is an hour of lost production. The Regional MES Manager, Americas owns that responsibility: the regional MES strategy, the platforms themselves, and the teams that keep them available and performing around the clock. This is a role for a leader who thinks like a manufacturer first and a technologist second, who understands takt time, line stoppages, and traceability requirements, and who can translate corporate MES and digital transformation strategy into regional execution that measurably improves efficiency, quality, and throughput. Success is defined by uninterrupted plant operations, disciplined project delivery, and a standardized MES footprint across the region.

Key Responsibilities

Strategy and Governance

• 
  
  
  
  • Serve as the regional owner of MES platforms across the United States and Mexico, including the regional MES roadmap, governance model, and investment planning.
  
  
  
  

• 
  
  
  
  • Align regional activities with the global MES strategy and roadmap in close coordination with global MES teams and IT leadership.
  
  
  
  

• 
  
  
  
  • Drive MES standardization and the adoption of best practices across all Americas facilities.
  
  
  
  

• 
  
  
  
  • Ensure compliance with company IT standards, cybersecurity policies, SOX requirements, and documented operational procedures.
  
  
  
  

Operations and Service Delivery

• 
  
  
  
  • Ensure high availability, performance, and responsive support of MES systems for 24/7 manufacturing operations.
  
  
  
  

• 
  
  
  
  • Lead incident, problem, and change management processes to minimize production disruption and shorten recovery time.
  
  
  
  

• 
  
  
  
  • Establish and monitor service levels, escalation paths, and after-hours support coverage for the regional plants.
  
  
  
  

• 
  
  
  
  • Treat MES availability as production-critical: anticipate risk, act with urgency when systems degrade, and keep plant leadership informed throughout any event that threatens output.
  
  
  
  

Project and Program Delivery

• 
  
  
  
  • Manage the regional MES project portfolio, including new plant deployments, system upgrades, business enhancements, and manufacturing digitalization initiatives.
  
  
  
  

• 
  
  
  
  • Coordinate resources, schedules, and budgets across multiple sites so that project execution and day-to-day operational support both succeed.
  
  
  
  

• 
  
  
  
  • Partner with manufacturing, quality, engineering, and supply chain teams to identify and deliver opportunities for process improvement and automation.
  
  
  
  

People and Partner Leadership

• 
  
  
  
  • Lead, coach, and develop the regional MES team, including performance leadership, capability building, and succession planning.
  
  
  
  

• 
  
  
  
  • Manage vendor and external partner engagement, covering scope, performance, and contract deliverables.
  
  
  
  

• 
  
  
  
  • Communicate progress, risks, and key decisions clearly to plant leadership, business stakeholders, and IT management.
  
  
  
  

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Industrial Engineering, Automation, or a related technical field.

• Minimum of eight years of experience supporting manufacturing systems in a discrete manufacturing environment.

• Minimum of five years of leadership experience managing technical teams.

• Minimum of five years of hands-on experience with enterprise-scale MES platforms in a large manufacturing organization.

• Strong understanding of manufacturing processes, including production, inventory, quality, and traceability.

• Demonstrated understanding of the operational impact of MES downtime on production output, on-time delivery, and product traceability, with a track record of restoring service under pressure.

• Proven experience leading multi-site MES projects and application support organizations.

• Excellent communication, stakeholder management, and leadership skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively across functions and locations.

• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities, with a proactive approach to execution and follow-through.

Preferred Qualifications

• Working knowledge of ISA-95 standards and manufacturing system integration.

• Experience integrating MES with SAP or Oracle ERP, SCADA, PLC, and IoT systems.

• Familiarity with Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma methodologies.

• Experience with Azure DevOps and CI/CD pipelines.

• Experience with cloud-native architectures and container platforms such as OpenShift or Kubernetes.

• PMP or an equivalent project management certification.

Work Environment and Travel

• This position is based on site at the KEMET facility in Simpsonville, South Carolina.

• Travel is expected approximately twice per year to the Mexico manufacturing sites, with occasional additional domestic travel as business needs require.

• The role supports 24/7 manufacturing operations and requires availability for occasional after-hours escalation during critical production incidents.

Location & Work Type

• Simpsonville, SC - United States
• Full Time
• Onsite

This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change, or new ones may be assigned at any time with or without notice.

YAGEO does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, age, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, ethnicity or national origin, disability, pregnancy, religion, political affiliation, union membership, protected veteran status, protected genetic information, marital status or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state or local law, in making employment decisions including but not limited to hiring, wages, promotions, rewards, and access to training. Qualified applicants and workers shall be provided with reasonable accommodation for disability and religious practices.

What We Offer

• Collaborative work environment that values innovation and teamwork
• Inclusive company culture built on respect, integrity, and continuous improvement
• Career growth opportunities with access to training, and mentorship
• Work-life balance support through flexible practices and employee wellness initiatives
• Comprehensive benefits package including health, retirement, and employee programs
• Global impact by contributing to sustainable solutions and industry-leading technologies

About YAGEO Group
We don't build the final product.
We build what makes it possible.

From resistors to capacitors, inductors to sensors-our components power the breakthroughs that move the world forward.
Electric vehicles. AI data centers. Satellites. Sonar systems.

They move faster, last longer, reach farther-with a spark of us inside.

Headquartered in Taiwan, YAGEO Group unites multiple trusted brands-including YAGEO, KEMET, PULSE, and Telemecanique Sensors and more-into one cohesive force for innovation.
40,000+ employees. 100+ locations. 20 R&D centers. 2,000+ patents. 273,000+ customers.

#1 in resistors and tantalum capacitors.
#3 in MLCCs & inductors
We don't just participate in the future-we enable it.

Why Work at YAGEO Group?

Meaningful work: Every part you help design, test, or improve contributes to real-world innovations.
Global exposure: Collaborate across continents, brands, and breakthrough technologies.
Accelerated growth: With our size, diversity, and momentum, there's no ceiling for where you can go.
Built-in purpose: You're not just part of the process-you're part of the progress.

YAGEO Group. Built into Tomorrow.

Learn more at https://www.yageogroup.com/. #FollowUs for updates!
#Electronics #Innovation #TechCareers #WeAreHiring

#LI-RH1