Future Leader Production/Plant Director

Position Overview

The Future Leader - Production/Plant Director is a strategic leadership development role designed to build VinFast's next generation of Manufacturing Executives. The position is responsible for driving manufacturing excellence across production operations, ensuring the achievement of business objectives in safety, quality, delivery, cost, and people development. Through close collaboration with Engineering, Program Management, Quality, Supply Chain, and other cross-functional teams, the incumbent will lead operational transformation initiatives, strengthen organizational capability, and support successful vehicle launches. This role provides a structured pathway toward future Plant Director or Manufacturing Director positions within VinFast's global manufacturing network.

Position Responsibilities

Manufacturing Operations Leadership

• Lead manufacturing operations to achieve business targets in Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost, and People (SQDCP).
• Drive operational excellence and continuous improvement initiatives across production processes.
• Ensure manufacturing performance meets or exceeds production, quality, and financial objectives.
• Develop and execute short-term and long-term operational strategies aligned with business goals.

Production Launch & Operational Readiness

• Lead production launch activities to ensure successful vehicle and product introductions.
• Ensure all launches achieve targets for timing, quality, productivity, and cost performance.
• Collaborate with Engineering, Quality, Supply Chain, and Program teams to ensure manufacturing readiness.

Safety, Quality & Compliance

• Champion a safety-first culture and ensure compliance with all regulatory, environmental, and company requirements.
• Drive right-first-time manufacturing performance through Lean Manufacturing and robust operational systems.
• Utilize risk assessment and mitigation tools to proactively identify and eliminate operational risks.

Cost & Performance Management

• Manage operational budgets and resources to achieve productivity and cost-efficiency targets.
• Identify and implement initiatives to improve capacity utilization and reduce manufacturing costs.
• Monitor key operational KPIs and drive corrective actions where required.

People Leadership & Organization Development

• Build, develop, and lead high-performing manufacturing teams.
• Establish leadership succession pipelines and develop future manufacturing leaders.
• Coach and mentor team members to enhance problem-solving, decision-making, and leadership capabilities.
• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement.

Position Requirements

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related discipline.
• Minimum 15 years of experience in manufacturing operations, with at least 8 years in senior leadership roles (Senior Manager/Director Level)
• Strong experience in automotive manufacturing or other high-volume, complex manufacturing environments.
• Proven leadership experience managing large-scale production organizations.
• Solid knowledge of Lean Manufacturing, Operational Excellence, Continuous Improvement, and Production Systems.
• Demonstrated experience in new product introduction (NPI), industrialization, and production ramp-up.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and data-driven decision-making capabilities.
• Excellent stakeholder management, communication, and leadership skills.
• Fluent English communication.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience within global automotive OEMs or Tier-1 suppliers.
• Experience leading manufacturing operations with 500+ employees.
• Strong background in Lean Manufacturing, Industry 4.0, Smart Factory, or Digital Manufacturing initiatives.
• Experience in EV manufacturing and vehicle launch programs.
• Master's degree or MBA is an advantage.