Location:
Milan, Lombardy, Italy
Job ID:
R0121297
Date Posted:
2026-03-17
Company Name:
HITACHI ENERGY ITALY S.P.A.
Profession (Job Category):
Engineering & Science
Job Schedule:
Full time
Remote:
No
Job Description:
The opportunity
As the Head of R&D Operations, you will be part of Hitachi Energy’s Grid Automation Products Group Technology and R&D organization. Our team is responsible for the active management of product and solution technologies spanning protection, control, automation, and communication products, as well as systems and solutions supporting power generation, transmission, sub‑transmission, and distribution network applications. We deliver a comprehensive portfolio of world‑class products that enable the digitalization of our customers’ operations. The primary objective of R&D Operations is to ensure that all activities carried out within the R&D community adhere to company procedures, health, safety and environmental requirements, cost structures, performance targets, and schedule commitments. Our leaders play a critical role in fostering inclusion and diversity of thought—key drivers of innovation and collaboration across the organization. We are looking for someone who shares this vision and is ready to contribute to our continued journey of technological excellence and organizational growth.
How you’ll make an impact
- Member of the R&D leadership team and Global Head of R&D Operations.
- Ensures the organization maintains strong project management capabilities through training and certification programs.
- Manage the full R&D project portfolio, including intake, prioritization, resourcing, risks, issues, and budget oversight.
- Create and forecast project and program costs, timelines, and key deliverables.
- Monitor portfolio performance to ensure scope, schedule, and budget adherence, recommending corrective actions when needed.
- Ensure transparency and proper handling of change requests, unexpected events, and risks; acts as escalation point for project managers.
- Oversees planning, budgeting, and compliance across projects, driving continuous improvement in delivery performance.
- Leads the R&D Cyber Security function, ensuring strong security governance and integration of cybersecurity into product development.
- Directs cybersecurity roadmaps, threat assessments, and mitigation planning in collaboration with product and IT Security teams.
- Provides strategic leadership for Verification & Validation, ensuring rigorous testing, quality compliance, and timely execution.
- Drives continuous improvement of V&V methodologies to support product readiness, regulatory needs, and customer expectations.
- Manages cross‑functional alignment, resource allocation, staffing decisions, and performance of direct and matrix teams.
Your background:
- Degree in computer science, mechanical, electronic engineering or equivalent, along with at least 10 years’ experience from managing product development projects.
- 5+ years of experience in program/projects portfolio management with a successful track record in full life cycle implementation projects and proven ability to execute to time and budget.
- Proven knowledge and experience in project management, change management and business analysis functions and associated methodologies, techniques, processes, and approaches. Well versed in agile development methodologies as well as classical stage gate models.
- Preferred Project Management Professional (PMP) Certification.
- Experience from the Electrical/Utility sector beneficial.
- Flexible, well organized, driven problem solver, solutions-oriented, and willingness to take initiative.
- Ability to analyse complex challenges, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions.
- Used to teamwork in international distributed teams with excellent interpersonal skills.
- Proficiency in English (written, spoken) is mandatory.
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