Product Lead - STS and RMG Automation

At APM Terminals, a global leader in port and terminal operations, we enable global trade and drive sustainable growth. What drives us forward is a mindset of always improving — observing how work happens, identifying what creates value, and removing what gets in the way. We constantly look for smarter, simpler, and safer ways of operating. If you thrive in environments where people value learning and are committed to continuously improve daily operations, join us and be apart of our journey. 

At APMT Terminals, we foster a dynamic learning and training culture that empowers our employees to excel. Our commitment to improvement is driven by Lean principles, ensuring that every team member has the opportunity to develop their skills and advance their careers. Experience a diverse, multinational workplace where your operational insights directly influence how we work. 

This role focuses on leading the full lifecycle of STS automation products by defining their functional scope, shaping modernization and remote‑operation capabilities, and ensuring seamless integration with both automated and manually operated equipment. It combines roadmap ownership, OEM management, and translation of operational needs into technical blueprints, while working closely with terminals, product teams, and deployment groups to deliver solutions that meet clear value objectives. The role ensures product safety, compliance, and integrity during deployment, drives continuous improvement through user feedback, and supports the organization in adopting strong product‑management practices so the automation products mature effectively and deliver consistent operational value.

You will lead the STS Automation scope, including automation solutions for different levels of modernization technology, and their system interfaces and capabilities, remote control and user terminal requirements (including considerations also for manually operated equipment). You will take care for the success of product(s) across their lifecycle: from identifying the value proposition to launching the product and creating value to drive product maturity, mostly focusing on functionalities, specifications and features of the product(s) in coordination with terminals and the wider OT/OT TECH team. 

You will play pivotal role in developing the product development roadmap, owning the OEM relationship, mapping the business/operational requirements and the performance criteria which serve as the basis for the technical product blueprints. You will partner with other Product Leads and users to enable integrated solutions, define cross product requirements and deliver a seamless customer experience. 

As part of the cross-functional product team, you will ensure that the value proposition delivers on clearly defined product objectives and actively cooperate with the deployment teams and the (prospective) user community have a holistic understanding of the product’s value proposition and its required functionalities. This way, you will discover and deploy technical and operational solutions along the product lifecycle and ensure materialization of the value proposition (including co-creating and driving post-launch product performance management structure and progress reporting). 

Roles and Responsibilities:

• You will need to evaluate OEM versus in-house development strategy per product and determine optimal strategy-based business drivers (cost, flexibility, adaptability, data ownership and control etc.)
• STS Automation retrofitting strategy and technical solutions play an important part of the development roadmap
• Part of your role is to ensure product safety and escalate when relevant safety standards are not met
• Close cooperation with the OT Functional Safety team as well as the Global Safety team is needed
• Support for Project safety cases and ownership of Piloting safety cases are in your scope
• You manage the product integrity process to ensure deployment success while contributing to product maturity/blueprint
• Ensure due compliance, safety and other relevant regulations to be adhered to during the deployment. Aim for optimal functionality versus cost solutions to enable profitable business cases for your product
• You will be continuously collecting and measuring product user feedback and implementing it in collaboration with the internal teams and suppliers, following the product roadmap, including continuous improvement along its lifecycle
• In this role, you will work with multiple stakeholders such as suppliers and internal products teams/user groups to mature the product along its lifecycle and ensure its integrity  
• You will also work closely with the terminals to understand, qualify and continuously prioritize their needs and requirements, ensuring they are included in the product value proposition in an integrated way
• Moreover, you will be working with the wider product organization to advocate product management best practices

• Product performance (with OT Optimization Lead) 
• Provide IP inputs (with OT Process Design and Management (PD&M)) 
• Development of QA/test cases and execute QA testing (OT PD&M/Terminal/Tech) 
• Application of IT standards and OT cyber security application (with Tech) 
• Prioritization of overall OT backlog/implementation (with OT PD&M/Tech) 
• Manage successful implementation, business process changes and product adoption (OT PD&M /Terminal/Operations function) 

What are we looking for?

• Minimum 8 years’ experience in product/program/project management in technology and/or operations, preferably in working with automation and/or in the transport and logistics sector
• Experience in a real time operating/industrial environment (logistics, shipping, etc)
• Good understanding of port equipment, automated systems and controls, and/or related industrial infrastructures architecture
• Knowledge in finance and contract management, experience in business case building
• Management experience with a proven track record to deliver results with a team

Skills:

• Knowledge expected broadly on relevant technologies and processes related to the product
• Demonstrable knowledge of equipment safety
• Team player, capable of motivating peers and reports to achieve success
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English
• Good knowledge in standard professional programs (i.e. MS Office, ERP/CMMS systems)
• Persuasive, being able to influence colleagues and vendors to reach the functional or project goal
• Driven, self-motivating, result oriented
• High discipline – following through on actions and ensuring necessary documentation
• Ability to motivate and develop team members and colleagues to create a performance driven organization
• High quality awareness and ability to work with constant care
• Sensitive to cultural diversity and experience in a multicultural environment, in regard to colleagues, employees of vendors and other stakeholders

Education:

• Mechanical or Electrical Engineering degree or similar