Head of Operations SA

Lead Operations in South America and shape world-class automation delivery

Join a leadership role where your decisions directly influence customer success, project profitability, and the growth of a talented regional team. You will lead approximately 30 professionals and a broad partner network delivering mission-critical automation solutions across pulp and paper, energy, and other process industries. You will connect South America with a global Operations community of 700 experts in 21 countries. Lead with purpose, strengthen delivery performance, and help customers move their operations forward.

This job will be based in Sorocaba, Brazil.

Your responsibilities

·        Lead the South America project organization for Automation Project Management and Engineering, including approximately 30 professionals and a broad partner network.

·        Drive safe, high-quality customer deliveries with strong efficiency, profitability, and long-term customer satisfaction.

·        Develop your team’s capabilities and create an inclusive culture built on accountability, well-being, quality, and safety.

·        Optimize delivery processes and partner with sales and service teams across the Americas to support customers and improve end-to-end execution.

·        Ensure the South America Logistics Center achieves its import, procurement, and order-management KPIs to enable efficient operations and competitive project costs.

Expectations for you

·        You have proven leadership experience in automation, engineering, project operations, or a related industrial environment, with a strong focus on customers and performance.

·        You bring deep knowledge of the automation industry and project management, and you can lead change in a global matrix organization.

·        You lead by example, delegate effectively, make clear decisions, and build trust with internal and external stakeholders.

·        You hold a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in automation, engineering, business management, or a related field.

·        You communicate effectively in written and spoken English.

Travel is required for this role.

To succeed in this role

You will balance customer focus with disciplined performance management. Your success will be measured through customer satisfaction, end-to-end delivery and project efficiency, South America profitability, and Health, Safety, Environment, and Quality targets. You will also use your influence and change-management skills to align teams, partners, and stakeholders around shared goals.

We also expect you to align with Valmet’s Leadership Principles—practical behaviours that guide how we lead, collaborate, and succeed together:

·        Take accountability – Act with ownership, set clear expectations, and follow through

·        Lead with courage – Champion change, try bold ideas, and learn quickly

·        Build on trust – Listen to understand, be open, and create psychological safety

·        Collaborate for growth – Work across boundaries, value diverse perspectives, and focus on customer value

What we offer

·        A senior leadership role with autonomy, visibility, and direct business impact.

·        A dynamic environment with varied customer projects, career paths, and opportunities to grow your leadership and change-management capabilities.

·        A culture that invests in skills development, leadership, well-being, innovation, quality, and safety.

Compensation and benefits will be provided in line with the applicable local package for Brazil.

When everything works together

Valmet is where the best talent from a wide variety of backgrounds comes together. We work together with our customers throughout the entire lifecycle, delivering cutting-edge technologies and services as well as mission-critical automation and flow control solutions. Backed by more than 225 years of industrial experience and a global team of over 19,000 professionals close to customers, we are uniquely positioned to transform industries toward a regenerative tomorrow.

At Valmet, diversity of thought drives innovation. We are committed to a respectful and inclusive environment, where people can be themselves and are supported to contribute at their best. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and make hiring decisions based on skills, experience, and potential, never on personal characteristics such as gender, gender identity, age, ethnicity, nationality, disability, neurodiversity, religion, sexual orientation, or political views.

Join the team – and lead the way with us!

www.valmet.com/careers