Director, Operational Excellence

Role Description

The Director, Operational Excellence is responsible for leading the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of standardized work processes, Lean Six Sigma methodologies, performance measurement systems, and digital tools across the organization. This role serves as the Business Process Owner for key cross-functional workstreams and is accountable for identifying and deploying best practices and enabling technologies that support operational excellence. In partnership with site and functional leaders, the Director will foster a culture of continuous improvement to enhance safety, reliability, productivity, cost performance, and quality.

Qualifications

• Post secondary education
• Minimum 10 years demonstrated experience in Operational Excellence, Quality Systems, Change Management, Continuous Improvement, with at least 5 years of direct operations experience
• 5-10 years leadership experience
• Demonstrated success in leading and influencing cross functional teams to effectively drive change and accountability
• Strong organization skills and attention to detail
• Strong written and verbal communication skills across all levels of the organization
• Proficiency utilizing computer programs such as Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Microsoft Project, SAP, Microsoft Teams, Power BI
• Travel required: Up to 50%

Responsibilities

• Overall Governance and Strategy
  • Lead the development and implementation of the Operational Excellence strategy across standardized work processes, including Operations, Quality, Continuous Improvement, Employee Experience, Production and Inventory Management, Reliability, and Capital Execution.
  • Identify and leverage technology and tools that improve efficiency, consistency, and effectiveness across standardized work processes.
  • Manage the productivity program, including target identification, performance tracking, organizational alignment, and best-practice sharing to support delivery of results.
  • Promote and embed an Operational Excellence mindset across the organization.
• Business Process Owner
  • Provide leadership and governance for standardized work processes across Operations, Quality, Continuous Improvement, Employee Experience, Production and Inventory Management, Reliability, and Capital Execution.
  • Identify and advance technology opportunities that improve efficiency, effectiveness, and cost performance across key work processes.
  • Own the Change Management Program and support effective adoption of process and system improvements.
  • Develop, enhance, and where applicable, maintain ownership of critical workstreams such as training and SOP document management systems.
  • Leverage data and analytics to identify improvement opportunities and support decision-making.
• Operational Excellence Performance
  • Drive accountability and ownership for defined work processes across the organization.
  • Establish standardized key performance indicators across operations to measure performance and support continuous improvement.
  • Develop visual dashboards and analyze performance gaps to identify, prioritize, and support improvement opportunities.
  • Benchmark operational performance internally and, where appropriate, externally to identify leading practices.
  • Facilitate the sharing and adoption of best practices across sites and functions.
  • Use data analytics to monitor results and support operational decision-making.
• Lean Six Sigma
  • Manage the Lean Six Sigma Program: deploying continuous improvement tools (including Kaizen, Value Stream Mapping, Standard Work, 6S, etc.), Green Belt certification, LSS training to support operational improvement initiatives.
  • Manage the team to lead cross-functional improvement projects designed to enhance operational performance and business results.
  • Coach, mentor, and train leaders and teams on Lean Six Sigma principles and methodologies.
  • Support initiatives focused on labor efficiency, yield improvement, and overall equipment effectiveness (OEE).
• Member of the Engineering and Operational Excellence Leadership Team
  • Provide leadership to direct reports and establish clear expectations to support achievement of department goals.
  • Provide Operational Excellence leadership, guidance, and accountability to direct reports and key stakeholders, including Master Black Belts, Black Belts, Green Belts, Plant Managers, and Regional Managers/Directors, etc.
  • Collaborate with leadership team members to identify and implement improvement opportunities across the organization.
  • Perform other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Family-friendly benefits
• Opportunities for career growth and advancement
• Support for employees at every stage of their lives