Senior Director of Operational Excellence

This position is listed on behalf of a partner company, which manages all applications and next steps. Our partner is looking for a Senior Director of Operational Excellence based in the United States.

This is a high-impact executive leadership opportunity for an experienced manufacturing transformation leader to drive operational performance across a U.S. manufacturing network. Reporting directly to the Chief Operating Officer, the Senior Director will shape the organization's Operational Excellence strategy, strengthen plant capabilities, and establish a scalable manufacturing operating system. The role combines strategic direction with hands-on execution to improve productivity, efficiency, cost performance, and profitability.

Working closely with plant leaders and cross-functional teams, this individual will embed continuous improvement into everyday operations while building a culture of accountability and ownership. The successful candidate will translate operational opportunities into measurable financial results and create sustainable improvements that support long-term business growth.

• Operational Excellence Strategy & Transformation:
  • Develop and execute a network-wide Operational Excellence strategy aligned with business growth and manufacturing priorities.
  • Design and implement a standardized manufacturing operating system to improve performance visibility, accountability, and operational consistency.
  • Partner with plant leadership to establish improvement roadmaps, performance expectations, and disciplined execution practices.
  • Identify, document, and scale best practices across manufacturing facilities.
• Manufacturing Performance & Financial Impact:
  • Lead strategic initiatives to improve Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE), throughput, labor productivity, asset utilization, and manufacturing capacity.
  • Drive sustainable cost reductions through waste elimination, improved material yields, equipment reliability, and greater manufacturing efficiency.
  • Collaborate with Finance and Operations to quantify improvement opportunities, validate savings, and deliver measurable EBITDA improvements.
  • Establish relevant performance metrics and management routines that strengthen ownership, accelerate problem-solving, and sustain results.
• Continuous Improvement & Operational Discipline:
  • Advance the adoption of the KCOP Continuous Improvement program and structured problem-solving methodologies.
  • Strengthen operational consistency through standard work, visual management, root cause analysis, and performance accountability.
  • Lead cross-functional initiatives to eliminate manufacturing losses and unlock additional capacity.
  • Build sustainable processes and capabilities that make continuous improvement part of daily operations.
• Leadership, Culture & Capability Building:
  • Champion a high-performance, merit-based culture built on personal accountability, operational ownership, and measurable outcomes.
  • Coach and influence plant leaders and cross-functional teams to strengthen execution, problem-solving, and change leadership.
  • Develop organizational capabilities through targeted training, leadership development, and knowledge sharing.
  • Foster collaboration across Operations, Engineering, Quality, Supply Chain, Finance, and Human Resources to accelerate transformation.

• Education:
  
  Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Supply Chain, Manufacturing, Operations Management, Business, or a related discipline. An advanced degree is preferred.
• Professional
  
  Experience:
  
  At least 12 years of progressive leadership experience in manufacturing operations, Operational Excellence, or continuous improvement.
• Multi-Site Transformation:
  Demonstrated success designing, implementing, and sustaining manufacturing operating systems across multiple facilities.
• Industry Background:
  Experience in food manufacturing, consumer packaged goods (CPG), or comparable high-volume manufacturing environments is strongly preferred.
• Operational Performance:
  Proven ability to deliver measurable improvements in OEE, productivity, waste reduction, manufacturing costs, and profitability.
• Continuous Improvement Expertise:
  Strong command of Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, Total Productive Maintenance (TPM), and structured continuous improvement methodologies. Black Belt certification or equivalent is preferred.
• Financial Acumen:
  Ability to connect operational performance improvements to measurable business value and financial outcomes.
• Leadership & Influence:
  Exceptional leadership,…