Senior Director of Operational Excellence

Accountabilities:: 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. Requirements: 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, communication, and influencing skills, with a track record of driving organizational change across functions and locations. Strategic & Execution Mindset: Ability to combine long-term transformation planning with practical manufacturing expertise and disciplined implementation. Culture Building: Strong ability to develop leaders, encourage accountability at every level, and establish sustainable continuous improvement practices. Benefits: Competitive Salary: Annual salary range of $180,000–$240,000. Remote Work: Fully remote position based in the United States. Executive Visibility: Direct reporting relationship to the Chief Operating Officer and close partnership with plant leadership teams. Strategic Impact: Opportunity to shape manufacturing performance, build organizational capabilities, and drive lasting operational improvements across a U.S. manufacturing network.