Senior Business System Leader - Continuous Improvement

Role Overview

We are searching for a seasoned Senior Business System Leader to spearhead the advancement and implementation of the Johnson Controls Business System within the EMEA region. This pivotal strategic role requires collaboration with top leadership to convert business strategies into actionable plans, enhance organizational capabilities, and achieve enduring, quantifiable performance improvements.

Key Responsibilities

• Drive and continuously refine the Johnson Controls Business System throughout the EMEA domain.
• Work closely with the Domain VP/GM to ensure alignment of business system initiatives with strategic priorities or take full ownership of simplifying one of the Core Value Streams.
• Serve as a guardian and cultural architect of the system, promoting consistency, discipline, and maturity across the domain.
• Lead, mentor, and develop a team of Business System Leaders, raising their Lean expertise and leadership skills.
• Provide direct coaching in Kaizen leadership, structured problem solving, and performance execution.
• Develop a robust succession plan for high-performing Business System Leaders.
• Collaborate with domain leaders to create, prioritize, and manage a portfolio of Kaizen projects aligned with strategic objectives.
• Maintain a strong pipeline of improvement initiatives that deliver significant business value.
• Enforce discipline in execution and hold teams accountable for achieving desired outcomes and value realization.
• Set and uphold high standards for rigorous problem solving techniques including A3 thinking, root cause validation, and countermeasure effectiveness.
• Coach leaders to target root causes rather than symptoms, shifting focus from mere activity to impactful results.
• Conduct thorough reviews to ensure quality, consistency, and scalability of problem-solving processes.
• Translate strategic objectives into actionable plans and activate Kaizen efforts accordingly.
• Drive tangible improvements in growth, productivity, margins, cash flow, and customer experience.
• Partner with senior leadership to identify challenges and eliminate systemic obstacles to effective execution.
• Oversee the deployment of Daily Management systems aligning KPIs, strategy, and improvement activities.
• Promote standardization of visual management tools, accountability processes, and escalation mechanisms.
• Continuously assess and enhance the maturity and effectiveness of the business system.
• Coordinate JCBS implementations consistently across functions, regions, and value streams.
• Lead the optimization of end-to-end value streams eliminating isolated improvements.
• Ensure digital transformation initiatives correspond with Lean principles to prevent automating non-value activities.

Candidate Profile

Mandatory Qualifications and Experience:

• Extensive expertise in Lean, Business System, or Operational Excellence leadership, preferably at regional or enterprise scale.
• Proven success in achieving sustained, measurable business outcomes in complex, matrixed environments.
• Experience collaborating with and influencing senior executives at VP/GM level or above.
• Demonstrated leadership in managing large-scale transformations and capability development programs.
• Strong aptitude in coaching leaders and developing leadership talent.
• Excellent stakeholder management skills with the ability to challenge and motivate senior leaders.
• Strategic thinking combined with operational excellence and rigorous execution capabilities.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master's degree in Business, Engineering, Operations, or related disciplines.
• Lean certifications such as Lean Six Sigma Black Belt or equivalent credentials.
• Knowledge of digital transformation approaches and analytics tools applicable to operational excellence.

Additional Information

• This role necessitates approximately 50% international travel across the EMEA region.