Vice President of Operational Excellence

Role Overview

The Vice President of Operational Excellence plays a pivotal executive role dedicated to refining and continuously advancing the company's operational management system. This executive leads the development and execution of operational excellence strategies, business process reengineering, lean management practices, and initiatives aimed at improving efficiency across functions. By instituting standardized, digital, and continuous advancement-oriented operations, the position contributes significantly to cost reduction, quality improvement, and organizational effectiveness, supporting sustained competitive advantage and growth.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

• Develop the comprehensive operational excellence strategy and a roadmap for medium to long-term enhancements aligned with corporate objectives.
• Transition operational management from experience-based approaches to standardized, process-driven, and data-centered frameworks.
• Lead business process optimization and reengineering efforts, incorporating Lean, Six Sigma, and Kaizen methodologies to minimize waste and boost efficiency, quality, and delivery.
• Implement enterprise-wide mechanisms for cost control, optimize resource use, and drive improvements in profit margins and asset efficiency.
• Establish uniform operational standards and quality control systems promoting SOPs and best practice adoption to improve customer satisfaction and operational consistency.
• Champion digital transformation through deployment of platforms such as ERP, MES, and BI tools, establish key performance indicators, and utilize data analytics to inform leadership decisions and continuous improvements.
• Facilitate cross-department collaboration involving Production, Supply Chain, Sales, Finance, and HR; set up an Operational PMO or Excellence Office; and drive major change initiatives and strategic projects.
• Build and develop a dynamic operational excellence team; cultivate expertise in lean and continuous improvement; and nurture a culture encouraging broad organizational participation in excellence initiatives.

Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor's degree or higher in Industrial Engineering, Operations Management, Business Administration, or relevant disciplines.
• Preferred qualifications: MBA and certifications such as Lean or Six Sigma Black Belt.
• Extensive experience: Over 20 years in operations, process improvement, or continuous enhancement functions, with at least 15 years in senior management.
• Proven success in establishing operational excellence frameworks within sizable organizations.

Core Competencies

• Designing operational systems and optimizing processes.
• Implementing lean management and continuous improvement practices.
• Enhancing cost control and operational efficiency.
• Leading cross-functional teams and managing change effectively.
• Exercising executive leadership with broad organizational impact.

Preferred Background

• Experience in manufacturing, supply chain, or large-scale service sectors.
• Exposure to global or multi-regional operational management.
• Participation in digital transformation or smart manufacturing projects.
• Oversight of enterprise-level PMOs or transformation offices.