Vice President of Operational Excellence

About the Role

The Vice President of Operational Excellence plays a pivotal leadership role tasked with optimizing and perpetually refining the organization's operational management framework. This position holds comprehensive accountability for the strategy behind operational excellence, business process reengineering (BPR), lean management methodologies, and enhancement of cross-departmental efficiencies. The ideal incumbent will spearhead the adoption of standardized, digital, and continuous improvement-focused operational systems to boost cost efficiency, quality standards, and overall organizational performance, thereby reinforcing the company’s sustained competitiveness and growth.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities

• Develop and steer the company’s comprehensive operational excellence framework and medium to long-term progress plans.
• Transition the operational management model from experience-centered to standardized, process-driven, and data-informed.
• Align operational excellence objectives seamlessly with broader corporate goals.
• Lead the reengineering and refinement of core business processes to increase efficiency and quality through Lean, Six Sigma, and Kaizen methodologies.
• Eliminate inefficiencies and drive improvements in delivery timelines, quality, and productivity.
• Implement broad cost control systems to optimize resource assignment and operational cost reduction, enhancing profitability and asset utilization.
• Develop uniform standards and quality management frameworks, promote SOPs, and replicate best practices enterprise-wide to improve customer satisfaction and operational consistency.
• Champion digital operational platforms, including ERP, MES, and BI tools, to set vital KPIs and support data-driven managerial decision making.
• Facilitate cross-department cooperation spanning Production, Supply Chain, Sales, Finance, and HR, establishing an operational PMO to manage strategic projects and major change efforts effectively.
• Cultivate a high-caliber team skilled in operational excellence disciplines and instill a culture reflecting continuous improvement participation across the organization.

Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree or above in Industrial Engineering, Operations Management, Business Administration, or a related discipline; MBA and Lean/Six Sigma Black Belt credentials are advantageous.
• More than 20 years of experience in operations management or continuous improvement roles, including at least 15 years in senior leadership.
• Proven expertise in establishing and scaling operational excellence systems within sizable enterprises.
• Strong competencies in operational system design, lean methodologies, cost efficiency, leadership, and organizational change management.
• Preferred experience in manufacturing, global supply chains, or large service sectors.
• Background in managing digital transformation initiatives or smart manufacturing projects and experience operating an enterprise-level PMO or transformation office.