Director, Continuous Improvement

AAON•Tulsa, OK

41d•$1 - $1•Onsite

About The Position

The Director of Continuous Improvement leads enterprise-wide initiatives to enhance operational efficiency, quality, and productivity. This role is responsible for developing and executing strategies that drive process optimization and foster a culture of continuous improvement across all business units. The position requires excellent knowledge in Lean manufacturing implementation, strong leadership, and the ability to influence change at all organizational levels.

Requirements

Bachelor degree in engineering or related field.
+10 years of experience in Operations with 5 leading continuous improvement in multisite Operations with more than 1000 employees.
Leadership - Proven success in leading high performance teams, achieving results through others, and being a strong team player
Innovative thinking - Ability to lead innovative and/or transformative projects and strives for continuous improvements
Analytical thinking - Exceptional ability to analyze data and utilize it to make sound business decision
Customer oriented - Demonstrate strong focus on customer service and client satisfaction while maintaining high ethics and professional integrity in all interactions
Conflict management and resolution skills - Build consensus, anticipate and solve problems
Results focused - Ability to organize and manage multiple, and at times competing priorities
Communication skills - Demonstrate strong communication and collaboration skills necessary to lead and manage teams and projects effectively
Relationship building skills - Ability to work within a dynamic team setting and provide leadership to build and develop strong teams
Strong Financial understanding and P&L knowledge
Senior leader with past functional expertise within Operations (running factories) and Lean
Leadership experience with a sizeable multidisciplinary team; demonstrated ability to lead a large a complex organization in a multi-site construct
Solid understanding of business planning processes and key business metrics to be achieved
Experience in running kaizen Gembas and thorough understanding of Toyota Production System principles and culture
Proven track record in change management and influencing skills up, down and across the organization
Expert knowledge of lean, process improvement and quality management tools
Project Management skills and passion for continuous improvement
Ability to analyze complex data and develop actionable strategies
Frequent interaction with senior leadership and frontline employees
Occasional travel to manufacturing facilities and vendor sites

Nice To Haves

Experience in HVAC or related manufacturing industries

Responsibilities

Support and drive the effective deployment of Lean manufacturing across the company, increasing customer satisfaction and increasing process predictability.
Ensure that all strategic breakthroughs and Continuous Improvement Plans are actioned through high quality plans tied to Value Stream Maps and Standard Work, and necessary KPI scorecards are in place and well managed to deliver on the key processes which are measured weekly during Tier meetings.
Develops and drives lean activities and advancements including training and execution; through word and action develops an organization that embraces lean and actively improves the operations through the use of appropriate lean methodologies and tools.
Ensures all stakeholders are aware of 'off-standard' issues and supports recovery plans and actions. Drives the culture of true Gemba walks and to ensure the leadership is supporting the associates to drive high performing teams at each area of the plants.
Partner with leadership to identify cost-saving opportunities and operational efficiencies.
Ensure compliance with safety, quality, and regulatory standards during process changes.
Serve as a change agent to promote a culture of innovation and accountability.
Facilitate Kaizen events and value stream mapping sessions.
Oversee standardization of processes and documentation.
Implement root cause analysis and corrective action plans.
Benchmark industry best practices and integrates into operations.
Prepare executive-level reports and presentations on improvement outcomes.