Director, US Positive Impact Operations

Danone•White Plains, NY

2d•Hybrid

About The Position

At Danone, we believe operational excellence and positive impact go hand in hand. We are seeking a transformational leader to drive our US Positive Impact Operations agenda across manufacturing and supply chain operations. This role will lead initiatives that improve raw material efficiency, reduce waste, optimize resource consumption, and embed sustainable operating practices across our manufacturing network. The successful candidate will combine deep manufacturing credibility with a passion for people development, change leadership, and sustainability. Working closely with plant teams, supply chain leaders, and operations leadership, this individual will champion initiatives that deliver measurable business value while advancing Danone's ambition to create health through food for people and the planet.

Requirements

Bachelor's Degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations Management, Supply Chain, Sustainability, Food Science, or a related field required.
10+ years of progressive experience across manufacturing, operations excellence, supply chain, sustainability, or continuous improvement environments.
With 6+ years in core manufacturing domain.
Proven success delivering measurable reductions in material loss, waste, yield variability, or manufacturing inefficiencies.
Strong change management and capability-building experience, particularly within matrixed organizations.
Demonstrated success leading frontline behavioral change without direct reporting relationships.

Nice To Haves

Master's Degree preferred.
MBA considered a strong advantage.
Experience leading high-performing teams and developing talent across multiple disciplines strongly preferred.
Strong understanding of Lean Manufacturing, Continuous Improvement, TPM, Six Sigma, or equivalent operational excellence methodologies strongly preferred.
Food & beverage, FMCG, consumer goods, or process manufacturing experience strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

Drive Raw Material Loss & Yield Excellence: Own and execute Danone US's raw material loss reduction strategy across manufacturing sites. Lead root cause analysis, yield optimization, waste reduction, and process improvement initiatives that improve operational performance and reduce environmental impact. Establish robust KPI frameworks and governance processes to monitor material losses, product yield, waste streams, and resource efficiency. Collaborate with global stakeholders to identify and scale best practices across plants to deliver sustainable performance improvements.
Lead Factory Engagement & Capability Building: Serve as a trusted partner to plant leadership teams, coaching and influencing frontline teams to adopt loss reduction and operational excellence practices. Design and deploy training, capability-building, and change management programs that strengthen ownership and accountability at site level. Develop practical and sustainable tools including visual management systems, standard work, operating playbooks, and performance dashboards. Foster a culture of continuous improvement rooted in Danone's values and manufacturing excellence standards.
Champion Positive Impact Performance: Lead the US Positive Impact Operations portfolio, including: Raw material loss reduction, Waste diversion and circularity initiatives, Product donation programs, Utility, energy, and water efficiency improvements, Sustainability performance tracking and reporting. Translate sustainability ambitions into measurable operational actions and outcomes.
Lead and Develop High-Performing Teams: Lead a team of program managers, analysts, and specialists responsible for key Positive Impact initiatives. Build organizational capability, develop future leaders, and establish a culture of collaboration, accountability, and innovation. Ensure alignment and prioritization across multiple workstreams while maintaining strong execution and results.
Influence Across the Organization: Partner closely with Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Quality, Procurement, Engineering, Finance, ESG, and Commercial teams to address losses at the source. Build strong relationships with plant managers and operational leaders to accelerate adoption of transformational initiatives. Communicate progress, insights, risks, and opportunities to senior leadership and executive stakeholders. Support the development of long-term operational sustainability strategies aligned with Danone's corporate objectives.
Financial & Vendor Management: Oversee external vendor and partner relationships, ensuring value delivery and alignment with business objectives. Identify opportunities to improve return on investment through operational improvements and loss elimination initiatives.