Global Director, Lean Transformation

Johnson Controls•San Antonio, TX

2d•Hybrid

About The Position

Lean Directors are senior-level experts responsible for architecting and driving Lean transformation across the enterprise. They possess deep and extensive experience (e.g., Lean Master, Master Black Belt, or equivalent) and are fluent in both operational and transactional Lean systems. Their role is to embed Lean thinking into the organization’s DNA, ensuring alignment between strategy, execution, and culture. This role is accountable for embedding a culture of operational excellence, waste elimination, innovation, and sustainable performance improvement across GPS manufacturing sites.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Business, Quality, Engineering, or a related field.
Minimum 10-15 years of experience in Continuous Improvement across multiple business domains.
Significant experience leading business transformation projects - track record of delivering tangible, recognized business & customer results.
12+ years of progressive leadership experience in manufacturing operations, with at least 5 years in a senior executive role.
Deep expertise in Lean, Six Sigma, and Toyota Production System (TPS) methodologies.
Proven success in leading large-scale Lean transformations across multi-site operations.
Strong financial acumen with experience managing P&L and capital projects.
Exceptional leadership, communication, and change management skills.

Nice To Haves

Lean Master, Master Black Belt, or equivalent experience.
Fluent in both operational and transactional Lean systems.

Responsibilities

Support the development and execution of Lean initiatives aligned with business objectives and key value streams.
Apply Lean principles in planning processes, including basic Policy Deployment and Value Stream Mapping, to prioritize critical improvement areas.
Conduct Lean maturity assessments and audits within assigned plants to ensure consistency and progress.
Assist in identifying and developing Lean change agents at the plant level and allocate resources to support improvement projects.
Promote a collaborative team environment focused on problem-solving and continuous improvement.
Partner with Engineering and Operations to incorporate Lean thinking into product and process improvements.
Implement and sustain Daily Management Systems (DMS) with visual controls and Leader Standard Work to drive performance.
Lead and facilitate Kaizen events and Rapid Improvement workshops focused on plant-level processes.
Apply Lean and basic Six Sigma tools (e.g., DMAIC, SPC) to reduce variation and improve quality.
Support the use of digital tools for performance tracking and visual management where applicable.
Extend Lean practices to support functions (e.g., Supply Chain, Maintenance) to eliminate waste and improve efficiency.
Model Lean leadership behaviors and coach teams to adopt proactive problem-solving.
Deliver hands-on training and mentoring to build Lean capability within the plant.
Develop a pipeline of Lean practitioners through structured learning and on-the-job experience.
Drive measurable improvements in safety, quality, delivery, and cost through Lean projects.
Identify waste and improvement opportunities, track results, and share success stories to reinforce Lean culture.
Support best practice sharing across plants and contribute to continuous improvement networks.
Collaborate with plant leadership and cross-functional teams to align Lean priorities with operational goals.
Participate in internal benchmarking and improvement forums to stay current on Lean practices.