Operations Readiness Director

the LEGO Group • Richmond, VA

4d • $158,376 - $237,564 • Hybrid

About The Position

Lead the charge in revolutionizing manufacturing within LEGO's Greenfield LVA factory, where you'll drive groundbreaking automation, champion global standards, and ensure flawless operations from Day 1. The Greenfield Automation Program is redefining the LEGO Group’s future for automated Packing, Molding, and Logistics, setting standards for next-generation factories. As the first site for these innovations, LVA represents a significant achievement. Your leadership will ensure the site's readiness for a stable ramp-up, setting benchmarks for future deployments.

Requirements

• Proven experience leading large-scale industrial or automation start-ups, ideally greenfield or new factory environments.
• Significant expertise in start-up of production lines, technology ramp-up, and operational readiness.
• Strong end-to-end operations and value chain understanding across manufacturing, quality, engineering, and supply chain.
• Experience embedding readiness frameworks such as CQV, DQP, FMEA, PDCA, and associated risk/quality tools.
• Demonstrated ability to lead through complexity, ambiguity, and fast-paced change.
• Exceptional leadership presence with experience working and influencing global and local partners
• Strong capability-building leadership: competency models, training plans, uplifting capability, and readiness validation.
• Advanced education in engineering, manufacturing, operations, or similar, or equivalent experience, is highly desired

Nice To Haves

• Experience supporting multi-site or multi-technology ramp-ups.
• Familiarity with Lean, DfM, continuous improvement, or structured problem-solving frameworks.
• Understanding of digital manufacturing (MES, SCADA, data analytics, traceability, automation platforms).
• A global mentality with a passion for building diverse, high-performing teams.
• Energy, resilience, and growth-mindset orientation — adopting challenge as opportunity.
• A team-oriented, fun, and humble approach that reflects LEGO values: shared success, curiosity, creativity, and positivity.

Responsibilities

• Lead the end-to-end Start-Up journey for the LVA Greenfield factory, ensuring robust and empowered operations.
• Translate global program achievements into local readiness actions, creating a unified delivery roadmap.
• Lead the Global Start-Up Management Framework, ensuring operational ownership beyond technical sign-off.
• Drive risk mitigation continuously, activating assessments and ensuring visibility throughout execution.
• Build organizational capability and readiness, including training plans and operational management systems.
• Establish performance acceleration routines to ensure fast, stable ramp-up of operations.
• Integrate automation and digital tools into operations, ensuring maturity and full lifecycle readiness.
• Ensure detailed DQP compliance, facilitating decision-making across R&D, suppliers, and partners.

Benefits

• Family Care Leave
• Life insurance
• Disability insurance
• Headspace App access
• Colleague Discount
• Bonus scheme
• Relocation assistance

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director