Director of Operational Excellence

Working at Freudenberg: "We will wow your world!" This is our promise. As a global technology group, we not only make the world cleaner, healthier and more comfortable, but also offer our 52,000 employees a networked and diverse environment where everyone can thrive individually. Be surprised and experience your own wow moments.

We at Freudenberg-NOK Sealing Technologies run the business operations of Freudenberg Sealing Technologies (FST) in the Americas. Being part of the global Freudenberg Group, our company is a leading producer of advanced sealing technologies for automotive and general industries. Freudenberg-NOK Sealing Technologies is a joint venture between Freudenberg and NOK Corp. in Japan, is headquartered in Plymouth, MI, operates more than 20 facilities and employs about 4,700 people across the Americas.

Some of your Benefits

401K Match: Save for retirement with the company's help.

Health Insurance: Rely on comprehensive services whenever you need it.

Paid Holidays: With paid-time off, local holidays are all the way more relaxing.

Vacation: We offer time off to refresh and recharge.

Personal Development: We offer a variety of trainings to ensure you can develop in your career.

Cleveland, GA

Hybrid Work

Freudenberg-NOK General Partnership

Director of Operational Excellence

Responsibilities

• Lead and implement process improvements across all functional areas
• Hands-on mentality
• Develop and track the Operational Excellence roadmap; report progress in division meetings
• Research and benchmark external sources for improvement opportunities
• Measure and analyze new initiatives, adjusting as needed
• Facilitate sharing of best practices across sites, lead centers, and FST
• Build and drive a self-sustaining division wide OpEx community
• Lead cross-functional teams to drive improvements
• Standardize KPIs and dashboards to monitor efficiency and waste
• Maintain and improve standards documentation; ensure accountability
• Align improvement actions with division strategy & FST strategic initiatives
• Organize and conduct Kaizens, workshops, and training sessions
• Travel up to 25% as needed
  
  

Qualifications

• Demonstrated leadership, communication, and training abilities
• Strong problem-solving and facilitation skills (workshops, Kaizens, culture events)
• Experience with Lean System implementation, Kaizen, Rolling Top Five, and Multi-Gen Plan methodologies
• Knowledge of Lean Admin, Six Sigma, DFSS, and Red X
• Proficiency in KPIs and Microsoft Power Platform for efficiency improvements
• Black Belt certification preferred
• Ability to work in and with different cultures in a global environment
• Ability to work independently and motivate cross-functional teams
• Willingness to travel as required
• Communication & Collaboration: Communicates clearly and concisely, while serving as a sparring partner to internal/external stakeholders. Fosters teamwork between employees and across the organization.
• Value for Customers: Drives a customer-oriented business strategy and provides indispensable support to deliver successful outcomes.
• Innovation: Envisions the impact of potential future trends and proactively drives necessary changes. Encourages creativity and initiative from employees.
• Drive & Execution: Inspires and motivates self and others, while taking full accountability for actions and results.
  
  

The Freudenberg Group is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity and inclusion. Employment opportunities are available to all applicants and associates without regard to race, color, religion, creed, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, or related medical conditions), gender identity or expression, national origin, ancestry, age, mental or physical disability, genetic information, marital status, familial status, sexual orientation, protected military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.