What are the responsibilities and job description for the Vice President, Operational Process and Continuous Improvement position at Lean Focus?
Vice President, Operational Process & Continuous Improvement
POSITION:Vice President, Operational Process & Continuous Improvement
JOB LOCATION:St. Louis, MO (HQ) preferred or Remote with Travel
REPORTS TO: Senior Vice President, Operational Audit
TRAVEL: Up to 50% primarily to North American locations
Position Overview
The Vice President serves as the leader responsible for designing, implementing, and governing the operational processes and business system that drives consistency, scalability, and profitability. This role establishes the company’s business system that creates standard operating procedures (SOPs), ensures disciplined adoption across all business units, and leads continuous improvement initiatives using Lean thinking that enhance safety, quality, productivity, and project delivery performance.
Key Responsibilities
- Business System
- Define and implement the Business System focus on Lean thinking, problem solving, repeatability, scalability and accountability within office and field.
- The Business System will allow the architecture of a comprehensive, enterprise‑wide SOP framework covering the full project lifecycle: pursuit, estimating, pre-construction, planning, execution, commissioning, and close out.
2. Operational Excellence & Continuous Improvement
- Builds and leads a team focused on propagating Lean construction, process mapping, and performance optimization throughout the organization.
- Focuses on initiatives that will lead to long-term and sustainable leadership behaviors focused on continuous improvement as part of daily practice.
- Leads the implementation of structured continuous improvement methodologies (Lean, Six Sigma) to eliminate waste and improve through put.
3. Technology & Systems Integration
- Partners with IT and Operations to identify digital tools such as project management platforms, scheduling systems, BIM/VDC workflows, and field productivity applicatiions.
- Ensures process design and technology adoption reinforce each other rather than operate in silos.
4. Cross‑Functional Leadership & Change Management
- Lead organizational change efforts to embed a culture of process discipline and continuous improvement.
- Ensures training programs equip project teams and field leaders to be focused on continuous improvement in their daily activities.
Education and Experience
- Bachelor’s degree in Process or Industrial Engineering, Construction Management, Operations, or related field; advanced degree preferred.
- 15 years of experience in construction operations, process engineering, or operational excellence roles.
- Proven leadership experience in a large, multi‑region construction or industrial services organization (preferably $1B )
- Previous experience assessing lean capabilities and rolling out Lean/CI in newly acquired businesses.
- Proven experience utilizing and deploying Lean tools including Strategy Deployment, Value Stream Mapping, KPI development, Transactional Process Improvement, 6S, Standard Work, FMEA, Problem Solving, Kanban, Visual Daily Management, 80/20, etc.
- Deep understanding of Lean construction, electrical construction operations, project delivery, and field execution.
- Expertise in process design, workflow optimization, and continuous improvement frameworks.
Compensation
- Compensation will be competitive and commensurate with experience. It will include a base salary and an annual performance bonus, long term incentives, and other benefits and perquisites.