Continuous Improvement Director

Reporting directly to the Business Operations VP, the Continuous Improvement Director provides hands-on leadership in creating and sustaining a culture of continuous improvement throughout the PPC business. This role will guide the transformation of our business and operational processes to meet customers' needs better while enabling growth and improving quality and productivity across PPC’s major value chains. As a key member of the Business Operations Leadership Team, the Director of Continuous Improvement will be accountable and responsible for developing the continuous improvement roadmap tightly aligned with the Business Operations Team goals and the company's overall strategic direction.

Responsibilities:

• Foster a team-based culture of continuous improvement through high-impact training and experiential learning from the boardroom to the job site.
• Ensure proper project selection and resourcing and developing employees using tools and improvement techniques while achieving results in alignment with business objectives.
• Develop systems and execute strategies to implement a continuous improvement program and culture that delivers substantive and sustainable productivity, quality, and/or profitability gains year over year.
• Leads teams dedicated to developing and implementing programs to establish, maintain, and/or improve quality standards of existing products and services, as well as developing programs to focus employees on continuous improvement.
• Value Stream Assessment and Optimization, including analyzing and optimizing value streams for efficiency and waste reduction. This involves analyzing (diagnostic VSM) processes, identifying waste, and implementing Lean principles (SW, 5S, SMED, TPM, etc.) to streamline operations and enhance customer value delivery.
• Leading continuous improvement events and projects with a local value stream focus that identify opportunities to improve flow and reduce waste within the streams and support areas.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in operations management, business management, engineering or a related field
• Minimum of 7 years experience in developing, leading, and implementing continuous improvement principles in a multi-site organization in administrative, business operations, and a production/process-driven environment
• Demonstrated track record of effectively leading continuous improvement initiatives through thoughtful planning and influential leadership, with a bias toward effective action.
• Experience developing and leading a continuous improvement team in an environment new to continuous improvement.
• Deep knowledge of lean principles, Six Sigma methodologies, and other continuous improvement tools and techniques, with Lean and/or Six Sigma certifications from an accredited institution.
• Ability to coach, teach, and lead leaders to develop continuous improvement strategies, influence decision-making, and drive continuous improvement initiatives across various business units.
• Strong leadership, organizational, project management, and interpersonal skills