Global Director, Operational Excellence COE

About the role

The Global Director, Operational Excellence (OpEx) COE is a senior leadership role responsible for defining the strategic direction, standards, and governance of Nouryon’s global OpEx program. The role owns the organizational design, frameworks, methodologies, and capability pipelines that enable sustainable continuous improvement across 63 manufacturing sites in the Integrated Supply Chain (ISC) organization – spanning the Americas, Europe, and Asia Pacific. It is the architect of the OpEx productivity engine, overseeing systems of record for productivity tracking (ANT) and performance reporting (PowerBI). The position reports to the VP, Global Operational Excellence & Digital Manufacturing and is based in a Nouryon regional hub (Amsterdam, Houston, or Shanghai) with 15–25% global travel.

Responsibilities

• CI Methodology, Standards & Governance: Own the global OpEx methodology, define and govern the Lean/Six Sigma certification pathway, partner with regional OpEx Managers to translate standards into site‑level execution plans, and maintain a durable CI governance model.
• ISC Learning & Development: Design and continuously improve the ISC L&D program, lead the L&D team to build structured curricula, connect investment to VMC/FMC delivery targets, and define the digital literacy and AI capability framework.
• End‑to‑End Process Management: Own the ISC end‑to‑end process architecture, define standards and documentation, drive SIPOC‑level design, and close process gaps that create risk or inefficiency.
• Manufacturing Excellence: Define the Manufacturing Excellence framework (OEE, TPM, reliability), direct site‑level improvement programs, and integrate priorities into the broader OpEx roadmap.
• People Leadership & COE Development: Lead a geographically distributed team of nine direct reports, define team structure and succession priorities, and build a high‑performance COE culture aligned with Nouryon’s Leadership Capability Framework.

Key Performance Indicators

• People Safety
• Process Safety
• FMC – Fixed Manufacturing Cost Productivity
• VMC – Variable Manufacturing Cost Productivity
• OEE – Overall Equipment Effectiveness
• OTIF – On‑Time In‑Full
• Quality Sigma Level
• CI Activation Rate

Requirements

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Engineering, Operations, Business, or a related discipline (advanced degree preferred).
• Minimum 15 years of progressive experience in Operational Excellence, Continuous Improvement, or manufacturing leadership in a global, multi‑site environment.
• Certified Master Black Belt (MBB) or Black Belt in Lean/Six Sigma with experience designing and governing a full‑belt certification program.
• Proven track record of leading change‑management initiatives in large, matrixed, multi‑regional organizations.
• Deep knowledge of Manufacturing Excellence frameworks (OEE, TPM, reliability) deployed at scale.
• Demonstrated people leadership across multiple geographies and organizational grades.
• Experience in specialty chemicals, process manufacturing, or similarly regulated, capital‑intensive industries (preferred).
• Hands‑on expertise in end‑to‑end process design and governance, including SIPOC‑level architecture.
• Experience designing and leading corporate Learning & Development programs with competency frameworks.
• Prior experience building or structuring a Center of Excellence from the ground up.
• Working proficiency with PowerBI or equivalent reporting platforms.

Desired Attributes

• A systems thinker who sees the whole before diving into the parts.
• Leads through frameworks rather than firefighting; values governance, capability, and culture.
• Intellectual rigor and comfort challenging assumptions at any level.
• Passion for building teams, programs, and conditions for others to succeed.
• Ability to hold standards without rigidity and drive urgency without chaos.
• Patience, persistence, and precision for transformation at scale.

Benefits

This is a rare opportunity to architect and lead a newly consolidated global COE with clear senior‑leadership mandate, autonomy, and direct line of sight to enterprise value delivery. Nouryon provides a great job, friendly coworkers, and a comprehensive benefits package in addition to salary.

Travel

Approximately 15–25% global travel across the Americas, Europe, and Asia Pacific.