Pella Corporation

Director of Operational Excellence and Continuous Improvement

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Summary

JOB DESCRIPTION

This role has responsibility to create, implement, and lead enterprise wide strategic and operational improvement initiatives that enable the profitable growth of all segments/locations within the operations network for Pella Corporation. This role will develop both processes and individuals to achieve world-class operational capabilities and disciplines. This leader will drive annual safety, delivery, quality, and cost improvement through disciplined annual planning and lean deployment methods achieving increased levels of maturity within the Pella Operational Excellence System (POES).

The position requires outstanding leadership skills, a broad business perspective, in-depth manufacturing experience, a customer-centric approach/mentality, and the ability to effectively partner/influence direct and indirect teams to deliver key performance results with a continuous improvement mindset.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

  • Build and develop a high performance and agile team capable of facilitating rapid change driven by product enhancements, productivity improvements and capacity expansions.
  • Ensure a culture of caring, learning and results that is grounded in the company leadership competencies and shared values.
  • Strong leadership abilities, with a proven ability to influence, motivate and inspire teams to achieve outstanding results.
  • Passionately drive continuous improvement throughout operations. Leverage automation, process flow and team development to increase productivity and deliver margin improvements.
  • Establish annual KPI targets and deliver these performance objectives within the established budget guidelines while prioritizing and balancing resources.
  • Serve as a representative on corporate cross-functional strategic teams to provide perspective and to gain insight on how the operations and CI team can best support broader corporate initiatives.
  • A strategic mindset with the ability to think critically and provide insights into operational optimization opportunities
  • Pella Operational Excellence System (POES)
  • Lead the overall design and improvement of the POES system toward achieving benchmark operational performance.
  • Lead the development and governance of POES COE road maps. Ensure COE maturity and effectiveness.
  • Consolidate/coordinate all business led operations’ system requirements needed for all COEs to achieve level 4.0 maturity.
  • Represent operations in all matters related to planning and coordination with the enterprise One Pella systems improvements and content revisions.
  • Utilize and manage the plant level POES assessment tools and manage improvements with plants to targeted levels.
  • Drive and evaluate action plans with each facility level 1-4 maturity level improvements as outlined in the annual planning process.
  • Participate in outside benchmarking events and industry forums to drive best-in-class learning and sharing.
  • Continuous Improvement Center of Excellence owner:
    • Identify/Enlist Subject Matter Experts
    • Ensure roadmap delivers results
  • Operations material fulfillment technical COE owner.
    • PFEP (Plan for Every Part) - Replenishment design
    • Route design / automation technology
    • Digital twin ‘receiving to shipping’ simulations
    • Continuous Improvement Center of Excellence
      • Develop and strengthen the CI culture through CI regional leader development and process rigor that avoids drift and complacency.
      • Create, organize, schedule, and lead monthly Operations Review Governance process including:
        • Digital standardized score cards for plant level reviews
        • Performance ranking processes by facility and annual award recognition
        • Ops KPI’s with 3-Up charts for safety, quality, delivery, productivity, and people
        • Participate in productivity reviews and action planning
      • Manage all aspects of continuous improvement management system including:
        • Roadmap charts for all work streams and plants.
        • Annual goal setting, policy deployment, and project pipeline documentation
        • Review plant level planning and execution
      • Create, organize, manage and validate plant improvement events including:
        • Model Plant or Plant within a Plant / Center of Excellence Transformations
        • Value stream map and Kaizen events
        • Targeted improvement initiatives related to technical process COEs
        • Creation, implementation, and monitoring of LEAN / POES training systems with certification mechanisms in Lean, Six Sigma, and POES maturity.
      • Operations reward and recognition programs


    Critical features of this job are described in the sections above. They may be subject to change at any time due to reasonable accommodation or other reasons.

    SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:

    Directly manages 5 to 10 people. Is responsible for the overall direction, coordination, coaching and performance management of direct reports. Carries out management responsibilities in accordance with the organization's policies and applicable laws. Responsibilities include acting with integrity, building talented teams through interviewing, hiring, and effectively on-boarding direct reports. Talent development and building succession capabilities through talent development programs and processes.

    Qualifications

    EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE

    • Bachelor’s degree required in business, manufacturing engineering, supply chain management, or related field. Advanced degree preferred.
    • Certification in Lean/Six Sigma, CI, and/or Program Management is a plus.
    • 7-10 years directly related and progressively responsible work experience in Lean/Six Sigma, Continuous Improvement, Engineering, Manufacturing Management.
    • 7+ years management experience
    • Ability to work with all levels of the organization, comfortable presenting to the CEO and staff
    • Strong project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple initiatives simultaneously and deliver projects on time and within budget.
    • Experience designing and deploying Operational Excellence System methodologies, utilizing lean and process improvement tools.


    TRAVEL: 50%+

    About Us

    About Pella Corporation

    As the #1 most-preferred national window and door brand by homeowners across the country, Pella Corporation leads the industry in innovation and design. Founded in 1925, today the Pella Family of Brands encompasses a robust product offering sold and installed through various channels. We are a growing, privately owned company with 20 manufacturing locations and over 10,000 team members in the U.S. and Canada. Pella is consistently recognized as a great place to work by Newsweek, Forbes and Glassdoor, having most recently been named to America’s Greatest Workplaces for Diversity by Newsweek in 2024. We have also received numerous accolades for innovation and design, including Fast Company’s Most Innovative Manufacturers for 2022 and 2023.

    At Pella, our team cares deeply, learns continuously and achieves results that go beyond. We encourage creative thinking that seeks out and includes diverse perspectives. And we empower you to do the work you’re most proud of — that’s why we offer individualized talent development plans, cross-functional experiences and opportunities for career advancement through personal and professional development.

    With talent just like you, we are imagining, building and fighting for a brighter future for generations to come. Ready to find a career that sparks your passion?
    • Seniority level

      Director
    • Employment type

      Full-time
    • Job function

      Management and Manufacturing
    • Industries

      Wholesale Building Materials

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