Director, Operations Excellence & Transformation

Role Summary:
As a senior leader in the operations network, this person drives enterprise-wide improvement initiatives, enabling profitable growth and operational excellence across all manufacturing sites. The role blends process mastery with people development, ensuring Pella's operations achieve world-class standards in safety, quality, delivery, and cost. Successful candidates will gain enterprise-wide visibility, strategic influence, and the opportunity to shape Pella's operational future-preparing for advancement into senior operations or corporate leadership roles.

Key Responsibilities:

• Strategic Partner: Serve as a key advisor to operations leadership, representing the function on cross-functional teams and influencing corporate initiatives.
• Operational Excellence: Starting with being brilliant at the basics for Daily Management Systems, Root Cause Analysis, and Continuous Improvement. The right candidate will be able to bring teams along with transformational thinking and orchestrate bold changes.
• Lean Transformation: Champion Lean and Continuous Improvement, deploying best practices and hands-on support for high-impact projects.
• Cost Leadership: Drive productivity, manage program execution, and facilitate ideation for breakthrough savings.
• EHS & Compliance: Advance safety, security, and environmental compliance, partnering with HR and Legal to prepare sites for future challenges and drive toward world class results.
• Engineering & Asset Reliability: Oversee custom equipment design and build team, asset reliability function, and facilities maintenance team to ensure business continuity, cost effective equipment builds, and a great working environment for our team.
• Talent Development: Build and coach a high-performing, agile team; lead succession planning and talent programs. This position plays a crucial role in establishing and directing Pella's Manufacturing Talent Academy, dedicated to advancing the development of our manufacturing leaders and team members.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in business, engineering, supply chain, or related field (advanced degree preferred).
• 7+ years' progressive leadership with knowledge in a manufacturing setting, delivering results across Safety, Quality, Delivery, and Cost

• Experience designing and deploying Operational Excellence System methodologies, utilizing lean and process improvement tools.

• Ability to establish and lead development initiatives at scale, with measurable impact on leadership and team member growth.

• Proven ability to influence at all levels, including executive leadership.

• Effectively communicates organizational vision, goals, and expectations to team members.
• Provides regular feedback, coaching, and development opportunities to support individual and team growth.
• Ensures accountability for results, promoting both individual and collective success.