Avantor
Senior Director, Lean Excellence (EU & AMEA)
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The Opportunity
Avantor VWR is seeking a Senior Director, Lean Excellence (EU & AMEA).
The regional leader is responsible for defining, governing, and advancing the Lean Excellence strategy across the end-to-end supply chain network. This role provides strategic leadership for continuous improvement, Lean transformation, and operational performance initiatives spanning sourcing, procurement, planning, manufacturing, warehousing, logistics, distribution, and customer fulfillment.
The position is accountable for establishing and sustaining a world-class Lean operating system that drives measurable improvements in safety, quality, service, delivery performance, inventory optimization, cost, productivity, working capital, and employee engagement. The Senior Director develops and executes a multi-year transformation roadmap aligned with business objectives, enabling increased supply chain performance, agility, resilience, and customer satisfaction across the region.
Working closely with executive and regional leaders across Operations, Supply Chain, Procurement, Planning, Manufacturing, Logistics, Quality, Engineering, and Commercial functions, this role ensures Lean Excellence capabilities support sustainable growth, operational excellence, and long-term competitive advantage. As a key member of the regional leadership team, the Senior Director influences strategic decisions, drives enterprise-wide transformation initiatives, and champions a culture of continuous improvement.
The role has direct leadership responsibility for a regional Lean Excellence organization comprised of Directors, Senior Managers, Managers, and Continuous Improvement professionals, while also providing functional leadership and influence across operational teams throughout the supply chain network. The Senior Director is accountable for organizational design, talent development, succession planning, capability building, and the successful execution of strategic improvement initiatives across Procurement, Planning, Manufacturing, Warehousing, Logistics, and Distribution operations.
Major Job Duties & Responsibilities
Functional Leadership and Governance
- Lead the Lean Excellence function across EU & AMEA with accountability for regional strategy, governance, performance improvement, and capability development across the end-to-end supply chain.
- Establish the long-term vision, strategic direction, and operating model for Lean Excellence across sourcing, procurement, planning, manufacturing, logistics, warehousing, and distribution operations.
- Own and govern the regional Lean Excellence Operating System and related performance management frameworks.
- Establish enterprise standards, policies, methodologies, assessment criteria, and Lean Excellence requirements across all operational functions.
- Drive consistency, standardization, and best practice deployment while balancing local business and customer requirements.
- Chair regional Lean Excellence governance reviews and provide executive guidance regarding transformation priorities, investments, and resource allocation.
Organizational Leadership
- Lead, develop, and optimize a regional Lean Excellence organization consisting of Lean leaders, supply chain improvement leaders, logistics excellence professionals, transformation specialists, and site-based continuous improvement resources.
- Establish organizational structure, workforce planning, succession strategies, and capability-building programs for the Lean Excellence function.
- Build leadership capability across sourcing, planning, manufacturing, logistics, and warehouse operations.
- Develop future Lean Excellence leaders through coaching, mentoring, and leadership development programs.
Regional Lean Excellence Strategy Ownership
- Develop and own a 3-to-5-year Lean Excellence strategy and transformation roadmap aligned with regional and global business priorities.
- Identify strategic opportunities to improve supply chain performance, service delivery, inventory optimization, sourcing effectiveness, operational productivity, cost competitiveness, and network agility.
- Establish regional priorities for transformation initiatives across procurement, planning, manufacturing, warehousing, transportation, and customer fulfillment operations.
- Lead annual strategic planning and investment prioritization processes.
- Own the regional Lean Excellence maturity model and establish measurable continuous improvement targets.
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End-to-End Supply Chain Transformation Leadership
- Direct large-scale operational transformation initiatives impacting multiple business units, functions, and operational sites.
- Lead enterprise programs focused on:
- Cost optimization
- Service improvement
- Inventory reduction
- Working capital improvement
- Supply chain resilience
- Warehouse optimization
- Transportation efficiency
- Network optimization
- Capacity planning
- Productivity enhancement
- Digital transformation
- Partner with leadership teams to eliminate functional silos and improve cross-functional execution across the value chain.
- Serve as executive sponsor for strategic transformation programs and organizational change initiatives.
Lean Excellence Operating System Ownership
- Define, deploy, govern, and continuously improve the regional Lean Excellence Operating System across all supply chain functions.
- Own enterprise standards related to:
- Hoshin Kanri
- Daily Management Systems
- Visual Management
- Value Stream Management
- Standard Work
- A3 Problem Solving
- Kaizen Systems
- Gemba Leadership
- Root Cause Analysis
- End-to-End Process Mapping
- Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP)
- Inventory Optimization
- Supplier Performance Management
- Warehouse Excellence
- Transportation Excellence
- Digital Performance Management
- Establish governance mechanisms that ensure sustainability and consistent implementation across all operational functions.
Sourcing, Planning, Logistics, and Distribution Excellence
- Partner with Procurement leadership to improve supplier performance, strategic sourcing effectiveness, material availability, and total cost management.
- Drive Lean Excellence initiatives within planning functions to improve forecast accuracy, inventory management, supply reliability, and customer service performance.
- Lead warehouse and distribution excellence programs focused on safety, throughput, productivity, inventory accuracy, and service performance.
- Drive logistics optimization initiatives that improve transportation performance, network efficiency, freight cost management, and customer delivery reliability.
- Establish cross-functional metrics and improvement programs that optimize end-to-end supply chain performance.
Financial and Resource Accountability
- Develop and manage the regional Lean Excellence budget.
- Establish investment priorities and oversee allocation of resources across the supply chain network.
- Evaluate capital and operational investments supporting transformation objectives.
- Ensure initiatives deliver targeted financial benefits, service improvements, productivity gains, working-capital improvements, and return on investment.
- Monitor and report financial impact and value realization to executive leadership.
Executive Partnership and Enterprise Influence
- Serve as the senior advisor to regional and global executives regarding Lean Excellence, supply chain performance, and transformation strategy.
- Influence sourcing, planning, manufacturing, logistics, warehousing, and network design decisions through data-driven recommendations.
- Collaborate with leaders across Operations, Procurement, Supply Chain, Manufacturing, Quality, Engineering, Commercial, Finance, and Human Resources.
- Represent Lean Excellence in executive business reviews, strategic planning sessions, and regional leadership forums.
Capability Building and Culture Transformation
- Develop and implement a regional capability strategy that establishes Lean Excellence competencies across all supply chain functions.
- Build a sustainable continuous improvement culture throughout sourcing, planning, manufacturing, logistics, and warehousing operations.
- Establish certification requirements and development pathways for Lean Excellence practitioners and supply chain leaders.
- Drive leadership accountability for sustaining continuous improvement behaviors and performance management systems.
- Foster innovation, collaboration, problem-solving, and operational learning across the entire value chain.
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Qualifications
Required
- Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Operations Management, Supply Chain, Business, or related discipline.
- 15+ years of progressive manufacturing, operations, and Lean Excellence leadership experience.
- Minimum 7+ years leading regional or global Lean transformation initiatives within complex environments.
- Ability to operate effectively within highly matrixed, multinational organizations.
Preferred
- Master’s degree in Engineering, Operations, Business Administration, or related field.
- Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt.
- Experience leading Lean Excellence functions across multiple global regions.
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities
- Expert knowledge of Lean principles, Lean Six Sigma methodologies, and operational excellence systems, including Hoshin Kanri, Daily Management, Value Stream Management, Standard Work, Kaizen, Visual Management, A3 Problem Solving, and Root Cause Analysis.
- Advanced knowledge of end-to-end supply chain operations, including sourcing, procurement, planning, manufacturing, warehousing, logistics, transportation, distribution, customer fulfillment, S&OP/IBP, inventory optimization, capacity planning, and network design.
- Strong understanding of organizational transformation, change management, financial management, digital technologies, analytics, and performance management within complex global environments.
- Knowledge of safety, quality, regulatory compliance, leadership development, talent management, and continuous improvement practices across multinational operations.
- Demonstrated ability to develop and execute long-term Lean Excellence strategies that drive operational performance, cost optimization, service improvements, productivity gains, and sustainable business results.
- Proven leadership skills with the ability to build, lead, coach, and develop high-performing, geographically dispersed teams and future organizational leaders.
- Exceptional strategic planning, program management, analytical, and problem-solving skills, with the ability to translate complex operational and financial data into actionable business decisions.
- Strong financial acumen, including budgeting, investment evaluation, ROI analysis, working capital improvement, and value realization.
- Excellent communication, presentation, facilitation, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence executive leadership and drive alignment across matrixed organizations.
- Ability to lead large-scale, cross-functional transformation initiatives, manage competing priorities, and drive organizational adoption of change across multiple countries and business functions.
- Ability to foster a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, innovation, and operational excellence while delivering measurable business outcomes.
Disclaimer
The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by employees assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of employees assigned to this position. Avantor is proud to be an equal opportunity employer.
Why Avantor?
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