Director of Continuous Improvement

Company Background

Sensience is a leading global manufacturer of highly engineered sensing, control, and sealing components.

We deliver mission-critical protection and valuable data for a wide range of systems, including appliances, heating, air conditioning, refrigeration units, industrial process equipment, motor vehicles, and aerospace. We have over 3,000 employees worldwide across 6 manufacturing facilities dedicated to keeping people and their homes safe.

Sensience brings a track record of over 75 years of innovation, quality, specialized expertise, a highly collaborative approach, and a commitment to growth - working together with our customers as valuable partners, helping to meet their critical objectives. We recently re-established ourselves as an independent company and looking for entrepreneurial minded candidates to help our company grow.

Position Summary

We are seeking a Director of Continuous Improvement who will be responsible for executing the Sensience Strategy of driving value creation by implementing Lean tools and process improvements across the company. The incumbent will provide cross-functional leadership across locations that include Mexico, China, Thailand and the United States. They will create guidelines, training, and standard operating procedures to provide consistent execution and optimal performance in all Sensience locations worldwide. Also, they will assist in the identification of key leaders for operations process improvement implementation at each location.

Position Responsibilities

Work with Executive Leadership Team, Plant Managers, Operations Managers, and other key leaders to achieve targeted KPI performance and drive strategic decisions

Prepare and present financial reports to stakeholders, providing insight into schedule, performance and budget adherence

Establish and deploy a Standard Operating System to be followed by each Sensience location for standardizing and optimizing operational processes, ensuring consistency in quality, delivery and cost

Promote a "best in class" culture of continuous improvement by developing and building followership to a common vison and strategy

Foster open communication, professional development, best practices sharing, and recognition to promote employee engagement and improve operational standards

Develop strategies, project funnels and business cases to support the achievement of value creation goals aligned to Sensience strategic initiatives

Leadership for company wide cost improvement program focused on delivering 4 wall cost reductions to offset inflationary increases.

Implement Lean methodologies to streamline operations processes, reduce cycle times and eliminate waste to improve workflow efficiency

Utilize Six Sigma tools to identify defects and drive process improvements; ensure consistency across facilities in areas such as 5S+1, Visual Factory, performance metrics, displays, etc.

Champion Kaizen methodologies focused on efficiencies, quality control, and employee engagement and accountability

Develop and manage project budgets, ensuring alignment with financial goals and effective resource allocation

Develop resources and skill sets in each site/department to support the Company's operations process improvement strategy

Coordinate, develop, implement, and provide operations process improvement trainings/workshops for implementation and refresher sessions as required

Evaluate current practices, recommend changes, and monitor implementation activities to better achieve increased customer, productivity, and inventory management and enhance Sensience's global growth potential

Guide and collaborate with manufacturing and quality engineering teams for all manufacturing departments to drive production improvements, PPM reductions, and New Product Launch

Ability to work extended periods onsite at plant locations as needed

Up to 50% travel will be required

Position Requirements:

Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering or related discipline, OR a minimum of fifteen (15) years' experience in operations and manufacturing-related assignments. Previous managerial experience required

Lean Champion Certified. Black Belt, 6 Sigma Certification. Project Management Certification.

Demonstrated leadership and interpersonal skills

Working knowledge of MS Office, or equivalent productivity suites, currently in use by the Company

Strong written and verbal communication skills

Demonstrated judgment and decision-making capability

Demonstrated organizing and planning capabilities

Ability to travel both US domestically and internationally as needed up to 50%

Sensience is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE): race, ethnicity, religion, sex, gender or gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability, national origin, or any status protected by applicable law.

This is not a position for which sponsorship will be provided. Individuals who need sponsorship for work authorization now or in the future are not eligible for hire.