Head Operational Excellence - Europe

Job Summary

The Head Operational Excellence - Europe position serves as the primary liaison between the global gateOPEX team and specific regional teams. Reporting to the Head Global Operational Excellence & Standardization, this role provides leadership and strategic guidance for the execution, deployment, and maintenance of the gateOPEX program within assigned regions.

The Head Operational Excellence role supports at least one designated region in its deployment efforts, ensuring adherence to established standards. Additionally, this position oversees the Regional Continuous Improvement team and Lean Resident Expert, guiding them in testing and implementing new standards while evaluating their effectiveness.

Application and Position Location

This position is currently opened for application in Europe for internal recruitment. The final location will be adjusted to accommodate the finalist candidate's location. The position can be based in any Europe region country with a gategroup office and operation.

Applications are required in English.

Application Deadline: 01 June 2026

Main Duties and Responsibilities

Program Deployment:
• Provide project leadership for business units and regions; track deployment status, recommend corrective actions, and create reports. Manage project/resource interdependencies and recommend issue resolution.
• Facilitate and support program kick-off initiatives, offering training, coaching, and guidance.
• Organize and coordinate assessments with stakeholders. Provide coaching, structure, methodology, and analysis for the understanding and resolving problems.
• Conduct and organize gateOPEX gap analysis, on-site audits, and cross regional gateOPEX audits; collaboratively develop action plans for closure, documenting results in a global audit databank.
• Identify and promote new best practices for their integration into global standard procedures.
• Collaborate with General Managers and Continuous Improvement (CI) managers to develop, structure, and execute multi-year operational or tactical plans.
• Assist CI/OPEX managers in value stream mapping, SMED, kaizen events, poka-yoke, cellular manufacturing, etc; Train and coach plant leadership on Lean and 6-Sigma methods.
• Coordinate training offerings, ensure trainings are provided, resources and scheduling are met.

Program Development:
• Collaborate Global Process Owners to develop new standards, scorecards, standardizations, and tools, considering LEAN manufacturing & Six Sigma principles, and industry regulations.
• Work with project groups and workstreams to develop gateOPEX content, communications, and training.
• Coordinate pilot trials of new standards in Competence Centers.
• Ensure regional initiatives align with the global gateOPEX strategy.
• Develop common tools and reporting templates to streamline processes.
Program Management:
• Support data collection, reporting, and management of the gateOPEX global knowledge management systems.
• Assist gateOPEX and CI teams in regular workshops to identify new strategies for deployment and content development.

General:
• Manage the Lean Resident Expert role.
• Support critical business decision-making.
• Support in capital project execution and the standardization of equipment.
Core Competencies and Requirements

Qualifications
Education:
• Bachelor’s degree in project management, Business, Business Economics, Engineering, or a related field.
• 6-Sigma certification is a plus.
• Lean Manufacturing certification is a plus.
• ISO lead auditor certification is a plus.

Work Experience:
• 10+ years of experience in operational leadership role in dynamic environment.
• Experience in applied continuous improvement, lean manufacturing, and/or 6-Sigma deployment.
• Experience in program or project management.
• Working experience in Food Safety regulated areas is a plus.

Technical/Language Skills:

Certifications, Licenses and/or Registrations
• Extensive knowledge of MS-Office applications, especially PowerPoint and Excel
• IT programming skills or interest in applying technology solutions is a plus
• Excellent interpersonal, verbal, written communication, and collaboration skills.
• Excellent command of English and local language (if not English); additional languages are preferred.

Core Competencies Required:
• Excellent interpersonal, verbal, written communication and collaboration skills with the ability to effectively influence others to action.
• Leadership and management skills
• Problem solving and analysis
• High degree of personal integrity and the ability to handle confidential matters.
• Continuous improvement mindset
• Hands-on approach, with a passion for continuous improvement.
• Possession of excellent strategic and tactical communication planning and execution skills.