Executive Director - Distribution Excellence Leader

Job Description

The Distribution Excellence Leader is responsible for developing, maintaining, and continuously improving the Global Distribution areas of business partnering, process management, continuous improvement, analytics, portfolio management, and distribution technology processes. This role works with function leaders globally and regionally to ensure implementation of strategies and initiatives resulting in improved Supply Chain Distribution service levels, quality, performance, and process efficiency contributing to higher supply chain satisfaction and improved top and bottom line financials.  

Job Duties

• Lead an expert organization with the primary task to establish and drive continuous improvement culture within the CMSO function in alignment with Corporate (GTOM) and CMSO strategy and with focus on business needs including Compliance, Operational Excellence and maximizing overall operational efficiency. 
• This position will also ensure that common continuous improvement standards, language and training are being agreed, aligned and adhered to globally.
• Lead business partnering efforts with Commercial Divisions and Business Units globally and regionally for Distribution function.  
• Lead Distribution long and short-term strategy creation aligned to SCM, CMSO and Olympus strategy. Enable prioritization discussion and decisions aligned to SCM and CMSO strategy and objectives. 
• Support budgeting activities for Distribution functions for annual and long-term planning processes. 
• Establish and drive continuous improvement culture within Distribution function in alignment with CMSO strategy and with focus on business needs including Analytics, Quality, Compliance, Operational Excellence, and maximizing overall operational efficiency. 
• Accountable for implementation of a continuous improvement strategy and framework, utilizing and popularizing continuous improvement methodologies such as but not limited to Lean, TPS, Six Sigma, problem solving techniques.
• Foster a Network of Excellence experts within Supply Chain and establish collaboration models with CMSO Excellence functions and regional supply chain organizations. 
• Establish programs within Distribution for improving critical KPIs in terms of quality, productivity, cost efficiency closely aligned to SCM and CMSO strategy. 
• Provide leadership support and guidance to the Distribution Excellence teams and mitigate conflicts, if needed on global and regional levels.
• Ensure that common Excellence standards, language and trainings are being agreed, aligned and adhered to globally.
• Oversee the department for process standardization of Business Processes and Quality relevant processes for Distributions processes. 
• Ensure frameworks for process management, design, implementation, and monitoring based on industry best practices are implemented across Distribution globally.  
• Work with the Training and Development team to create relevant training material to conduct the necessary global training programs as part of standard roll-out of processes and development training for SCM and Distribution teams. 

Job Qualifications

Required:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent knowledge and experience in supply chain management, operations management, manufacturing, operations strategy, operational excellence or other relevant field of study and experience required.  
• Advanced Master’s degree preferred.
• Minimum 10 years of progressive leadership experience, with proven track record in management, operations management, business process optimization, or process improvement, with measurable outcomes; with demonstrated focus and proficiency in change and stakeholder management. 
• Minimum 10 years’ experience leading a multi-entity/business supply chain or distribution function. 
• Minimum 10 years people management experience required.
• Experience developing and implementing supply chain distribution programs, policies and procedures, and transforming an organization within a multi-national organization.
• Experience with working, communicating, and facilitating across multiple layers of organizational structure; demonstrating comfort with both front-line employees and Executive or C-Level stakeholders.
• International and domestic travel is required.

Preferred:

• Lean or Six Sigma certification preferred.
• Project management certifications preferred.
• Excellent verbal and written communication ability. 
• Strong collaborator and influencer with effective interpersonal and analytical skills who is able to work seamlessly across countries, cultures, and organizational units.