Plant Continuous Improvement Leader (m/w/d)
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The Plant Continuous Improvement (CI) Leader improves plant performance by deploying and sustaining the DuPont Operational Excellence System. The role partners with plant leadership, front-line teams, and Business OpEx resources to improve SQDIP results through Daily Management, structured problem solving, Kaizen, value stream improvement, and capability building.
The CI Leader serves as the local OpEx practitioner and change leader, coaching employees and leaders, facilitating improvement work (including sustainment activities), and connecting site priorities to the broader CI network and digital / Industry 4.0 opportunities.
Key responsibilities:
Operational Excellence Deployment
Partner with plant leadership to identify performance gaps and priorities linked to SQDIP, margin, EBITDA, and operational maturity.
Build and execute the plant OpEx roadmap aligned with site and business objectives.
Deploy and sustain the DuPont OpEx framework and business system using defined playbooks, roles, and routines.
Daily Management & Performance Systems
Coach leaders and teams on Daily Visual Management, Bowler / tiered accountability, Leader Standard Work, action tracking, and escalation.
Use performance data to identify losses, bottlenecks, waste, and execution gaps.
Continuous Improvement & Kaizen
Lead Kaizen events, focused improvement workshops, value stream improvement, and waste elimination activities. Collaborating with cross-functional teams build/maintain/prioritize Kaizen funnel and sustainment processes.
Coach projects from problem definition through implementation, sustainment, and financial validation using Lean, Six Sigma, Agile, and data-based problem solving.
Program Management & Benefits Validation
Lead or support the plant Project Management Office (PMO), including opportunity pipeline, decision cadence, milestone tracking, and benefit validation.
Partner across functions / plants to define charters, benefits, scope, resources, timelines, and project plans.
Capability Building & Best Practice Sharing
Build site capability through coaching, workshops, OpEx Academy learning, and hands-on application of tools such as 5S, SMED, VSM, Kaizen, and problem solving.
Share lessons learned and leverage the CI network to accelerate adoption of proven practices.
Key requirements:
Solid experience in manufacturing, engineering, supply chain, operations, or Operational Excellence.
Experience applying Lean, Six Sigma, Agile, or Continuous Improvement methods in a manufacturing environment.
Experience leading cross-functional improvement initiatives, Kaizen events, and structured problem-solving workshops.
Experience developing OpEx roadmaps, project charters, implementation plans, and benefit-validation approaches.
Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Operations, Supply Chain, Manufacturing, Business, Information Technologies, or related field.
Lean Practitioner / Continuous Improvement certification preferred.
Green Belt certification preferred or required by site / business expectations.
Coached leaders and teams to build capability and sustain results.
Supervisory, informal leadership, or people leadership experience preferred.
Collaboration and influence across levels and functions.
Ability to coach, teach, mentor, and facilitate practical learning.
Working knowledge of Lean, Six Sigma, Agile, Daily Management, Kaizen, Value Stream Mapping, SMED, and structured problem solving.
Analytical thinking, technical aptitude, and problem-solving capability.
Ability to build trust and drive change without direct authority.
Clear verbal and written communication that connects people to purpose.
Commitment to DuPont Core Values
Fluent in both German and English
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