Director of Operational Excellence

Description

Fluidra is looking for a Director of Operational Excellence – North America to join our team.

WHAT YOU WILL CONTRIBUTE

We are seeking a driven, enthusiastic, and experienced Director of Operational Excellence to lead Fluidra’s efforts in process improvement, operational efficiency, and organizational transformation. The ideal candidate has a proven track record of driving operational excellence initiatives, leading change, and achieving measurable results across Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost, Inventory, and People (SQDCIP).

In this strategic leadership role, you will identify opportunities for improvement, design and deploy enterprise-wide initiatives, instill a culture of continuous improvement, and champion the implementation of the Fluidra Operating System (FOS). Additionally, you will:

Leadership & Strategy

• Drive the design, implementation, and execution of company-wide improvement strategies aligned with enterprise objectives.
• Lead organizational transformation through change management best practices.
• Champion a culture of continuous improvement by coaching leaders and teams in the Fluidra Operating System (FOS).
• Partner with senior management to align OPEX initiatives with business strategy and long-term goals.

Continuous Improvement & Operational Performance

• Identify and evaluate areas of operational inefficiency; develop and execute improvement plans, including footprint rationalization.
• Lead cross-functional teams in the adoption and deployment of the Fluidra Operating System (FOS).
• Conduct Lean audits, Kaizen events, and site maturity assessments, ensuring long-term facilities maintain a minimum Lean score of 3.0.
• Monitor, analyze, and report KPIs to drive data-based decision-making.
• Deliver sustainable improvements across Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost, and Inventory.

Technical & Analytical Leadership

• Apply the FOS other OPEX/Six-Sigma methodologies to guide improvement initiatives.
• Utilize data analysis and performance metrics to assess operational health.
• Drive multi-million-dollar cost savings through systematic improvement.
• Support creation and implementation of enterprise-level operations systems and digital performance tools.

Talent Development & Leadership

• Inspire, motivate, and develop leaders and teams to build a continuous improvement culture.
• Provide coaching, mentorship, and structured training.
• Lead succession planning and talent development across operations.

WHAT WE SEEK

• 8+ years of experience in Operational Excellence, manufacturing process improvement, or Operations leadership.
• Demonstrated success delivering sustainable operational improvements.
• Experience influencing at all organizational levels.
• Proficiency in Lean, Six Sigma, and/or Kaizen methodologies.
• Strong analytical and critical-thinking skills.
• Experience managing multiple high-impact projects simultaneously.
• Excellent communication, facilitation, and presentation skills.
• Proficiency with ERP systems (EPICOR, SAP preferred) and data tools (Power BI).

PREFERRED:

• Lean Six Sigma Black Belt or Master Black Belt certification.
• Experience creating enterprise-level operational systems and digital tools.
• Proven capability developing and mentoring high-performance teams.

Core Competencies

• Strategic Manufacturing Optimization
• Lean & Six Sigma Leadership
• Financial Acumen & Cost Control
• Change Management & Cultural Transformation
• Data-Driven Decision Making
• Results Orientation
• Talent Development & Succession Planning

EDUCATION

Bachelor’s degree in Business, Engineering, Operations, or related field.

PREFERRED:

Master’s degree or MBA.

WHAT WE OFFER

An exciting opportunity to dive in and begin your career with a company that offers a competitive total rewards package that includes:

• 3 weeks of paid vacation
• 11 paid Holidays
• Full range of health benefits including medical, dental & vision, short & long-term disability
• 401(K) matching (100% of first 3% contributed, 50% of the next 2%)
• Health and wellness programs / gym reimbursement
• Educational assistance up to $7,000 per year
• Company sponsored FUN events!
• Generous product discounts

WHO WE ARE

Fluidra is a publicly listed company focused on developing innovative products, services and IoT solutions for the residential, commercial and wellness pool markets, globally. The company operates in over 45 countries, has over 7,000 employees and owns a portfolio of some of the industry’s most recognized and trusted brands: Polaris®, Jandy®, CMP®, S.R. Smith®, and Zodiac®. We also sell products under the Cover‐Pools®, iAquaLink®, Grand Effects®, Del® and Nature2® names.With these combined resources we’re able accelerate innovation in critical areas like energy-efficiency, robotics and the Internet of Things.

Our focus is on creating the perfect pool and wellness experience responsibly. We take our mission to heart, and our employees embody these guiding principles in everything we do: passion for success, honesty & trust, customer collaboration, teamwork and inclusion, learn and adapt, excellence and innovation.

Don't meet every single requirement listed? At Fluidra, we thrive on building an inclusive workspace, so if you are excited about this role and your past experience doesn't align perfectly, we encourage you to apply anyways! You may be just the right candidate for this role or another role in the organization. Fluidra is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. Fluidra recruits, employs, trains, compensates and promotes regardless of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, veteran status, or any legally protected characteristic.

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