Senior Director of Operational Excellence

At Johnsonville, our members are responsible for everything! If you're passionate about making a difference, we want you to help make our products, our processes, our communities and each other better. Since 1945, Wisconsin-based Johnsonville has proudly made our products in the U.S.A.! Our family-owned company has grown from a small butcher shop to the No. 1 national sausage brand. We employ 3,000 members. Johnsonville products are enjoyed in 45 countries and served in 130 sports stadiums throughout the U.S.

Johnsonville, LLC

Senior Director of Operational Excellence

Position Overview

We are seeking a Senior Director of Operational Excellence to lead and coach our Operations Performance Improvement, Reliability Excellence and Safety teams, driving strategic initiatives to optimize operational performance and enhance line reliability. In this pivotal role, you will champion innovation, align teams toward shared goals and foster a culture of continuous improvement while ensuring safety and efficiency across our operations.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Operations Performance Improvement (OPI), Reliability Excellence (RE) and Safety teams, setting vision and strategy to meet business objectives while enhancing Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE), Labor Productivity, Safety and Reliability
• Collaborate with plant operations, engineering, maintenance, FSQ (food safety/quality) and supply chain teams to ensure optimal line design, seamless execution of improvement initiatives, and alignment with capital asset strategies
• Assess and address gaps between theoretical and demonstrated capacities, implementing strategic solutions to optimize production line performance and increase throughput
• Design and optimize workstation layouts, labor strategies, and production scheduling to improve operational flow and efficiency while evaluating advanced technologies and automation opportunities
• Develop and execute reliability strategies to minimize downtime and ensure asset optimization, working closely with engineering, maintenance, and operational teams to achieve operational excellence
• Foster a culture of continuous improvement by mentoring teams in Lean, Six Sigma, and industrial engineering principles while building team capabilities through technical and leadership development
• Lead organizational change initiatives and drive cross-functional collaboration to standardize best practices and ensure sustainable operational improvements across all manufacturing sites
• Serve as a key contributor to network design and optimization, taking a leadership role in driving strategic initiatives to enhance efficiency and scalability
  
  

Education

• Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial Engineering, or Mechanical Engineering with demonstrated experience in industrial engineering-focused work (workstation design, process optimization, etc.) required
  
  

Qualifications And Skills

• At least 12 years of progressive leadership experience in a manufacturing environment, preferably within the food or consumer goods industry
• Deep understanding of manufacturing capacity analysis, line design, and operational optimization
• Expertise in managing cross-functional teams and leading complex, multi-site initiatives
• Proven ability to influence and collaborate with engineering, supply chain, and operational teams to achieve strategic goals
• Demonstrated ability to strategically balance operational performance with broader business objectives, ensuring alignment between manufacturing efficiency, commercial goals, and successful product commercialization
  
  

Coach for this position: Chief Supply Chain Officer

Location: Global Headquarters, located in Sheboygan Falls, WI - Located one hour north of Milwaukee

Member Status: Fulltime, Salaried

Reason for Posting: New Position

Benefits: Members have potential for a monthly bonus, 401k with a company match and profit sharing. Members also have access to terrific benefits including affordable medical, dental and vision coverage; flexible spending accounts; disability and life insurance; and fertility and adoption assistance. Johnsonville also offers competitive paid time off, including paid parental time off, as well as access to the 24/7 onsite fitness center, onsite medical clinic and tuition reimbursement! 

How To Apply

External candidate: Apply on-line only at: careers.johnsonville.com

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Applicants must be authorized to work in the US without requiring sponsorship now or in the future.

We value the diversity of our workforce and we embrace the principles of Equal Opportunity Employment. M/F/Vet/Disability

Johnsonville values the service Veterans and their family members have given to our country. We support the hiring of returning service members and military spouses.