Director - Operations Excellence Continuous Improvement

TPC•Houston, TX

About The Position

The Director of Continuous Improvement (CI) is responsible for leading initiatives to improve operational performance, eliminate waste, and drive a culture of continuous improvement using Lean, Six Sigma, and related methodologies throughout the TPC organization. This role partners closely with executive leadership, operations, quality, finance, and supply chain teams to deliver measurable improvements in safety, quality, delivery, cost, and employee engagement.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in engineering, Operations, Business, or related field
10+ years of experience in Continuous Improvement, Operational Excellence, or Lean Six Sigma roles
Proven track record delivering large-scale improvement initiatives
Strong leadership, facilitation, and influencing skills
Experience working cross-functionally in complex organizations

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree (MBA or MS Engineering)
Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt certification
Experience in manufacturing, industrial, or regulated environments
Strong financial acumen and benefits validation experience

Responsibilities

Develop and execute the organization’s Continuous Improvement strategy aligned with business objectives
Serve as the enterprise expert on Lean, Six Sigma, and Operational Excellence principles
Lead a team, coach, and develop CI practitioners (Black Belts, Green Belts, CI Managers)
Influence senior leadership to adopt and sustain CI behaviors and mindset
Identify, prioritize, and manage high-impact CI projects across operations, manufacturing, and support functions
Establish governance, project selection criteria, and performance tracking systems
Ensure CI projects deliver measurable financial and operational benefits
Lead kaizen events, value stream mapping, and breakthrough improvement initiatives
Drive standard work, visual management, 5S, problem-solving, and root cause analysis
Integrate CI principles into daily management systems
Partner with operations leaders to improve throughput, quality, safety, and cost
Support capital projects and new product introductions with Lean design principles
Define KPIs and dashboards to track CI performance and benefits realization
Report progress and results to executive leadership
Validate savings in partnership with Finance
Build a sustainable culture of continuous improvement and accountability
Lead change management efforts to ensure adoption and long-term sustainability
Deliver training and capability development at all levels of the organization