Head of Continuous Improvement

Datwyler Group; Cleebronn; Hybrid; EUR 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Continuous learning

Hybrid work options

Collaborative international team

Cutting-edge technologies

Values-driven culture

Job summary

Datwyler Group in Germany seeks a Head of Continuous Improvement to lead global CI strategy, drive lean transformations, and foster a culture of operational excellence across sites worldwide.

You will partner with senior leaders, deploy frameworks (Lean, Six Sigma, Kaizen), build governance, and develop training to deliver measurable improvements in productivity, quality, and cost. This role requires international travel and strong change leadership.

Qualifications

• 10+ years in senior Continuous Improvement/Operational Excellence leadership roles.
• Proven track record delivering large-scale CI deployments across multi-site international orgs.
• Strong experience driving productivity, quality, cost, and delivery improvements.
• Experience implementing Lean, Six Sigma, Kaizen and structured problem‑solving in manufacturing/industrial settings.

Responsibilities

• Define and drive the global CI strategy and governance.
• Develop and standardize CI methodologies and tools (Lean, Six Sigma, Kaizen, DMAIC, VSM).
• Lead global CI system development with clear governance and maturity assessments.
• Partner with senior leaders to support major transformation initiatives and ensure adoption.
• Provide leadership and coaching for CI programs across the organization.
• Build global CI capabilities through training, mentoring, and certification programs.

Skills

Leadership

Lean

Six Sigma

Kaizen

Data analytics

Change management

Education

Engineering/Operations/Business degree

Job description

Datwyler’s high-tech elastomer components make a vital contribution to the safety, reliability and functionality of critical systems in billions of syringes and coffee capsules, in every second vehicle worldwide, and in energy-related applications. Datwyler serves highly regulated and technologically demanding markets, such as Healthcare, Automotive, Food & Beverage and Industry. With around 7,500 employees and 25 production sites on four continents, we work closely with customers from concept to series production. Our employees are at the heart of Datwyler. Guided by Mastery, Impact and Respect, we continuously improve, focus on meaningful results and collaborate with trust and openness.

Become part of our team as a...

Head of Continuous Improvement

As our Head of Continuous Improvement, you will shape and drive Datwyler's global Continuous Improvement (CI) strategy. In this highly visible leadership role, you will help build a culture of operational excellence, structured problem-solving, and sustainable performance improvement across our global organization. Working closely with business leaders and site teams worldwide, you will strengthen capabilities, establish governance, and enable measurable business impact.

Key Responsibilities

• Define and drive Datwyler's global Continuous Improvement strategy in alignment with business objectives and the Operational Excellence vision.
• Develop, standardize, and continuously improve CI methodologies, frameworks, and tools, including Lean, Six Sigma, Kaizen, structured problem-solving, advanced analytics, and AI-enabled capabilities.
• Lead the evolution of Continuous Improvement into an integrated global CI system with clear governance, performance management, and maturity assessment frameworks.
• Partner with the VP Operational Excellence to support major transformation initiatives and ensure sustainable operational adoption and business value realization.
• Provide leadership and targeted support for critical cross-functional Continuous Improvement programs across the organization.
• Establish and maintain global CI governance, standards, roles, responsibilities, and operating mechanisms to ensure a consistent enterprise-wide approach.
• Define and reinforce accountability models that balance global standards with local ownership for execution and results delivery.
• Monitor improvement performance through KPIs, project portfolios, maturity assessments, and governance reviews to ensure sustainable outcomes.
• Support divisions and sites in measuring, validating, and reporting operational and financial benefits generated through improvement initiatives.
• Build global Continuous Improvement capabilities through training, coaching, mentoring, and certification programs at all organizational levels.
• Develop and align a global network of CI managers, practitioners, and change agents to promote best-practice sharing, standardization, and knowledge transfer.
• Foster a culture of operational excellence, Lean leadership, accountability, continuous learning, and structured problem-solving across all sites and functions.

Partner with senior leaders, regional teams, and site leadership to embed Continuous Improvement into strategic priorities, operational processes, and day-to-day decision-making.

What We’re Looking For

• Extensive experience (10+ years) in senior Continuous Improvement, Operational Excellence, Manufacturing Excellence, Lean, or related leadership roles within multinational companies and complex industrial environments.
• Proven track record of leading large-scale Continuous Improvement deployments across multi-site and international organizations.
• Strong experience delivering measurable business impact in productivity, quality, cost, delivery, and process performance.
• Demonstrated experience implementing Lean, Six Sigma, Kaizen, and structured problem-solving methodologies in manufacturing and/or industrial settings.
• Experience leading cross-functional improvement programs, facilitating kaizen events, and conducting CI maturity assessments.
• Experience working across geographically dispersed and culturally diverse organizations.
• Experience supporting transformation programs and embedding sustainable operational practices.
• Deep expertise in Continuous Improvement methodologies (Lean, Six Sigma, Kaizen, VSM, A3, DMAIC, and structured problem-solving).
• Lean Six Sigma Black Belt or Master Black Belt certification preferred.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities with ability to translate complexity into scalable solutions.
• Excellent leadership, facilitation, coaching, and stakeholder management skills.
• Strong change leadership and influencing skills in matrix organizations.
• Strong capability-building mindset with experience designing training and CI maturity programs.
• Familiarity with digital enablers, data analytics, and AI‑supported problem‑solving tools is an advantage.
• Excellent communication skills and ability to operate across cultures and geographies.
• Degree in Engineering, Operations Management, Business, or related field.
• Availability to travel internationally.

What We Offer

• Continuous learning and development opportunities to help you grow your skills and advance your career.
• The chance to work with cutting-edge technologies across exciting, fast-evolving industries
• We love our employees
• A collaborative, high-performing team environment where your ideas and contributions truly make a difference
• Collaboration with international teams across diverse markets and regions
• A values-driven company culture built on respect, trust, and appreciation
• Flexible working arrangements with hybrid options to support a healthy work-life balance

Be yourself at Datwyler

People make the difference at Datwyler. We offer a wide range of career and development opportunities in an international company where you can contribute your skills, ideas and experience. Together, we create an environment where people can grow and help shape our future.

www.datwyler.com