Senior Manager, Operational Excellence (SGHUB)

SATS Ltd.; Singapore; On-site; SGD 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

SATS Ltd. is seeking a Senior Manager, Continuous Improvement (CI) to translate the SG Hub CI strategy into actionable roadmaps and drive hub-level performance across Business Units.

The role balances operational realities with strategic objectives, managing resistance and delivering sustainable change. You will lead cross-BU programmes, embed CI governance, and coach CI practitioners while partnering with senior leaders to mature the hub's CI operating model.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Business, Engineering, Science, or related discipline.
• 10–15 years of experience in Continuous Improvement, Operational Excellence, transformation, or large-scale change management.
• Lean Six Sigma Black Belt certification with CI tools and methodologies.
• Proven track record leading enterprise-wide or cross-functional transformation efforts.
• Strong strategic, analytical, and systems thinking abilities with measurable outcomes.
• Ability to influence senior stakeholders and balance objectives with realities to drive sustainable change.
• Ability to integrate multiple improvement streams into a unified agenda.
• High emotional intelligence, resilience, and effective leadership of CI practitioners.

Responsibilities

• Translate SG Hub CI strategy into executable, hub-wide priorities and roadmaps.
• Lead large-scale, cross-BU improvement and transformation programs across the SG Hub.
• Provide hub-wide oversight of CI frameworks, governance, and improvement systems.
• Act as the primary integrator of CI efforts across BUs and resolve dependencies.
• Embed CI thinking into leadership routines and decision-making processes.
• Coach and develop CI team members and BU practitioners for capability depth.
• Support shaping and maturing the hub's CI operating model and governance.

Skills

Lean Six Sigma

Change leadership

Stakeholder management

Strategic thinking

Project management

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

Company description:

About Us

Headquartered in Singapore, SATS Ltd. is one of the world's largest providers of air cargo handling services and Asia's leading airline caterer. SATS Gateway Services provides airfreight and ground handling services including passenger services, ramp and baggage handling, aviation security services, aircraft cleaning and aviation laundry. SATS Food Solutions serves airlines and institutions, and operates central kitchens with large-scale food production and distribution capabilities for a wide range of cuisines.

SATS is present in the Asia-Pacific, the Americas, Europe, the Middle East and Africa, powering an interconnected world of trade, travel and taste. Following the acquisition of Worldwide Flight Services (WFS) in 2023, the combined SATS and WFS network operates over 215 stations in 27 countries. These cover trade routes responsible for more than 50% of global air cargo volume. SATS has been listed on the Singapore Exchange since May 2000. For more information, please visit www.sats.com.sg

Why Join Us

At SATS, people are our greatest asset and we build our success on the knowledge, expertise and performance of every contributor, by embracing diversity and uniqueness. As part of our holistic approach and commitment to embracing FAM (Fulfilling, Appreciated, Meaningful) in the workplace, we offer the runway to develop Fulfilling careers that foster your career growth, recognising and Appreciating the strength of talent and capabilities that we continue to build internally; and inspiring and encouraging each other to make Meaningful contributions in the work we do at SATS.

About Us

Headquartered in Singapore, SATS Ltd. is one of the world's largest providers of air cargo handling services and Asia's leading airline caterer. SATS Gateway Services provides airfreight and ground handling services including passenger services, ramp and baggage handling, aviation security services, aircraft cleaning and aviation laundry. SATS Food Solutions serves airlines and institutions, and operates central kitchens with large-scale food production and distribution capabilities for a wide range of cuisines.

SATS is present in the Asia-Pacific, the Americas, Europe, the Middle East and Africa, powering an interconnected world of trade, travel and taste. Following the acquisition of Worldwide Flight Services (WFS) in 2023, the combined SATS and WFS network operates over 225 stations in 27 countries. These cover trade routes responsible for more than 50% of global air cargo volume. SATS has been listed on the Singapore Exchange since May 2000. For more information, please visit www.sats.com.sg

Why Join Us

At SATS, people are our greatest asset and we build our success on the knowledge, expertise and performance of every contributor, by embracing diversity and uniqueness. As part of our holistic approach and commitment to embracing FAM (Fulfilling, Appreciated, Meaningful) in the workplace, we offer the runway to develop Fulfilling careers that foster your career growth, recognising and Appreciating the strength of talent and capabilities that we continue to build internally; and inspiring and encouraging each other to make Meaningful contributions in the work we do at SATS.

Key Responsibilities

The role exists to translate the Singapore Hub (SG Hub) Continuous Improvement (CI) strategy into sustained, on-the-ground change, ensuring improvement priorities are adopted, embedded, and delivered across the business units. The Senior Manager, CI shapes the CI roadmap, partners senior leadership to drive hub-level performance improvement and institutionalises CI as part of the operating model in the day-to-day. The role balances business outcomes with operational realities, managing resistance arising from legacy structures and maintaining strong stakeholder relationship while driving results.

• Translate SG Hub Continuous Improvement strategy into executable, hub-wide priorities, roadmaps, and transformation initiatives, ensuring clarity of intent, sequencing and feasibility.
• Lead and sponsor large-scale, cross-BU improvement and transformation programmes, actively managing stakeholder resistance, sequencing change, resolving trade-offs between outcomes, capacity and relationship across the SG Hub to ensure value realisation.
• Provide hub-wide oversight and integration of CI frameworks, governance models, and improvement management systems deployed across Business Units, ensuring consistency, discipline and alignment with established standards.
• Act as the primary integrator of CI efforts across BUs, resolving prioritisation conflicts, trade-offs and dependencies, addressing change fatigue, and maintaining alignment of multiple streams to deliver coherent hub-level outcomes.
• Institutionalise CI thinking by embedding improvement principles into leadership routines, management systems, and decision-making processes across the Hub.
• Coach, develop, and provide functional leadership to CI team members and BU-embedded practitioners, building depth of CI capability, CI bench strength and succession readiness for SG Hub.
• Support the Head of CI in shaping and maturing the hub's CI operating model, providing feedback from execution, adoption challenges, and resistance patterns to refine strategy and governance, including deployment of standards and sharing of best practices.
• Adapt and cascade approved global OE standards, tools, and methodologies into SG Hub, ensuring consistency while addressing operational realities.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to senior leaders on complex, cross-BU operational challenges, systemic issues, and change agendas to pace change, manage change and sustaining momentum.
• Champion a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and performance excellence across the SG Hub, role-modeling constructive challenge, disciplined problem-solving, and fact-based decision-making.

Key Requirements

• Bachelor's Degree in Business, Engineering, Science, or a related discipline.
• 10 to 15 years of relevant experience in Continuous Improvement (CI), Operational Excellence (OE), business transformation, or large-scale change management roles.
• Lean Six Sigma Black Belt certification with demonstrated application of CI methodologies and tools, including Lean, Kaizen, Gemba, Root Cause Analysis (RCA), and Six Sigma.
• Proven track record of leading enterprise-wide or cross-functional transformation and continuous improvement initiatives within complex operating environments.
• Strong strategic, analytical, and systems thinking capabilities, with the ability to translate business strategy into operational improvement priorities and measurable outcomes.
• Demonstrated ability to manage and influence senior stakeholders, balancing business objectives, operational realities, and stakeholder relationships to drive sustainable change.
• Strong change leadership capabilities, with experience managing resistance, resolving conflicts, building alignment, and sustaining momentum through long-term transformation programmes.
• Ability to integrate multiple improvement streams, priorities, and dependencies into a cohesive and executable change agenda.
• High emotional intelligence, sound judgement, and resilience to navigate ambiguity, organisational complexity, and competing priorities.
• Strong coaching and leadership capabilities, with experience developing CI practitioners and building organisational improvement capability.
• Highly motivated, detail-oriented, and able to effectively manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.

Preferred Requirements

• Experience leading or actively participating in Operational Excellence or Continuous Improvement communities of practice.
• Advanced expertise in portfolio governance, benefits realisation, performance management, and business analytics.
• Professional certifications in change and project management, such as PROSCI, PRINCE2, PMP, or equivalent.
• Experience operating within large, matrixed, or multi-business-unit organisations, with exposure to enterprise-wide transformation programmes.