Director, Lean Business Systems

Johnson Controls International; York (York County); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Johnson Controls, Inc. seeks a Business Systems Director to lead enterprise Lean/80/20 transformation across a network of manufacturing plants in the United States.

You will shape strategy, deploy value-stream design, and drive a culture of operational excellence with measurable improvements. The role oversees Lean and continuous improvement professionals, partners with R&D and Finance, and champions digital Lean tools, Obeya rooms, and Kaizen events to accelerate time-to-market and cost

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Operations, or related field; MBA or advanced degree preferred.
• 10+ years of progressive leadership experience in manufacturing operations.
• Deep expertise in Lean, Six Sigma, and Toyota Production System (TPS) methodologies.
• Proven success in leading large-scale Lean transformations across multi-site operations.
• Strong financial acumen with experience managing P&L and capital projects.
• Exceptional leadership, communication, and change management skills.

Responsibilities

• Architect and execute a multi-year business operating model roadmap aligned with corporate strategy and product line objectives, using 80/20 prioritization to focus on high-impact value streams.
• Integrate Lean into strategic planning processes, including Hoshin Kanri, and 80/20 Value Stream Design to allocate resources toward critical drivers.
• Standardize and scale Lean maturity assessments and Lean audits across the network.
• Assists in selecting, developing, target setting and performance management of lean change agents within the plants; allocate resources for initiatives.
• Foster a collaborative, high-performance team culture focused on results and continuous learning.
• Collaborate with R&D and Engineering to apply Lean principles early in the product lifecycle to reduce time-to-market and improve manufacturability.
• Institute tiered accountability systems, visual management, and Leader Standard Work to drive daily performance.
• Facilitate enterprise-level Kaizen events, RIEs, 3P, and cross-functional value stream transformations.
• Oversee integration of Lean and Six Sigma methodologies (DMAIC, SPC, FMEA) to address process variation and drive improvements.
• Champion Lean Digitalization: dashboards, digital Gemba boards, and AI/ML-enabled root-cause analysis and digital twins.
• Extend Lean into indirect functions (HR, Finance, IT, Supply Chain) to eliminate waste and improve service delivery.
• Establish and lead Obeya rooms for cross-functional alignment and rapid decision-making.
• Lead cultural shift from reactive to proactive operations through coaching, training, and modeling of Lean leadership.
• Develop internal Lean capability through academies, certification programs, and hands-on coaching.

Skills

Lean

Six Sigma

Strategic thinking

Leadership

Change management

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering/Operations

MBA or advanced degree preferred

Tools

DMAIC

FMEA

SPC

RACI Matrix

Job description

The Business Systems Director is a senior operational leader responsible for driving enterprise-level Lean/80/20 transformation across a network of manufacturing plants. The ideal candidate will be a strategic thinker with a hands- on approach, capable of influencing at all levels of the organization. This role leads a team of Lean and Continuous Improvement professionals and is accountable for embedding a culture of operational excellence, waste elimination, innovation, and sustainable performance improvement across GPS manufacturing sites.

Key Responsibilities:

Lean Strategy & Deployment

• Architect and execute a multi-year business operating model roadmap aligned with corporate strategy and product line objectives, using 80/20 prioritization to focus on the highest-impact value streams and customer segments.
• Integrate Lean into strategic planning processes, including Hoshin Kanri,and 80/20-based Value Stream Design to ensure resources are directed toward the most critical drivers of performance.
• Standardize and scale Lean maturity assessments and Lean audits across the network.
• Assists in the selection, development, target setting and performance management of lean change agents within the plants. Allocate resources effectively to support plant-level and enterprise-wide initiatives.
• Foster a collaborative, high-performance team culture focused on results and continuous learning.

Advanced Lean Activities

• Lean Product & Process Development (LPPD): Collaborate with R&D and Engineering to apply Lean principles early in the product lifecycle to reduce time-to-market and improve manufacturability.
• Daily Management Systems (DMS): Institutionalize tiered accountability systems, visual management, and Leader Standard Work (LSW) to drive daily performance and problem-solving.
• Kaizen Leadership: Facilitate and sponsor enterprise-level Kaizen events, including Rapid Improvement Events (RIEs), 3P (Production Preparation Process), and cross-functional value stream transformations.
• Lean Six Sigma Integration: Oversee integration of Lean and Six Sigma methodologies such as DMAIC, SPC, and FMEA to address complex process variation and drive breakthrough improvements.
• Lean Digitalization: Champion the use of digital Lean tools such as real-time dashboards, digital Gemba boards, and AI/ML-enabled root cause analysis and digital twins for process simulation and optimization.
• Lean in Indirect Functions: Extend Lean practices into support functions (e.g., HR, Finance, IT, Supply Chain) using tools like Process Mapping, Swimlane Diagrams, and RACI Matrices to eliminate waste and improve service delivery.
• Obeya Room Management: Establish and lead Obeya rooms for cross-functional alignment, strategic tracking, and rapid decision-making.

Cultural Transformation & Capability Building

• Lead the cultural shift from reactive to proactive operations through coaching, training, and modeling of Lean leadership behaviors.
• Build internal Lean capability through structured academies, certification programs, and hands- on coaching and use of appropriate lean methodologies and tools.
• Develop and mentor a diverse pipeline of Lean leaders and change agents across the organization.

Performance Management & Innovation

• Drive measurable improvements in safety, quality, delivery, cost, and employee engagement through Lean initiatives.
• Identifies waste and opportunities for the business to improve in (among others by using Lean principles and methodologies), as well as reporting and celebrating past successes in these areas from a business perspective.
• Identify and scale best practices across the network, including automation, Industry 4.0 technologies, and advanced analytics. Create and deploy a technology roadmap, that may include 3D printing, digitization, google glasses, etc.
• Partner with Finance to quantify Lean savings and ensure alignment with financial goals.

Stakeholder Engagement & External Impact

• Serve as a trusted advisor to senior leadership on operational strategy and Lean maturity.
• Represent the company in industry forums and benchmarking consortia to stay ahead of emerging trends.
• Promote community engagement and social responsibility through site-level initiatives and partnerships.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Operations, or related field; MBA or advanced degree preferred.
• 10+ years of progressive leadership experience in manufacturing operations
• Deep expertise in Lean, Six Sigma, and Toyota Production System (TPS) methodologies.
• Proven success in leading large-scale Lean transformations across multi-site operations.
• Strong financial acumen with experience managing P&L and capital projects.
• Exceptional leadership, communication, and change management skills.

Personal Attributes:

• Visionary and strategic thinker with a passion for operational excellence.
• Influential leader who inspires trust, drives accountability, and builds high-performing teams.
• Resilient and adaptable, with a continuous improvement mindset and a bias for action.