Director of Operational Excellence & Optimization

Ergon Inc; Flowood (MS); On-site; USD 150,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

Ergon Inc. is seeking a Director of Operational Excellence & Optimization in Flowood, MS.

This role will lead cross-functional optimization initiatives, embedding operational excellence into capital decisions and daily work, while partnering with finance and engineering to quantify value and drive performance. The position requires 10+ years in operations or related fields, 5+ years leading large-scale improvements, and Lean Six Sigma credentials, with a focus on safety, reliability, and

Qualifications

• Minimum 10 years in operations, engineering, operational excellence, or related field.
• Minimum 5 years leading cross-functional improvement initiatives.
• Experience with multi-function opportunity identification through performance measurement.
• Experience presenting recommendations to senior leaders.
• Experience in refining, petrochemical, chemical processing, energy, or manufacturing environments.

Responsibilities

• Establish and lead the ESS Operational Excellence strategy with governance, standards, and performance measures.
• Lead cross-functional optimization and continuous-improvement initiatives for safety, reliability, efficiency, and profitability.
• Identify recurring issues and implement sustainable solutions using standardized problem-solving and organizational learning.
• Evaluate technology, analytics, automation, and innovation opportunities based on value and risk.
• Partner with engineering, operations, maintenance, reliability, safety, and finance to quantify opportunities and validate value.
• Build organizational capability by enhancing continuous-improvement practices and scalable solutions across ESS.

Skills

Operational Excellence

Continuous Improvement

Lean Six Sigma

Cross-functional Leadership

Change Management

Performance Metrics

Strategic Planning

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Business, Operations Management, or related field

Job description

Position Summary

Ergon's Energy & Specialty Solutions (ESS) division is seeking a Director of Operational Excellence & Optimization to lead the business unit efforts that strengthen operational and business performance. Reporting to the Vice President – ESS Business Operations, this role integrates people, processes, systems, technology, and performance to improve safety, reliability, profitability, and organizational resilience.

The Director will lead cross-functional optimization, continuous improvement, innovation, and technology initiatives while building scalable capabilities that support Ergon's values of Respectful Relationships, Empowered Service, Purposeful Growth, and Selfless Leadership.

Key Responsibilities

• Establish and lead the ESS Operational Excellence strategy, standards, governance, priorities, and performance measures aligned with business objectives.
• Lead cross-functional optimization and continuous-improvement initiatives that improve safety, reliability, efficiency, profitability, and organizational effectiveness.
• Identify recurring operational and business performance issues and implement sustainable solutions using disciplined problem-solving, standardization, and organizational learning.
• Evaluate and advance technology, analytics, automation, and innovation opportunities based on business value, risk, scalability, and organizational readiness.
• Partner with Engineering, Operations, Maintenance, Reliability, Asset Integrity, Safety, and other functions to embed Operational Excellence principles and lifecycle thinking into operating and capital-project decisions.
• Partner with Finance and business leaders to quantify opportunities, prioritize initiatives, establish performance measures, and validate realized business value.
• Build organizational capability by strengthening continuous-improvement practices, change leadership, knowledge sharing, and adoption of scalable solutions across ESS.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Business, Operations Management, or a related field.
• 10+ years of experience in operations, engineering, operational excellence, continuous improvement, business optimization, or a related field.
• 5+ years of experience leading cross-functional improvement, optimization, or transformation initiatives.
• Experience leading initiatives involving multiple operational or business functions from opportunity identification through implementation and performance measurement.
• Experience establishing and using operational or business performance metrics to identify opportunities and measure results.
• Experience presenting recommendations, performance results, and improvement priorities to senior business or operational leaders.
• Experience working within refining, petrochemical, chemical processing, energy, manufacturing, or a comparable industrial environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• 15+ years of progressive experience in industrial operations, engineering, operational excellence, or business optimization.
• 7+ years leading enterprise, multi-site, or business-unit-level continuous-improvement or optimization initiatives.
• Experience developing or implementing an Operational Excellence framework, governance model, or performance-management system.
• Experience implementing technology, analytics, automation, or digital solutions that produced measurable operational or business improvements.
• Experience developing business cases and partnering with Finance to quantify opportunities and validate realized financial or operational value.
• Experience leading organizational change or capability-building initiatives across multiple functions or operating locations.
• Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, Lean certification, or comparable continuous-improvement certification.