Director, Solution Development Operations

KION Business Services Polska; Grand Rapids (MI); On-site; USD 165,000 - 243,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Career Development

Pay Transparency

Global Opportunities

Competitive Compensation and Benefits

Job summary

Dematic is seeking a Director, Solution Development Operational Excellence to shape how the Solution Development organization works, improves, and scales. You will lead initiatives with Sales, Engineering, Finance, and Commercial Operations to drive measurable outcomes and remove barriers.

You will lead AI-enabled improvements and establish governance, dashboards, and performance metrics to guide execution and accelerate business impact.

Qualifications

• Expertise in operational excellence and process improvement methodologies.
• Experience leading cross-functional initiatives from strategy through execution.
• Strong analytical skills to leverage data, metrics, and dashboards.

Responsibilities

• Lead operational excellence initiatives to improve how Solution Development works and scales.
• Define and standardize core processes, governance routines, and cross-functional handoffs.
• Drive AI-enabled improvements to enhance efficiency, quality, and outcomes.
• Lead strategic projects from concept through implementation with measurable impact.
• Establish project management standards, timelines, risk management, and executive reporting.
• Develop scalable tools, dashboards, and performance metrics for informed decisions.
• Collaborate with leaders across Solution Development, Sales, Engineering, Finance, and Commercial Operations.

Skills

Operational excellence

Process design

Cross-functional collaboration

Analytical skills

Data-driven decision making

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Business, Operations, Supply Chain, Technology, or related field

Tools

Project management tools

Job description

At Dematic, we’re transforming the future of supply chain automation. As the Director, Solution Development Operational Excellence, you’ll help shape how our Solution Development organization works, improves, and scales. This visible leadership position involves working closely with Sales, Engineering, Finance, Commercial Operations, and Solution Development to refine processes, promote critical initiatives, and apply AI-enabled solutions that boost speed, quality, and consistency. You will lead activities that remove barriers, improve workflows, and support teams in delivering improved business and customer outcomes. We’re looking for a collaborative leader who thrives in complex environments, embraces innovation, and can turn ideas into measurable results. If you’re passionate about continuous improvement, operational excellence, and driving meaningful organizational change, this is an opportunity to make a lasting impact across a global business.

Why choose Dematic? At Dematic and KION, our talent is key to creating the magic of supply chain solutions. As part of a global community of communities, you’ll help orchestrate intelligent logistics that power the future of commerce. Here, you can push your career forward in an environment built on collaboration, growth, and real-world impact.

We offer:

• Career Development
• Competitive Compensation and Benefits
• Pay Transparency
• Global Opportunities

Learn More Here: https://www.dematic.com/en-us/about/careers/what-we-offer/

The base pay range for this role is estimated to be $165,375 - $242,550 at the time of posting. Final compensation will be determined by various factors such as work location, education, experience, knowledge, and skills.

What You Will Do in This Role:

• Lead operational excellence initiatives that improve how Solution Development works, scales, and delivers results.
• Define, standardize, and optimize core processes, workflows, governance routines, and cross-functional handoffs.
• Drive AI-enabled improvements that enhance efficiency, quality, consistency, and business outcomes.
• Lead strategic projects and special initiatives from concept through implementation, ensuring measurable impact.
• Establish project management standards, including timelines, achievements, risk management, decision tracking, and executive reporting.
• Analyze existing processes, find opportunities for improvement, and implement sustainable solutions.
• Develop scalable tools, templates, dashboards, and performance metrics that support informed decision-making.
• Collaborate with leaders across Solution Development, Sales, Engineering, Finance, and Commercial Operations to align priorities and drive execution.
• Facilitate organizational change by building collaborator alignment and supporting successful adoption of new processes and tools.
• Observe operational performance and propose steps to increase speed, capacity, quality, and customer outcomes.
• Create governance and management systems that improve visibility, accountability, and execution rigor.
• Foster a culture of continuous improvement, innovation, and data-driven problem solving.
• Translate complex business challenges into practical, actionable solutions.
• Support leadership in identifying and removing operational barriers that impact organizational performance.

What We Are Looking For:

• Considerable expertise in operational excellence, process advancement, project or program administration, business transformation, solution implementation, or equivalent operational leadership capacities.
• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Business, Operations, Supply Chain, Technology, or a related field, or equivalent experience combined with education.
• Strong knowledge of process design, workflow optimization, governance models, and continuous improvement methodologies.
• Experience in recognizing and applying AI, automation, digital transformation, or workflow solutions that provide quantifiable business benefits.
• Ability to lead complex, cross-functional initiatives from strategy through execution, adoption, and sustained results.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to draw on data, metrics, and dashboards to support decision-making and operational performance.
• Experience developing scalable management systems, operating rhythms, and performance measurement frameworks.
• Ability to simplify complex topics and communicate effectively with executive, technical, and business audiences.
• Demonstrated success influencing collaborators, building alignment, and driving action across matrixed organizations.
• Comfort bringing structure, clarity, and momentum to evolving or ambiguous business challenges.
• Knowledge of solution development, engineering collaboration, commercial operations, proposal development, or related business processes.
• Strong business insight with the ability to link operational improvements to quality, efficiency, capacity, cost, and customer outcomes.
• Lean, Six Sigma, PMP, Agile, or other relevant certifications are preferred.
• Experience managing AI, automation, digital workflow, or continuous improvement initiatives is preferred.
• Ability to travel up to 30% as business needs require.

#LI-JR1

Dematic provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.

KION brands keep the world moving – globally, regionally, and locally. KION is the Supply Chain Solutions Company. With over 42,000 employees in more than 100 countries, we enable smart, sustainable, and reliable supply chains worldwide - wherever goods are stored, moved, or delivered.

KION offers its customers the full spectrum of solutions to make their supply chains future-ready. Our international brands, Linde Material Handling, STILL, and Baoli and our regional brands, Fenwick and OM, stand for outstanding technological innovation, intelligent automation and service excellence in forklift trucks and warehouse equipment.

Dematic complements this expertise with state-of-the-art automation technology and AI-supported software solutions that optimize intralogistics across warehousing, production, and distribution.

Whether locally or globally – we offer exciting career opportunities in an innovative environment shaped by our core values: Integrity, Collaboration, Courage, and Excellence. Together, we create the magic of supply chain solutions.