Director, Continuous Improvement Business System and AI enablement

Work Schedule

Environmental Conditions

Job Description

Director PPI Business System & AI Enablement

How will you make an impact

As a member of the European Fisher Scientific Leadership Team you will lead the deployment and maturation of the PPI Business System across the Customer Channels Group (CCG) embedding a culture of continuous improvement that delivers sustainable business results.

You will also serve as the business-side leader for AI-enabled process improvement and the adoption of this role you will partner with IT Digital Data Analytics and AI teams to translate business priorities into prioritized use cases redesigned workflows adoption plans and measurable outcomes across productivity customer experience operational excellence and profitable growth.

This role does not own technical architecture application and platform delivery systems engineering model development infrastructure cybersecurity or production technology support. Success will be measured by the business value realized process adoption capability building and disciplined governance of AI automation and digital productivity opportunities.

Location: This role can be hybrid based from our Loughborough UK office or our Illkirch France office.

What will you do

• Partner with the European Leadership Team (ELT) to embed the PPI Business System build leadership capability and enable achievement of strategic and operational objectives.
• Lead the divisions business-side AI automation and digital productivity agenda by identifying business problems prioritizing use cases defining value cases and sponsoring adoption in partnership with IT Digital Data Analytics and AI delivery teams.
• Champion role base mastery of the PPI Business System to build organizational capability. Coach train and develop; leaders to own the chain of execution managers to lead accountability - connecting strategy to the daily work and everyone to become everyday problem solvers. Support this by integrating AI and digital concepts into application of PPI methodologies and tools.
• Drive deployment and continuous maturity of the PPI Business System across commercial customer-facing SG&A and operational functions.
• Build organizational capability through coaching training and leader development integrating practical AI automation and digital productivity concepts into PPI methodologies leader standard work and continuous improvement practices.
• Lead cross-functional business transformation initiatives that improve customer experience operational performance productivity quality and financial outcomes.
• Establish and maintain a robust pipeline of continuous improvement AI-enabled process improvement automation and workflow redesign opportunities ensuring disciplined governance prioritization adoption planning and measurable business value.
• Apply and coach the use of PPI tools and methodologies including Strategy Deployment (X-Matrix) A3 Thinking KPI Leadership Tiered Accountability Leader Standard Work Standard Work Gemba 5 Whys 5S 8-Step Problem Solving and RCCM.
• Partner with Finance Global CCG PPI AI & Digital teams Business Governance IT Data and Analytics to establish processes for value realization productivity tracking project governance risk review and reporting.
• Define business requirements current-state process pain points target-state workflows expected benefits change impacts and adoption metrics for AI automation and digital productivity initiatives.
• Ensure AI and automation initiatives are grounded in business process redesign appropriate governance responsible use and end-user adoption; escalate technical data security privacy and platform decisions to the accountable IT Digital Data and AI owners.
• Foster a culture of continuous improvement innovation accountability and data-driven decision making while promoting replication of successful practices across Europe.
• Coach leaders PPI practitioners and project teams to strengthen problem-solving capability accelerate change adoption and increase organizational effectiveness.

Education

• Bachelors degree in Engineering Operations Science Business or a related discipline required.
• Masters degree or MBA preferred.
• Certification or advanced expertise in Lean Six Sigma PPI Business System Agile Business Transformation Process Reengineering or equivalent continuous improvement methodologies preferred.

Experience

• Ideally experienced in a high volume transaction environment.
• 10 years leading operational excellence continuous improvement business transformation or related functions in complex matrixed organizations.
• Demonstrated success leading enterprise-wide Lean (TPS HBS or DBS) or PPI deployments and delivering measurable business results.
• Experience leading business-led AI automation digital transformation analytics or technology-enabled productivity initiatives including use-case prioritization process redesign adoption governance and value realization.
• Strong expertise in Lean leadership practices including Value Stream Mapping A3 Thinking Tier Accountability Leader Standard Work Gemba Visual Management and structured problem solving..
• Proven experience translating business challenges into scalable process improvements workflow changes business requirements and technology-enabled solutions in partnership with technical teams.
• Experience partnering with Commercial Distribution Shared Services Finance IT Digital Data Analytics and AI organizations without directly owning technical platforms engineering delivery or production technology operations.
• Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional teams and influence senior leaders in a global matrix environment.
• Strong understanding of business operations financial management enterprise transformation change adoption and productivity measurement.

Knowledge Skills & Abilities

• Executive-level leadership coaching facilitation and stakeholder management skills.
• Strong communication skills with the ability to influence and engage audiences at all organizational levels.
• Working knowledge of AI automation workflow redesign process mining digital productivity platforms and emerging technologies with emphasis on business application adoption responsible use and value realization.
• Ability to identify business value opportunities and develop practical roadmaps that integrate process improvement workflow redesign change management and digital enablement.
• Ability to define business requirements success metrics adoption plans process controls and benefits tracking for AI automation and digital productivity initiatives.
• Ability to partner effectively with IT Digital Data Analytics and AI teams while maintaining clear accountability for business outcomes rather than technical solution ownership.
• Strong analytical strategic thinking and change leadership capabilities.
• Proficiency with Microsoft 365 applications including Excel PowerPoint Visio Teams and Whiteboard.
• Ability to travel approximately 25%