The Company
The Duravent Group is a recognized global technology leader in the HVAC industry, first-to-market with innovations in venting systems. Founded in 1956, Duravent has grown to over $500 million in revenue, is headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, and has 15 locations across the US, Canada, and Mexico. Duravent leads with best-in-class design and manufacturing capabilities, world-class distribution networks, and customer-first service and support.
In 2021, Duravent acquired Grand Rapids-based Hart & Cooley. A leader in the HVAC industry since 1901, the Hart & Cooley acquisition brings a legacy of quality and service, robust manufacturing and distribution capabilities, and a suite of trusted brands into the Duravent family. As a combined company, Duravent is uniquely positioned as the next generation leader in the interior climate technology industry.
The Role
To support Duravent’s continued growth and to build a culture of operational excellence and continuous improvement, Duravent seeks to hire a Director of Operations Excellence. The Director of Operations Excellence will lead the development, implementation, and ongoing improvement of the company’s Lean transformation strategy.
This leader will develop a sustainable continuous improvement culture using Lean principles in order to enhance work processes and output, eliminate waste, and improve performance in safety, quality, cost, and customer experience. This role will be responsible for communicating the goals and objectives of specific Lean/CI activities and systematically measuring results on an ongoing basis. Additionally, the Director will work closely with manufacturing and supply chain site leadership to ensure that Lean/CI improvements are rolled out quickly and effectively, and that improvements are sustained. The OpEx Leader will play a crucial role in transforming the organization into a more efficient, agile, and competitive business by embedding Lean principles in its culture and operations.
Experience & Requirements
• 10+ years of operations, supply chain, OpEx, Lean, and/or CI experience in global manufacturing companies.
• Experience leading multiple operations functions, including supply chain, operational excellence/Lean manufacturing/CI, quality, and/or capital spend.
• Experience driving improved operations and supply chain performance via a formal operations management system (TPS, HOS, DBS, etc.), Experience developing and leading continuous improvement programs with a demonstrated track record of driving positive change.
• Comprehensive knowledge of Lean principles, methodologies, and tools such as Value Stream Mapping, Poka-yoke, Gemba, Muda, Andon, production leveling, Hoshin Kanri, Kaizen, 5S, Kanban, Error proofing, SMED, Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE), etc.
• Comprehensive knowledge of Six Sigma process improvement methodologies.
• Expertise in operations standards and metrics (e.g., KPIs) for safety, quality, labor and material variances, and employee relations and retention. Establishes a culture of accountability through individual and team metrics.
• Excellent communication skills, including written, verbal and presentation skills; comfortable and credible with both internal stakeholders and external audiences.
• An influencer who can drive change in a cross-functional, matrixed environment without direct authority. A flexible, dynamic, self-demanding and proactive individual; able to motivate him/herself and others; a natural bias for action and ability to deal with ambiguity.
