Director, US Operations Performance

The Director, US Operations Performance is a leadership role, within the Operations Performance and Transformation Organization, responsible for driving operational excellence, process optimization, and performance improvement across all US Operations functions. This leader will oversee the development and execution of strategies that enhance performance, ensure compliance and delivery of key KPIs, and support the organization's objectives. The role requires a blend of strategic vision, hands-on execution, and cross-functional collaboration.

Strategic Leadership: Define, implement, and revise operational policies and performance frameworks to align with organizational goals and transformation initiatives.
• Routines: Implement key routines into organization to drive clarity, accountability and delivery of key performance metrics.
• Performance Management: Develop and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure progress, identify improvement opportunities, and ensure transparency for decision-making.
• Process Optimization: Analyze and re-engineer business processes to improve efficiency, productivity, and resource allocation across supply chain, logistics, and manufacturing.
• Team Development: Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing team, fostering a culture of continuous improvement, accountability, and engagement.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work closely with all Operations functions to proactively address risks, corrective actions and accountability.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Build strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including suppliers, partners, and executive leadership, to drive alignment and achieve business objectives.

The salary range for this position is $146,000 - $200,000 USD. The exact salary offered will depend on several factors, including the candidate's relevant experience, geographic location, internal equity, and market conditions. Danone North America additionally offers a performance-based bonus and has a strong benefits package including Medical, Dental, Vision, Prescription Drug Coverage, 401k Plan, Wellness Program, Life Insurance, Tuition Reimbursement, Flexible Time Off, and Paid Parental Bonding Leave, among other benefit plan options. To give our employees flexibility, Danone is a hybrid work environment.

Education and Experience (Requirements):

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Engineering or related field (Advanced degree preferred)
• 15+ years of progressive experience in operations, supply chain, or performance management, with at least 5 years in a leadership role.
• Demonstrated success in leading large-scale transformation and performance improvement initiatives.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
• Excellent communication, collaboration, and interpersonal abilities.
• Experience with digital transformation, data analytics, and continuous improvement methodologies (e.g., Lean, Six Sigma) is highly desirable.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Understands end to end business and operations
• Has well developed communication skills - oral, written, listening.
• Has self-confidence to lead independently
• Has the capability to lead through influence

Key Leadership Skills required in role

Director US Operations Performance is expected to meet all of the below leadership skills.

• Leadership - Establish vision, exhibit "can do" attitude, treat adversity as opportunity vs setback, manage emotional tenor of external stakeholders, hold other leaders accountable to deadlines/timelines, establish trust, establish importance of results vs effort, promote healthy conflict.
• Communications - Establish/use standard formats for exchanging information; make communication action-oriented, concise, and timely; keep the cross functional leadership team focused and shut-down tangents .
• Risk management - Identify, work to mitigate/take advantage of, and respond to key risks; seek to understand probability of risk realization and impact; create contingencies; use past experiences and plan for them
• Team building - Guide team on how to navigate organization and get work done; ensure team members get support needed from team and their functions to be successful; build trust and accountability to shared results and sense of team; insist on best effort; motivate by appreciation
• Coaching & people development - Foster personal and professional growth of colleagues, teammate, and stakeholders; insist each team member provides his/her best effort; provide position feedback regularly and constructive feedback without judgment frequently.
• Decision making - demonstrate and instill in others confidence when making decisions under uncertainty; leverage others' input and knowledge to make best possible decisions; emphasize making best decisions with information available at time; use structured decision-making approach
• Problem solving - recognize when problems exist, identify possible solutions, propose options and gain buy in; implement change management and solutions; seek inputs on facts and opinions; make problem solving a collective process to engender buy-in and achieve best solution
• Negotiating & Managing conflict - create clarity on what will be done and goals; seek solutions that meet needs vs positions taken/espoused; seek innovate/creative solutions; evaluate solutions against objective criteria; preserve and use challenges to build working relationships
• Organizational effectiveness - Manage up and down the organization to get things done; show respect regardless of position; leverage network of contacts; understand and work within formal and information structures of organization
• Perspective - Take broad organization POV vs functional/team view; Seek to see total business perspective; understand role of project/team/business in context of its' role within total enterprise; invest to learn business
• Visioning - Continually seek to identify gaps between current state and capability set the business strategy requires; anticipate coming changes that will require reaction/accommodation; identify options and build support of those that would be affected by change; make case for change and move organization toward solution

Additional information:

• Ability to travel up to 25%

Danone U.S. is part of Danone North America, a purpose-driven company and an industry leader in the food and beverage category. You'll work with some of the best-known food and beverage brands in the world. Our strong portfolio of brands includes: Activia, DanActive, Danimals, Dannon, evian, Follow Your Heart, Happy Family Organics, International Delight, Light + Fit, Nutricia , Oikos, Silk, So Delicious Dairy Free, STK Cold Brew Coffee , Too Good & Co, and YoCrunch.

With approximately 5,000 employees and 13 production locations across the U.S., Danone North America's mission is to bring health through food to as many people as possible.

You'll be part of one of the largest Certified B Corps in the world, working to make sure our company creates real value for people and the planet. Come join our movement for a healthier world: One Planet. One Health BY YOU.

Danone North America is proud to be an Equal Opportunity employer. It is our policy to give equal employment opportunities to all qualified persons without regard to legally protected characteristics, or any other consideration made unlawful by applicable federal, state/provincial and/or local law. For our EEO policy statement and your EEO rights under law click here.

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