Director of Continuous Improvement/Operational Excellence

Woodward is committed to creating a great workplace for all team members. Our company and its members are committed to acting with integrity, being respectful and accountable to one another, and staying humble and driven, while maintaining the highest professional and ethical standards.

We are steadfastly committed to attracting the best talent across our communities, creating a rewarding workplace. Together we are fulfilling our purpose to design and deliver energy control solutions our partners count on to power a clean future.

Woodward supports our members’ wellbeing and regularly benchmarks with other companies in our industry to offer an extensive Total Reward package for this position. Salary will be determined by the applicant's education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity and alignment with market data. 

• Estimated annual base pay: $150,400 (minimum) - $188,000 (midpoint) - $225,600 (maximum)
  • All members included in annual cash bonus opportunity
  • 401(k) match (4.5%)
  • Annual Woodward stock contribution (5%)
  • Tuition reimbursement and Training/Professional Development opportunities for all members  

• 12 paid holidays, including floating holidays. 
• Industry leading medical, dental, and vision Insurance upon date of hire

• Vacation / Sick Time / Vacation Buy-up / Short Term Disability / Bereavement leave. 
• Paid parental leave.
• Adoption Assistance  
• Employee Assistance Program, including mental health benefits. 
• Member Life & AD&D / Long Term Disability / Member Optional Life 
• Member referral bonus 

• Spouse / Child Optional Life / Optional AD&D / Healthcare and Dependent Care Flexible             Spending 
• Voluntary benefits, including:  

• Home / Auto Insurance discounts 
• Whole Life Insurance / Critical Illness Insurance / Legal Assistance / Military Leave 

 Are you ready to make your mark? If you’re a Continuous Improvement Professional, we have an exciting opportunity for you.  The Continuous Improvement Director is a key leadership role responsible for developing, managing, and executing the organization's continuous improvement strategy. This individual will drive operational excellence initiatives across the organization, fostering a culture of innovation, efficiency, and excellence. Utilizing their strong background in engineering, continuous improvement methodologies, and people leadership, the Continuous Improvement Director will identify opportunities for process optimization, lead cross-functional teams, and deliver measurable improvements in quality, productivity, and cost-effectiveness.

What You Will Be Doing 

Production System Owner:

• Lead the deployment and maturity of the Woodward Production System for the site

Develop a Problem-Solving Culture:

• Serve as a role model and advocate for a culture where employees at all levels embrace problem-solving as a daily practice.

Develop Leaders as Coaches:

• Provide training, tools, and guidance to help leaders, within the site, become effective coaches who empower their teams while supporting their personal growth and development in efforts of building a pipeline of future leaders.

Strategic Partnership:

• Share ownership of overall performance with site leader to ensure alignment, accountability, and shared ownership in the execution of operational goals and objectives.

Align Goals Across the Organization:

• Ensure that business-level objectives are cascaded clearly and effectively through all departments, teams, and individuals, aligning efforts with strategic priorities.

What We Are Looking For 

• Education:
  • Bachelor’s degree (required)
• Experience:
  • Minimum of 7+ years of experience in continuous improvement, operational excellence, manufacturing leadership or process improvement roles.
  • Proven track record of successfully leading large-scale Lean/Six Sigma improvement initiatives in a manufacturing, engineering, or operations environment.
  • Demonstrated experience in people leadership and team development within a LEAN manufacturing environment.

Application window is anticipated to close 30 days from original posting date.

This information is provided in compliance with the Colorado Equal Pay for Equal Work Act and is the company’s good faith and reasonable estimate of the compensation range and benefits offered for this position. The compensation offered to the successful applicant may vary based on factors including experience, skills, education, location, and other job-related reasons.

This position requires use of information which is subject to the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and/or the Export Administration Regulations (EAR).   All applicants must be U.S. Persons within the meaning of the ITAR and EAR, or eligible to obtain all required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State and/or the U.S. Department of Commerce. The ITAR defines a U.S. Person as a U.S. citizen or national, lawful permanent resident (i.e., 'Green Card holder'), or a protected person (e.g., asylee, or refugee).

Woodward is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate in hiring or employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including sexual orientation and gender identity), national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status, or any other category protected under federal, state, or local laws.