UK

United Kingdom · Operations · Director/VP (16-20 years)

Director of Global Operational Excellence

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  • Experience bandDirector/VP (16-20 years)
  • Direct reports5-8 reports
  • Reports toVP of Global Operations
  • UK framework levelUsually a director, accountable for a division and its numbers

Also advertised as VP, Continuous Improvement · Head of Global Lean Manufacturing · Operations Transformation Director

Built on 43,079 real UK job descriptions we analysed · grounded in what real qualifications cover

Two short quizzes about you

1From this job to a course

The qualifications matched to this job

EAL Level 4 Diploma in Engineering and Advanced Manufacturing (Development Competence) Excellence, Achievement & Learning Limited · Level 4 · covers 4 of 10 standards
ETCAL Level 4 NVQ Diploma in Business Improvement Techniques ETC Awards Limited · Level 4 · covers 3 of 10 standards
EAL Level 4 NVQ Diploma in Engineering Manufacture Excellence, Achievement & Learning Limited · Level 4 · covers 3 of 10 standards
EAL Level 4 NVQ Extended Diploma in Engineering Manufacture Excellence, Achievement & Learning Limited · Level 4 · covers 3 of 10 standards
ETCAL Level 2 NVQ Diploma in Performing Engineering Operations ETC Awards Limited · Level 2 · covers 1 of 10 standards
ETCAL Diploma in Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering (Development Technical Knowledge) ETC Awards Limited · Level 3 · covers 1 of 10 standards

Matched from the standards this job is measured against: a suggestion, not an official ruling.

The units you would start with

Leading the application of Six Sigma methodology to a project EAL Level 4 Diploma in Engineering and Advanced Manufacturing (Development Competence)
Leading the application of Six Sigma metrics to a project ETCAL Level 4 NVQ Diploma in Business Improvement Techniques
Carrying out engineering activities efficiently and effectively ETCAL Level 2 NVQ Diploma in Performing Engineering Operations
Lean Operations and Continuous Improvement in Engineering ETCAL Diploma in Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering (Development Technical Knowledge)

The future skills this job leans on

AI Fluency working with AI as a thinking partner
Data Fluency turning numbers into a decision
AI Governance Fluency using AI responsibly
Frontier Fluency the next wave, beyond mainstream AI
Foresight Fluency seeing round the corner
Your Plan Illustration

Built for Director of Global Operational Excellence

4 units that map to this job, from the qualifications that cover it.

  1. Leading the application of Six Sigma methodology to a project Excellence, Achievement & Learning Limited · covers 4 of 10 standards Level 4
  2. Leading the application of Six Sigma metrics to a project ETC Awards Limited · covers 3 of 10 standards Level 4
  3. Carrying out engineering activities efficiently and effectively ETC Awards Limited · covers 1 of 10 standards Level 2
  4. Lean Operations and Continuous Improvement in Engineering ETC Awards Limited · covers 1 of 10 standards Level 3
These are the real units behind this job, in the order they rank for it. Nothing here is marked done, because this plan has not been started by anyone yet. Yours would fill in as you go.

2AI and this work

Will AI change your work as a Director of Global Operational Excellence?

Nobody can say exactly how. Here is what this job is being asked for next, and where to start.

The new skills this role is being asked for

  • AI & Machine Learning for Predictive Operations
  • Digital Twin Strategy & Implementation
Why each one is rising

The future skills this job leans on

We'll only ever tell you what we can actually back up. No hype, no scare tactics.

What happens when you start

Next, a free account. We build your Director of Global Operational Excellence plan as you set up, starting with the free Automation Fluency module. No card.

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3What this role really is

This role sets the direction for operational excellence across every plant and region in a global organisation. It means building a strategy that brings every site towards the same goals, and making sure Lean thinking runs from the shop floor to the boardroom.

4What you'd actually use

The tools this job runs on, and how well you'd need to know each one.

SAP S/4HANA (PP/QM Modules) Strategize

Defining enterprise data governance standards for production and quality data, leading module selection for new plants, and ensuring the ERP system supports global OpEx initiatives. You're not just using it; you're shaping its use.

Siemens Opcenter / Rockwell FactoryTalk / Plex MES Strategize

Developing the business case for MES investments, leading multi-site implementation projects, and defining how MES data will be used for global performance monitoring and improvement. You're deciding the future of our shop-floor systems.

Power BI / Tableau Strategize

Defining the enterprise BI strategy for operational data, managing Power BI Premium/Tableau Server capacity and security, and ensuring dashboards provide strategic insights for global decision-making. You'll be driving what gets measured and how.

Minitab / JMP Architect

Setting the global standard for statistical validation of OpEx projects, defending complex analyses to executive leadership, and ensuring your team uses these tools rigorously for root cause analysis and design of experiments (DOE). You're the ultimate arbiter of statistical integrity.

Microsoft Visio / Miro / Lucidchart Architect

Establishing the company-wide standard for process documentation and modelling tools, ensuring consistency across regions, and using them to visualise complex global value streams for strategic planning. You're ensuring our processes are clearly understood, everywhere.

Jira / Asana / MS Project (or Anaplan for portfolio management) Strategize

Managing a portfolio of global OpEx projects, allocating resources and budgets across regions, and reporting on the overall health and progress of the transformation programme to the C-suite. You're overseeing the entire programme delivery.

5What you get to decide, and how that grows

Power in a job isn't your title. It's what you're allowed to decide. Here's how it grows as you move up.

The choiceComing in Where you are nowThe step above
Global OpEx Strategy & Methodology N/A N/A Defines and proposes global strategy to VP of Global Operations for final approval. Full autonomy on methodology and deployment within approved strategy.
Budget Allocation for OpEx Programmes N/A N/A Full authority for budget allocation up to £5M for OpEx initiatives. Requires VP approval for anything above this, or for capital expenditure.
Hiring & Team Structure (Direct Reports) N/A N/A Full authority for hiring, performance management, and organisational design of your direct reports (Regional Leads/Senior Specialists). Consults VP on overall team headcount and structure.
Vendor Selection (OpEx Tools & Training) N/A N/A Full authority for selecting and contracting OpEx tool providers and external training partners, typically up to £500K per contract. Larger contracts require VP approval.
Global Standard Work & Best Practice Deployment N/A N/A Defines, implements, and enforces global standards for Lean methodologies and tools. Regional variations require your explicit approval and justification.

6How you'll be judged

The scoreboard, and what is not on it. The hard targets, how often each is actually looked at, and the quiet signals that never reach a dashboard.

Global Productivity Savings
Total documented cost savings achieved through OpEx initiatives across all regions.
Target · Achieve >£5M in annual, network-wide productivity savings, year-on-year.

In Q3, your programmes delivered £1.8M in savings from reduced scrap, improved OEE, and shorter lead times across our European and APAC plants.

Enterprise OEE Improvement
Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) across all key manufacturing lines, showing sustained improvement.
Target · Increase enterprise-wide OEE by a sustained 3-5% YoY, targeting specific critical assets.

After implementing your TPM strategy, our top 20 production lines saw an average OEE increase from 72% to 76% over 12 months.

Working Capital Reduction (Inventory Turns)
The efficiency with which we convert inventory into sales, driven by Lean supply chain principles.
Target · Improve enterprise-wide inventory turns from 4x to 6x within 3 years.

By optimising our production scheduling and supplier lead times through your programmes, we increased global inventory turns from 4.5x to 5.2x in 18 months.

OpEx Programme Maturity Score
A quantitative assessment of the maturity and embedding of Lean principles across our global sites, often based on a structured audit or assessment model.
Target · Increase average global OpEx maturity score by 15% annually, with no site below a 'Developing' rating.

Our internal audit showed the average plant maturity score rose from 65% to 78% this year, with significant improvements in standard work adherence and visual management.

Global OpEx Culture & Engagement
The extent to which Lean principles are genuinely embraced and owned by local teams, not just seen as a corporate mandate.
  • You'll see this in unsolicited success stories from plant managers, high participation rates in global knowledge-sharing forums, and positive feedback in employee engagement surveys regarding continuous improvement initiatives. People will be talking about 'Go to the Gemba' naturally, not just because you said it.
Strategic Alignment & Influence
Your ability to get the C-suite and regional leadership to buy into and actively champion the OpEx strategy.
  • This means your proposals are consistently approved, you're regularly invited to strategic planning sessions, and senior leaders are actively referencing OpEx principles in their own communications. They'll be asking your opinion on major operational investments, not just informing you.
Capability Building & Talent Development
How effectively you're building a sustainable pipeline of Lean expertise within the organisation.
  • We'll see a clear increase in certified Lean practitioners across all levels, a reduction in reliance on external consultants for routine OpEx projects, and positive feedback from your direct reports about their development and mentorship. Your team will be seen as a talent incubator for future Operations leaders.
Standardisation & Best Practice Deployment
The consistent application of proven Lean methodologies and tools across diverse global manufacturing environments.
  • This means a clear, adopted global standard for things like VSM, Kaizen, and 5S, with clear evidence of its application in different regions. We'll see fewer 'reinventing the wheel' scenarios and more 'adapting best practice X from Plant Y' conversations. Your global playbook will actually be used.

7Would you like it

Both sides. What people enjoy, and what grinds them down.

What people enjoy
Driving Global Impact

You'll be energised by seeing your strategic initiatives translate into tangible improvements across multiple continents. The idea of influencing hundreds, if not thousands, of people's daily work and making a real difference to the company's bottom line is what gets you up in the morning.

Receiving a report showing a 10% OEE improvement across all Asian plants due to a programme you designed, or hearing directly from a plant manager about how your strategy saved their site from a critical bottleneck.

Building and Developing Teams

You love the challenge of finding, nurturing, and empowering the next generation of Lean leaders. Seeing your regional leads grow and take ownership of their areas, knowing you helped them get there, is a huge source of satisfaction.

Successfully mentoring a Regional Lead to take on a larger scope, or getting positive feedback in a 360 review about how you've created a supportive yet challenging environment for your team.

Solving Complex, Systemic Problems

The bigger and messier the operational challenge, the more excited you get. You thrive on connecting disparate data points, identifying root causes that span multiple departments or regions, and designing elegant, scalable solutions that address the fundamental issues.

Tackling a persistent quality issue that's been plaguing several plants for years, and finally cracking it by identifying a common supplier or process variation that no one else had spotted.

What frustrates people
  • The 'flavour of the month' syndrome, where new initiatives pop up and distract from your long-term OpEx strategy.
  • Dealing with regional leaders who pay lip service to Lean but don't actually commit resources or drive accountability.
  • The sheer inertia of large organisations—trying to turn a supertanker with a paddle.
  • Spending months building a compelling business case for a multi-million pound investment, only for it to be delayed or scaled back due to short-term budget pressures.
  • The constant need to 're-sell' the value of OpEx to new leaders or skeptical teams, even after years of proven results.
  • Having your well-thought-out global standards ignored or 'adapted' beyond recognition by a local plant without good reason.
What this role does not give you
  • A quiet, predictable 9-to-5 job; expect global travel and urgent calls at odd hours.
  • A role where you're always the 'hero' delivering immediate, visible wins; much of your work is foundational and long-term.
  • A hands-on, day-to-day Lean practitioner role; you'll be leading and strategising, not facilitating every Kaizen event yourself.

8Who you work with

You'll be directly responsible for driving multi-million pound savings across the global manufacturing network, improving overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) and reducing waste. Your work will fundamentally improve our ability to deliver high-quality products faster and at a lower cost, which, let's be honest, is critical for staying competitive. You're shaping the operational DNA of the entire company, influencing everything from capital expenditure decisions to how we train our front-line supervisors.

Inside the business
  • VP of Global Operations (your boss)
  • Regional Plant Directors (your key 'customers')
  • Global Supply Chain Leadership
  • Global Quality Director
  • Finance Director (they'll want to see the savings)
  • HR Business Partners (for capability building and change management)
Outside the business
  • Key suppliers and strategic partners (for extended value stream work)
  • Industry bodies and Lean thought leaders (for benchmarking and best practices)
  • External consultants (when we need specialist support for specific projects)

9What you need before you start

Not a wish list. The things you would be expected to already have.

  • Proven track record of leading large-scale, multi-site Lean or Operational Excellence transformation programmes, ideally across different countries or regions.
  • Demonstrable experience of delivering multi-million pound productivity savings through OpEx initiatives.
  • Extensive experience in managing and developing a team of Lean practitioners or continuous improvement specialists.
  • Master Black Belt certification (or equivalent demonstrable expertise) in Six Sigma, with a strong portfolio of complex projects.
  • Significant experience presenting to and influencing C-suite and Board-level stakeholders.
  • Deep understanding of global manufacturing operations, supply chain dynamics, and quality management systems.

10What to practise next

Where the job is going, and what to do about it starting this week.

Advanced Data Governance & Analytics Strategy

As we collect more data from more sources globally, ensuring its quality, accessibility, and ethical use becomes paramount. You'll need to lead the strategy for how we manage and use operational data to drive insights, not just collect it.

Data quality frameworks and master data management · Data lake/warehouse architectures for operational · Data democratisation and self-service analytics st · Data security, privacy (e.g., GDPR, CCPA), and eth · Advanced visualisation techniques for complex glob

  • This quarter: Review our current global data governance policies for operations. Identify key gaps and propose improvements.
  • Next 6 months: Lead a cross-functional initiative to improve data quality for a critical OpEx metric (e.g., OEE, scrap rate) across all regions.
  • Next 12 months: Partner with IT to develop a scalable data architecture roadmap that supports future AI and digital twin initiatives.
  • Ongoing: Champion a data-driven culture, ensuring all OpEx decisions are backed by reliable, high-quality data.

Quick win: Implement a simple data quality check for one key metric in your current reporting. Even small improvements in data trust can have a big impact on decision-making.

Robotic Process Automation (RPA) & Hyperautomation

RPA isn't new, but its integration with AI (hyperautomation) is rapidly transforming administrative and transactional processes within operations and supply chain. You'll need to identify strategic opportunities to automate repetitive tasks, freeing up your team and operators for higher-value work.

RPA tools (e.g., UiPath, Automation Anywhere) and · Process mining for automation identification · Intelligent Process Automation (IPA) combining RPA · Scalability and governance of automation programme · Impact of automation on workforce planning and res

  • This quarter: Identify 2-3 high-volume, repetitive administrative tasks within global operations that are prime candidates for RPA.
  • Next 6 months: Lead a pilot RPA project, demonstrating clear ROI and efficiency gains.
  • Next 12 months: Develop a strategic roadmap for hyperautomation across global operations, integrating it into your OpEx strategy.
  • Ongoing: Collaborate with IT and HR to manage the organisational impact of automation, including reskilling and change management.

Quick win: Use simple automation tools (like Zapier or Microsoft Power Automate) for personal productivity. It's a great way to understand the principles before leading large-scale deployments.

11Staying current once you are in

What people here do to keep up
  • Regularly attend and present at leading industry conferences (e.g., Lean Summit, Shingo Conference, Industry 4.0 events). You should be seen as a thought leader.
  • Actively participate in executive leadership programmes focused on global strategy, change management, and digital transformation.
  • Engage in peer networking groups with other Directors/VPs of Operational Excellence to share best practices and benchmark performance.
  • Undertake continuous learning in emerging technologies like AI, machine learning, and digital twins, specifically their application in manufacturing.
  • Mentor junior OpEx professionals, both within your team and across the wider organisation, to build our internal capability.

12The rising capability

The rising capability

Zavmo analysis

What's rising in its place

This is where the work is heading, and the higher pay with it. Get fluent here and the shift stops being a threat and starts being your edge.

AI & Machine Learning for Predictive Operations

Our competitors are already using AI to predict equipment failures, optimise production schedules, and even forecast quality issues before they happen. If we're not doing the same, we're falling behind. This isn't just about data analysis; it's about building truly intelligent operations.

  • Predictive Maintenance models (e.g., anomaly detec
  • AI-driven Production Scheduling and Optimisation
  • Machine Learning for Quality Control (e.g., visual
  • Reinforcement Learning for process control
  • Data privacy and ethical considerations for AI in

Digital Twin Strategy & Implementation

Digital twins offer a virtual replica of our physical operations, allowing us to simulate changes, test scenarios, and optimise processes without disrupting live production. This is a game-changer for Lean, enabling 'what-if' analysis and rapid prototyping of improvements at a global scale.

  • Digital Twin architecture and data integration (Io
  • Simulation and Modelling techniques for operationa
  • Real-time data synchronisation and visualisation
  • Use cases for process optimisation, predictive mai
  • Scalability challenges for enterprise-wide digital

13What you’ll use

What you’ll use

Skills this role draws on

Technical

  • Hoshin Kanri (Policy Deployment)
  • Lean Transformation Strategy
  • Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) & OEE Optimisation
  • Advanced Six Sigma (Master Black Belt level)
  • Value Stream Mapping (VSM) - Enterprise Level
  • Supply Chain Lean Principles

14The pathway

The pathway

How you actually get there, here

How you become one varies far more by country than what one does. This is the UK route. Most people take one of these ways in; the right one depends on where you're starting from.

  1. 1

    Regional Continuous Improvement Lead (L4/L5)

    5-8 years in this role before Director

    Skills to master

    • Designing and deploying OpEx programmes across multiple sites, managing a team of specialists, and consistently delivering significant regional savings. You'll need to prove you can handle a broad scope and influence multiple plant managers.

    You're ready to move on when

    • Consistently exceeding regional productivity targets.
    • Successful implementation of 2-3 major multi-site transformation programmes.
    • Strong 360 feedback on leadership, influence, and team development.
    • Demonstrable ability to present effectively to senior regional leadership.
  2. 2

    Continuous Improvement Manager (L5) for a large, complex plant or business unit

    3-6 years in this role before Director

    Skills to master

    • Owning the entire OpEx agenda for a significant manufacturing site or business unit, managing a team of CI specialists, and driving multi-million pound cost savings. This path shows your ability to own a P&L-impacting OpEx function.

    You're ready to move on when

    • Achieved significant, sustained OEE and quality improvements for your site/BU.
    • Developed and mentored several successful Lean practitioners.
    • Proven ability to manage complex stakeholder relationships within a large operation.
    • Strong financial acumen and ability to link OpEx to P&L impact.
  3. 3

    External Consultant (Senior Principal / Partner level) specialising in Lean/OpEx

    5-10 years as a consultant, then 2-3 years in an internal leadership role

    Skills to master

    • Leading large-scale operational transformations for diverse clients, developing strategic OpEx roadmaps, and managing complex client relationships. You'll need to show you can transition from advising to actually 'doing' and owning the results.

    You're ready to move on when

    • Successfully led 3-5 major OpEx programmes for blue-chip clients.
    • Strong network within the industry and recognised expertise.
    • Demonstrated ability to build internal capability and drive sustainable change, not just deliver reports.
    • Experience managing large project teams and budgets.

15Where this role leads

The long view: This role can lead to running operations across an entire organisation, or to a place on its board.

The ten Future Fluencies

Zavmo analysis

The credential is what you can do today. These are what keep you valuable.

A qualification proves you can do the job as it's defined today. These ten are what decide whether you're still the obvious person for it in five years. They're the capabilities employers are now writing into senior roles faster than people are learning them. Zavmo weaves them through whatever you study, so you come out with both: the credential and the fluency.

The highlighted ones are the Fluencies your role leans on hardest, from how Director of Global Operational Excellence is actually changing.

Where it leads

Roles this leads to

How you would learn this

One to one, on the work you already do

A tutor sets the task against your own job and marks the reasoning, at your pace. There is no cohort to fall behind.

A lesson from Leading the application of Six Sigma methodology to a project, worked against Director of Global Operational Excellence.

Leading the application of Six Sigma methodology to a project Level 4

Applied to your work in Director of Global Operational Excellence

This unit aims to provide learners with a comprehensive understanding of Six Sigma methodology and its application to project management. Learners will develop the skills to plan, lead, monitor, and evaluate the application of Six Sigma within a project context, including identifying and addressing challenges and communicating results to stakeholders.

How the thinking builds
  1. 1 Remember
  2. 2 Understand
  3. 3 Apply
  4. 4 Analyse
  5. 5 Evaluate
  6. 6 Create
An illustration of a Zavmo lesson, built from this role’s own route. The unit, its objective and every criterion above are the awarding body’s own words, not an example.

It is £70 a month, billed monthly. Your free first module is Future Fluency, and you can cancel any time.

See Your Progress Grow Illustration
Director of Global Operational Excellence
  • Hoshin Kanri (Policy Deployment)
  • Lean Transformation Strategy
  • Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) & OEE Optimisation
  • Advanced Six Sigma (Master Black Belt level)
  • Value Stream Mapping (VSM) - Enterprise Level
  • Supply Chain Lean Principles
This is your Mind Palace on learn.zavmo.ai. Every skill above comes from this role's own record, not an example borrowed from another job. A node lights up when you evidence it, and what you build stays yours between jobs. That is the part a course cannot do.

16The detail, folded away

Everything else the record holds

The career branches in full, how AI is already showing up in the day-to-day, and the questions people ask about this job. Here when you want them, out of the way while you decide.

Where it leads next, rung by rung

Where it leads

The career path, and where it branches

Director of Global Operational Excellence is a start, not a ceiling. Each step below asks for new skills and hands back more autonomy.

  1. VP of Global Operations (L7)

    3-5 years as Director of Global OpEx

    1 level

    • Global Supply Chain Strategy Defining the long-term vision for our entire global supply chain network.
    • Advanced Manufacturing Technology Strategy Setting the strategic direction for adoption of Industry 4.0 technologies across the enterprise.
    • Organisational Design (Enterprise) Structuring the entire global operations function for optimal performance and growth.

  2. Chief Operating Officer (COO) (L7)

    5-8 years as Director of Global OpEx, potentially with a stint as VP Global Operations first

    1-2 levels

    • Enterprise Risk Management Overseeing all operational risks across the entire company.
    • Global Business Transformation Leading company-wide transformation initiatives that span all departments.
    • Strategic Partnerships & Alliances Forging key external relationships that drive competitive advantage.
Working with AI on the job

Working with AI

Where AI is starting to help

Let's be real, at a Director level, your time is precious. You're not just looking at single data points; you're trying to spot global trends, predict future challenges, and craft strategies that actually stick. AI isn't here to replace your strategic brain, but it can certainly give you superpowers, freeing you up from the grunt work of data aggregation and report drafting. Think of it as your super-smart, always-on research assistant and data analyst rolled into one.

For a Director of Global Operational Excellence, AI means less time sifting through endless spreadsheets and more time actually leading. It's about getting to insights faster, creating compelling board presentations in a fraction of the time, and staying ahead of the curve on global best practices. We're embedding AI into our operational tools to give you that unfair advantage.

Global Performance Anomaly Detection

AI monitors real-time data from all our MES/ERP systems worldwide, flagging unusual spikes or drops in OEE, quality defects, or inventory levels across regions. It'll tell you which plant, which line, and what the likely contributing factors are, often before your regional leads even spot it. No more digging through dozens of dashboards; just actionable alerts.

Automated Board Report Generation

Feed AI your raw performance data, strategic objectives, and previous reports. It can draft a compelling first version of your quarterly board presentation, summarising key achievements, highlighting challenges, and even suggesting strategic recommendations, complete with charts and executive summaries. This saves you hours of tedious drafting and formatting.

Cross-Cultural Best Practice Synthesis & Localisation

Need to understand the nuances of TPM implementation in different cultural contexts? Ask AI to synthesise academic research, industry case studies, and our internal documentation. It can even suggest how to adapt a successful 5S programme from Japan to a plant in Brazil, considering local labour laws and cultural norms. Get actionable insights in minutes, not days.

Predictive Operational Risk Assessment

AI analyses historical data on equipment failures, supply chain disruptions, and quality excursions, combined with external factors like weather patterns or geopolitical events. It can then predict potential operational risks across your network, allowing you to proactively deploy resources or adjust strategies before issues escalate. Think of it as an early warning system for your entire global operation.

Common questions

Common questions

How do you become a Director of Global Operational Excellence?

Common routes in include Regional Continuous Improvement Lead (L4/L5) (5-8 years in this role before Director), Continuous Improvement Manager for a large, complex plant or business unit (3-6 years in this role before Director) and External Consultant (Senior Principal / Partner level) specialising in Lean/OpEx (5-10 years as a consultant, then 2-3 years in an internal leadership role). Times vary with prior experience.

Where can a Director of Global Operational Excellence progress to?

This role can lead on to VP of Global Operations (3-5 years as Director of Global OpEx) and Chief Operating Officer (COO) (5-8 years as Director of Global OpEx, potentially with a stint as VP Global Operations first), depending on the skills you build.

What new skills matter most for a Director of Global Operational Excellence?

Increasingly, AI & Machine Learning for Predictive Operations and Digital Twin Strategy & Implementation. These are the skills our record of this role lists as growing.

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17Where to go from here

Other roles at Level 7

Same depth of qualification, different job. Useful if the work appeals but this particular role does not.

 More jobs in operations

Stay in the field you know and move sideways rather than up.
If you leave this industry

Skills in global operational excellence carry across industries. Similar director or VP roles exist in automotive, aerospace, pharmaceuticals and consumer goods, as well as in logistics, supply chain and large-scale service operations. Lean thinking and continuous improvement apply in most of them.

This role profile is © 2026 Growth Engineering Technologies Ltd. Built from UK occupational standards and regulated qualification data, and written for Zavmo.

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