Global Head of Operational Excellence

As Global Head of Operational Excellence, you will architect, establish and continuously improve DLL's enterprise Operational Excellence and strategic-execution system. You will ensure that strategic priorities are translated into measurable objectives, operational KPIs, governed improvement portfolios and sustained customer, operational and financial outcomes across Markets, Clusters and Corporate Domains. 

 

Operational Excellence at DLL extends beyond continuous improvement and Lean deployment. The function integrates strategy execution, operational performance steering, enterprise methodologies, process and operating-model simplification, data-driven prioritization and benefit realization. You will be the enterprise authority for Lean, Six Sigma, MBO, OKRs, KPI management and structured problem solving, and you will define the standards, governance, playbooks and maturity expectations required for consistent deployment across DLL. 

 

Reporting to the Global Head of Operations, you will serve as a strategic adviser to the Global COO, Market and Cluster leaders and Corporate Domain leadership teams. You will provide functional directions to Market Business Excellence leaders and Operational Excellence communities, connecting global standards with market execution and incorporating market insights into the enterprise approach. You will also scale the practical use of process mining, analytics, automation and AI-enabled capabilities so that opportunities are translated into governed action and measurable value. 

 

Your mission

• Design, establish and continuously improve DLL's enterprise Operational Excellence and strategic-execution system, connect strategic priorities, OKRs, operational KPIs, improvement portfolios and benefit realization through consistent governance and performance routines. 
• Own the enterprise operational-performance architecture, including KPI trees, common metric definitions, target-setting principles, dashboards, reporting standards and escalation routines that connect operational drivers to customer, risk and financial outcomes. 
• Ensure a single, trusted view of operational performance exists across DLL, enabling fact-based prioritization, performance steering and transparent benefit realization. 
• Act as DLL's global authority and custodian for Lean, Six Sigma, MBO, OKRs, KPI management and structured problem-solving methodologies. 
• Define and govern global standards, maturity frameworks, playbooks and deployment approaches that ensure consistent application of Operational Excellence across Markets, Clusters and Corporate Domains. 
• Provide functional direction to Market Business Excellence leaders and Operational Excellence communities, ensuring global frameworks are deployed consistently while incorporating market insights, lessons learned and reusable practices into the enterprise approach. 
• Establish a transparent enterprise improvement portfolio and benefit-realization discipline that enables leaders to prioritize opportunities based on strategic value, customer impact, financial impact, risk, complexity and capacity. 
• Ensure operational improvement opportunities are identified through data, translated into accountable action and tracked through disciplined governance, financial-value validation and sustained benefit realization. 
• Drive the adoption of process mining, advanced analytics, automation and AI-enabled capabilities to improve operational insight, decision making and measurable business outcomes. 
• Promote integrated simplification across processes, operating models and relevant product or service configurations, ensuring that standardization opportunities are governed with the appropriate business, product, risk and technology owners. 
• Lead and develop the global Operational Excellence community, raising capability, maturity and deployment quality across Markets, Clusters and Corporate Domains. 
• Coach senior leaders and Operational Excellence professionals in strategic execution, performance management, structured problem solving and sustainable change adoption. 
• Advise the Global COO, Global Head of Operations and senior leadership on strategic execution, operational performance, transformation investment and fact-based prioritization. 
• Ensure Operational Excellence initiatives deliver measurable customer, operational and financial outcomes while fostering accountability, data-driven decision making and continuous improvement. 

 

Skills and Capabilities Required

• Proven senior leadership experience designing, implementing and governing an enterprise-wide Operational Excellence, strategic-execution or operational-performance system across multiple markets, business units or corporate domains. 
• Demonstrated accountability for translating enterprise strategy into an integrated framework of objectives, OKRs, operational KPIs, improvement portfolios, governance routines and measurable business outcomes. 
• Proven experience designing operational-performance architectures, including KPI trees, common metric definitions, dashboards, performance routines and links between operational drivers and financial outcomes. 
• Demonstrated experience establishing and deploying global standards, methodologies, maturity frameworks and playbooks through a federated or matrix operating model. 
• Proven track record leading large-scale, cross-market transformation and improvement portfolios with transparent prioritization, benefit ownership, financial-value validation and sustained benefit realization. 
• Deep expertise in Lean, Six Sigma and structured problem solving, supported by Master Black Belt certification or equivalent formally recognized expertise. 
• Practical experience scaling the use of process mining, advanced analytics, automation or AI-enabled capabilities to identify opportunities, improve decision making and deliver measurable operational outcomes. 
• Proven ability to provide functional direction to senior market or domain leaders, build global communities of practice and raise Operational Excellence capability and maturity without relying solely on direct authority. 
• Demonstrated experience advising C-suite or equivalent senior leadership on strategic execution, operational performance, transformation investment and fact-based prioritization. 
• Strong commercial and financial acumen, with demonstrated ability to connect customer, process, risk and operational performance to P&L impact and long-term value creation. 
• Proven ability to simplify and standardize processes, operating models and relevant product or service configurations while preserving appropriate business, customer, risk, regulatory and product ownership. 
• Strong leadership, communication and facilitation capability, with the ability to challenge constructively, create enterprise alignment and convert complex data into clear decisions and actions. 
• Ability to balance strategic ambition, enterprise consistency and practical execution, and to drive sustained adoption across diverse markets and functions. 
• Experience in financial services or another complex, regulated international environment is required; business consultancy experience is an advantage. 

 

 

All members enjoy

• Work-Life Balance: Flexible working, including hybrid, designed to support you at every stage of life.

• Global and Inclusive Culture: A global and inclusive culture where your unique background and perspectives are valued.

• Two volunteer days: Two working days to contribute to charities and your community. 

• Comprehensive Benefits: Health, wellness, financial programs and industry leading holiday packages.

• Professional Growth: Access to training, mentorship, tuition reimbursement, and career development programs tailored to your goals. 

• Click this link to look at the benefits of your region.

 

Choose Wellbeing

At DLL, we recognize that investing in member wellbeing is essential for creating an inclusive and supportive work environment. This not only promotes personal and professional growth but also boosts productivity, engagement, and overall success. We focus on the following:

• Supporting Members During Moments That Matter: We provide dedicated support resources to help you navigate significant events in your work, your lifestyle, and your personal moments.
• Implementing Global Wellbeing Programs: We carefully select and implement programs that enhance our members’ experience.
• Embedding Wellbeing in Everything We Do: We integrate wellbeing into all our practices and policies to ensure it is a fundamental part of our culture.

 

Good to know: 

• The selection process may involve an assessment 

• For more information, please contact Natalie Gray, Talent Acquisition Partner via [email protected]

 

DLL is an equal-opportunity employer. We are committed to inclusive, barrier-free recruitment and selection processes and an inclusive work environment. 

We’re dedicated to ensuring our hiring process is accessible to all. If you require accommodation at any stage, please inform your HR Partner.

DLL, a great place to build your career

DLL is a global asset finance company that partners with manufacturers, dealers, distributors, and end users to facilitate access to equipment and technology. Headquartered in Eindhoven, the Netherlands, we operate in over 25 countries, offering financial solutions across various industries. We are also a 100% subsidiary of our parent company Rabobank, one of the world’s largest financial companies. Join our community of over 6.000 members from 75 nationalities! At DLL, our unique culture — shaped by our values (We put our customers first -Together we achieve more-You can count on me - I challenge myself and others to grow) and behaviors that define us — is at the heart of everything we do.

We offer exciting job opportunities where you feel welcomed, respected and empowered to be your authentic self and share your best ideas. At DLL, we believe in the strength of our diverse perspectives and experiences, which make our global community thrive.

You’ll receive competitive pay, generous benefits, health and wellbeing support, and manage your work-life balance through our hybrid working flexibility.

Our global operations offer you a variety of development opportunities and we encourage you to take on new challenges across our departments, businesses and regions.

Our company strategy emphasizes our commitment to sustainable business and making social impact is part of that as well. Together, we’ll “Partner for a better world” to make a positive impact. Joining DLL, means joining a company that consistently scores higher than the industry average in Employee Engagement surveys. This is also being acknowledged through many Great Place to Work certificates. People who work at DLL, like DLL. 

Join us in Partnering for a better world!