Director Lean Transformation & Continuous Improvement

Why this role matters

Creates a repeatable regional system for productivity improvement, simplification and operational discipline.

Translates value-stream insight into actions that improve lead time, flow, capacity, quality and delivery performance.

Builds internal capability so Lean transformation is owned by the business rather than dependent on a central expert.

Provides fact-based visibility to leadership on benefits, barriers, risks and resource needs.

ACCOUNTABILITIES

What the Director will own

1. Regional Lean strategy and deployment

Translate enterprise operations and growth priorities into a focused CHINA Lean transformation roadmap.

Expand the Coherent Lean System within the region by continual deployment of standards, governance routines and maturity expectations.

Prioritize value streams and improvement opportunities using customer demand, revenue contribution, cost, gross margin improvement, risk, lead time and capacity data.

Align site leaders and functional partners on transformation milestones, owners, resources and expected value.

2. Value-stream transformation and productivity

Lead Kaien Projects focused on current-state and future-state value-stream mapping, including material, information and decision flows.

Identify and remove the 8 wastes within the value streams such as defects, over production, waiting, non-utilized talent, transportation, excess inventory, excess motion, extra processing and other forms of waste.

Scale flow, pull, line balancing, takt-based kanban planning, right-sized batch sizes, standard work and visual management.

Build improvement portfolios that link operational actions to productivity, gross margin, working capital and customer outcomes.

3. Capability building and change leadership

Develop a regional network of Lean leaders, Kaizen facilitators, site champions and transformation practitioners.

Design and deliver practical capability-building, including Lean fundamentals, problem solving, Kaizen, VSM and leader standard work.

Coach leaders at all levels to sustain new behaviors through daily management, tiered accountability and transparent escalation.

Build an inclusive transformation culture that engages frontline employees and respects local cultural and operating differences.

4. Governance, benefits and communication

Establish a consistent cadence for reviewing project status, realized benefits, risks, dependencies and decisions required.

Create concise executive briefings and operating reviews that make performance, priorities and barriers visible.

Ensure benefits are baselined, validated with Finance and tracked through realization rather than claimed at project launch.

Share successful practices across CHINA and with global Lean communities to accelerate replication.

5. Cross-functional integration

Partner with Operations, Supply Chain, Quality, Engineering, EHS, Procurement, Finance, HR and IT to remove systemic barriers.

Integrate Lean priorities with S&OP, capacity planning, quality improvement, digital enablement and site strategic planning.

Support leadership decisions on organization, staffing, capital, technology and resource allocation required for transformation.

SUCCESS PROFILE

How performance will be assessed

First 12–18 months: expected outcomes

Establish the system — Launch a clear CHINA Lean deployment model, governance cadence, maturity baseline and prioritized regional roadmap.

Deliver visible wins — Demonstrate measurable improvements in selected value streams, with documented impact on flow, lead time, productivity, quality, delivery or working capital.

Build the network — Develop site leaders and facilitators who can independently lead Kaizen, VSM and daily-management routines.

Scale what works — Replicate proven practices across sites and product families while adapting implementation to local conditions.

Strengthen executive visibility — Provide leadership with clear, decision-ready reporting on value, barriers, risks and resource requirements.

Core performance measures

Measure category

Illustrative indicators

Business value

Validated productivity, gross-margin contribution, cost avoidance, capacity release and working-capital improvement

Flow and delivery

Lead time, throughput, on-time delivery, queue time, batch size, schedule adherence and flow efficiency

Quality and stability

First-pass yield, defects, rework, corrective-action closure and process capability

Capability and sustainability

Certified facilitators, leader standard work, daily-management adoption, project sustainment and replication rate

Culture Commitment

Ensure adherence to company’s values (ICARE) in all aspects of your position at Coherent Corp.:

Integrity – Create an Environment of Trust

Collaboration – Innovate Through the Sharing of Ideas

Accountability – Own the Process and the Outcome

Respect – Recognize the Value in Everyone

Enthusiasm – Find a Sense of Purpose in Work