Job Summary

Operational excellence is a key enabler for Voith Hydro’s growth and profitability ambitions. Achieving this requires not only technical expertise but also excellence in our core processes—robust standards, state-of-the-art tools, and a culture of continuous improvement that increases quality, speed, and innovation.

The Regional Excellence Manager plays a pivotal role in driving these ambitions at regional level. Acting as the primary interface between the region and the global excellence organization, the role ensures that:

1.     Global initiatives, standards, and tools are effectively deployed, adopted, and embedded in the region, and

1. Regional needs and performance gaps are identified, prioritized, and addressed through targeted improvement projects.

This is a highly hands-on role working closely with functional leaders in Sales, Tendering, Engineering, Project Management, Supply Chain, and Manufacturing. The Regional Excellence Manager supports process definition, improvement, and standardization, ensuring seamless integration across the value chain.

Primary Duties & Responsibilities

1. Regional Needs & Continuous Improvement
   • Identify, assess, and prioritize regional requirements and performance issues.
   • Launch and lead regional improvement projects, ensuring measurable and sustainable impact.
   • Monitor performance and embed a continuous improvement culture within the regional organization.

2.  Deployment of Global Initiatives

2. • Ensure regional representation in global method development and tool rollouts.
   • Drive adoption, training, and change management for new global standards, processes, and tools.
   • Collect regional feedback and consolidate insights for global harmonization and further development.

3.  Process & Method Governance

3. • Act as the regional arm of Voith Hydro’s central method office.
   • Support the definition, documentation, and adherence to standard processes.
   • Maintain and evolve regional standards, templates, and tools based on global frameworks.
   • Ensure alignment and compliance across the core value chain functions.

4.  Cross-Functional Collaboration

4. • Facilitate seamless interfaces between Sales, Tendering, Project Management, Engineering, Manufacturing, and Supply Chain.

5. • Work with functional and divisional leaders to ensure consistent execution and operational discipline.
   • Promote best practice sharing across sites and regions.

Additional Responsibilities

6. • Support and lead change management, capability building, and excellence training activities.
   • Manage or contribute to global strategic initiatives and transformation programs.
   • Strengthen cross-regional collaboration and knowledge exchange.

Decision Rights

7. • Define and standardize processes within the region in line with global frameworks (e.g., together with Head of Technology, Head of Engineering where relevant).
   • Recommend, approve, and implement regional continuous improvement initiatives.
   • Influence regional functional leaders on method adherence, standard use, and process governance.

Accountabilities

8. • Delivery of regional process improvements with measurable impact.
   • Ensuring compliance with divisional standards and governance requirements.
   • Successful deployment of global projects and initiatives.
   • Improvement of operational performance KPIs within the region.

Qualifications

9. • Degree preferably in Engineering, Business, or related field.
   • 5+ years of experience in leading an operational function (Sales, PM, Engineering, SCM, Manufacturing, etc.).
   • Proven experience in process optimization, operational excellence, or business transformation.
   • Solid understanding of Lean, Six Sigma, Kaizen, or similar methodologies (certification preferred but not mandatory).
   • Strong communication, facilitation, and stakeholder management skills.
   • Experience working in a matrix organization; ability to influence without direct authority.

Preferred Experience

10. • Experience in global or multi-regional industrial organizations.
    • Exposure to cross-functional process integration and system/tool rollouts.
    • Background in method development, process governance, or standardization work.

Key Competencies

11. • Analytical Thinking: Ability to assess complex scenarios and uncover improvement opportunities.
    • Change Leadership: Skilled in driving change, addressing resistance, and building momentum.
    • Collaboration: Strong capability to work across regions, functions, and hierarchical levels.