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The operational excellence director is responsible for overseeing a team of operations professionals and leading the efforts to improve a company’s processes and procedures. This is a senior-level role that will work closely with other leaders within an organization to understand operational pain points and create roadmaps to solve them. The operational excellence director will take these plans back to their team of operational professionals and delegate pieces of the project amongst them to get it done swiftly and efficiently.
When hiring for this role, it might go without saying that hiring managers are looking for someone with strong leadership skills. A master's degree in business, logistics, or operations management is preferable however a bachelor's degree can be sufficient with the right experience. Hiring managers will want to see extensive experience in the field of operations management and logistics. Additionally, good candidates for this role will have several soft skills, such as stellar communication, effective leadership, project management, analytical thinking, financial planning skills, and more.
Certificates are often desirable but not required for many roles. However, for the operational excellence director role, many employers may require certification in Lean Six Sigma. The Six Sigma certification teaches you how to analyze processes and predict outcomes to optimize business practices. Having this on your resume shows hiring managers you have the tools to face operational challenges.
As the operational excellence director, a big part of your job will be to figure out how you can improve the company’s processes while spending the least money possible, preferably cutting costs in the process. Showing you have been able to save a company money or create less costly operating processes in the past on your resume will stand out to hiring managers.
At the Department of Labor, we understand the importance of a well-crafted resume in securing a job as an Operational Excellence Director. To provide you with the most effective tips, we spoke with hiring managers from top companies like GE, Amazon, and Toyota, who are actively recruiting for this role. The following tips will help you create a compelling resume that showcases your skills and experience in operational excellence.
Employers want to see specific examples of how you have improved processes and increased efficiency in your previous roles. When describing your experience, focus on:
Avoid generic statements that lack quantifiable results, such as:
A summary section on a resume is optional, but it can be a powerful way to introduce yourself and provide context for your experience. It's especially useful if you're a career changer or an executive with extensive experience. However, avoid using an objective statement, as it's outdated and doesn't add value. Instead, focus on crafting a concise summary that highlights your most relevant skills and experience for the Operational Excellence Director role.
When writing your summary, avoid repeating information that's already covered in other sections of your resume. Use this space to add new details and showcase your unique value proposition. Remember to keep it brief—aim for no more than one paragraph. While it's important to showcase your skills, avoid directly mentioning soft skills or using corporate buzzwords like "proven track record."
The work experience section is the most important part of your operational excellence director resume. It's where you show hiring managers how you've applied your skills to drive process improvements, lead teams, and deliver results in your previous roles.
In this section, we'll cover what to focus on in your work experience section, with examples of what to include and avoid. By following these tips, you'll be able to craft a compelling work experience section that showcases your leadership abilities and operational excellence expertise.
When describing your achievements, use strong, industry-specific action verbs to make your work experience more impactful. Verbs like "optimized", "streamlined", "implemented", and "spearheaded" are commonly used in the operational excellence field.
Weak example:
Strong example:
Championed the adoption of a continuous improvement culture, conducting Kaizen events and training over 200 employees on Lean principles. Achieved a 50% reduction in waste and a 25% increase in productivity across all departments.
The education section of your resume is an important part of your job application, especially if you are a recent graduate or changing careers. As an operational excellence director, you need to showcase your relevant education and certifications to demonstrate your qualifications for the role. Here are some tips to help you write an effective education section:
The skills section is a crucial part of your operational excellence director resume. It's where you showcase your expertise and qualifications that make you the best candidate for the job. Your skills section should be tailored to the specific role and company you're applying for, highlighting the most relevant and impressive skills that match the job description.
Here are examples of popular skills from Operational Excellence Director job descriptions that you can include on your resume.
This word cloud highlights the important keywords that appear on Operational Excellence Director job descriptions and resumes. The bigger the word, the more frequently it appears on job postings, and the more likely you should include it in your resume.
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