Head of Manufacturing Quality and Operational Excellence 80-100% (f/m/d)

Winterthur, Zurich, CH

We are looking for a global leader to define and deploy the operating system for manufacturing quality and operational excellence across our global production network as

Head of Manufacturing Quality and Operational Excellence 80-100% (f/m/d)

Your daily contribution:

• Build up and lead the global Operational Excellence & Manufacturing Quality team in close collaboration with regional units
• Define and implement the global Lean and Operational Excellence strategy, aligned with corporate objectives
• Establish global standards for Lean deployment, including value stream mapping, takt time, standard work, and visual management.
• Govern global CI portfolio with prioritization, benefit tracking, and finance validation
• Own global manufacturing quality standards and drive improvements in problem-solving, inspection methods and reporting
• Reduce CoPQ and improve First Pass Yield through structured quality initiatives
• Drive Lean transformation across sites, including flow, pull systems, and waste elimination
• Deploy standard work and visual management systems to stabilize and optimize processes
• Build global CI capability via training and certification
• Lead global production engineering, ensuring know-how transfer, design for manufacturability and manage global Capex planning
• Conduct systematic reviews of global production footprint, capabilities, and capacities, aligned with strategic goals
• Foster leadership, succession planning, and a culture of accountability and continuous improvement

Your Profile:

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or related field
• Minimum 10 years of experience in Lean deployment, CI, and manufacturing operations
• Certified Six Sigma Black Belt or Master Black Belt
• Proven experience in industrial engineering and productivity improvement
• Demonstrated ability to lead global Lean transformations and CI programs
• Expertise in data analysis, process mining, and digital CI tools
• Financial acumen for benefit validation and budgeting
• Strong knowledge of ISO 9001 and manufacturing quality systems.

Your Personality:

• Hands-on, action-oriented mindset with a strong doer attitude
• Bridges strategic vision and shopfloor realities to deliver results
• Executive-level communication combined with shopfloor approachability
• Skilled at simplifying complex challenges and driving execution
• Fluent in English, intermediate German
• Willingness to travel internationally (25–35%, occasionally on short notice)

We offer:

• Flexible and hybrid working conditions
• Versatile and autonomous activities and tasks
• Working environment with professional development opportunities
• Participation in job-related training and further education
• Above-average pension fund
• Appreciative and inclusive corporate culture
• Demonstrated lived values that value diversity
• Dynamic, international environment with committed employees
• Structured induction process
• Short public transport connections

We are looking forward to receiving your complete application documents.

Note:
For this positons we are not able to accept any applications from external recruitment agencies.

Burckhardt Compression AG | Location: Winterthur
Tobias Wyser | Phone: +41 52 261 53 77

Burckhardt Compression creates leading compression solutions for a sustainable energy future and the long-term success of its customers. The Group is the only global manufacturer that covers a full range of reciprocating compressor technologies and services. Since 1844, its passionate, customer-oriented and solution-driven workforce has set the benchmark in the gas compression industry.