Director, Quality & Operational Excellence

Why Valvoline Global Operations?
 
At Valvoline Global Operations, we’re proud to be The Original Motor Oil, but we’ve never rested on being first. Founded in 1866, we introduced the world’s first branded motor oil, staking our claim as a pioneer in the automotive and industrial solutions industry. Today, as an affiliate of Aramco, one of the world’s largest integrated energy and chemicals companies, we are driven by innovation and committed to creating sustainable solutions for a better future.

With a global presence, we develop future-ready products and provide best-in-class services for our partners around the world. For us, originality isn’t just about where we began; it’s about where we’re headed and how we’ll lead the way. We are originality in motion.

Our corporate values—Care, Integrity, Passion, Unity, and Excellence—are at the heart of everything we do. These values define how we operate, how we treat one another, and how we engage with our partners, customers, and the communities we serve. At Valvoline Global, we are united in our commitment to:

•    Treating everyone with care.
•    Acting with unwavering integrity.
•    Striving for excellence in all endeavors.
•    Delivering on our commitments with passion.
•    Collaborating as one unified team.

When you join Valvoline Global, you’ll become part of a culture that celebrates creativity, innovation, and excellence. Together, we’re shaping the future of automotive and industrial solutions.

Our new Global Headquarters is coming to downtown Cincinnati in spring 2027, and we’re growing our team. Join us at the beginning of an exciting new chapter and help shape the future of Valvoline Global. This position is an on-site position in Cincinnati OH with 4 days in the office and 1 day remote

How You’ll Make an Impact

The Director, Quality & Operational Excellence leads the global strategy, governance, operating rhythm, and capability development for Quality and Operational Excellence within the Supply Chain Center of Excellence. This role provides enterprise leadership across Global Quality, Third-Party Quality, Quality Systems, Operational Excellence, TRACC deployment, Lean Six Sigma / A3 methodology, KPI governance, and quality performance visibility. The position partners with regional supply chain leaders, plant managers, quality leaders, the Planning COE, Engineering, R&D / Technical, IT, Procurement, and Operations to improve quality execution, reduce risk, strengthen global standardization, and drive measurable performance improvement. This role provides global standards, governance, visibility, capability-building, and improvement systems while regional and site teams retain accountability for daily quality and operational execution.

Responsibilities Include

• Develop and govern the Global Quality OGSM, operating model, leadership cadence, regional interfaces, escalation paths, and accountability expectations. Ensure Global Quality supports the VGO Quality Policy of Customer First, High Quality, and Continuous Improvement through clear standards, governance, visibility, and capability support.
• Establish and maintain the Quality measurement system, including site / regional performance scorecards, Global Quality OGSM execution scorecards, and TRACC maturity assessments. Standardize KPI definitions, ownership, targets, reporting cadence, and leadership review routines.
• Lead Operational Excellence strategy through TRACC, Lean Six Sigma, A3 methodology, best practice networks, Gemba routines, and maturity assessments. Ensure OpEx supports Quality and Operations by converting gaps into structured improvement actions and sustainable process improvements.
• Provide business leadership for GQMS, GQIA, vLIMS visibility, Power BI scorecards, dashboards, and workflow tools. Partner with IT, Engineering, Data Analytics, and Systems teams to define Quality business requirements for digital, data, AI, reporting, and system capabilities.
• Lead global supplier and third-party quality governance through TPRP, supplier quality performance, SCAR governance, supplier accountability, leaker review, QAVs, and customer / OEM requirement alignment.
• Partner with Technical / R&D, Operations, Plant Quality, OpEx, and Engineering to improve manufacturing quality performance. Support Blend First Pass, site recipe feedback, lab / plant data visibility, formulation feedback loops, deviation learning, and best practice replication.
• Provide leadership for global quality audit readiness, including ISO 9001, IATF 16949, customer audits, supplier audits, internal reviews, and QMS observation programs. Ensure audit findings are translated into sustainable corrective actions and governance improvements.
• Lead and develop direct reports across Global Quality, Third-Party Quality, Quality Systems, and Operational Excellence. Build alignment across regional quality leaders, site teams, Operations, Planning COE, Engineering, R&D, IT, Procurement, and EHS. Communicate progress, risks, and support needs through leadership reviews and COO updates.
• Perform other responsibilities as outlined by Valvoline Global Operations, as required.

What You'll Need

• Bachelor's degree required in Engineering, Chemistry, Quality Management, Supply Chain, Operations Management, Business, Industrial Engineering, or a related technical or business discipline.
• Advanced degree preferred, including an MBA, master's degree in Engineering, Supply Chain, Operations, Quality, or a related field.
• Minimum of 10-15 years of progressive experience in quality, manufacturing, supply chain, operational excellence, continuous improvement, or operations leadership. Experience should include global or multi-region leadership; manufacturing quality systems; ISO 9001 / IATF 16949 environments; supply chain operations; Operational Excellence / Lean Six Sigma; TRACC or similar operating system deployment; supplier / third-party quality governance; quality systems, scorecards, KPI governance, plant operations support, matrix leadership, and executive communication.
• Lean Six Sigma Green Belt, Black Belt, or Master Black Belt; Certified Quality Engineer; Certified Manager of Quality / Organizational Excellence; ISO 9001 Lead Auditor; IATF 16949 knowledge or certification; TRACC / Operational Excellence assessment experience; APICS / CSCP or other supply chain certification; PMP or project management certification.
• Ability to translate data into executive-level insights, decisions, risks, and action plans.
• Experience building dashboards, scorecards, and management review processes, including defining business requirements for digital, data, AI, and system capabilities.
• Strong matrix leadership, communication, coaching, facilitation, executive presentation, and change-management skills.
• Ability to lead multiple initiatives simultaneously in a fast-paced environment.
• Working Conditions / Physical Requirements: Office, laboratory, and production environments. May require working outside regular business hours to accommodate global time zones. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The role is expected to model safe behaviors, support safety-first decision-making, and reinforce quality and operational excellence practices that protect employees, customers, suppliers, and the business, in accordance with Valvoline corporate EHS policies, site safety requirements, RC14001 expectations where applicable, and local regulatory standards.
• Travel Requirements: Up to 40% travel, including approximately 35% overnight travel.
• Position needs to sit in Cincinnati, OH and will be 4 days in the office and one day remote. 

Benefits That Drive Themselves

•    Health insurance plans (medical, dental, vision)
•    Health Savings Account (with employer base deposit and match)
•    Flexible spending accounts•    Competitive 401(k) with generous employer base deposit and match  •    Incentive opportunity*•    Life insurance•    Short and long-term disability insurance•    Paid vacation and holidays*
•    Employee Assistance Program
•    Employee discounts
•    PTO Buy/Sell Options*
•    Tuition reimbursement*
•    Adoption assistance*
*Terms and conditions apply, and benefits may differ depending on position or tenure

#LI-OnSite #LI-LL1 

Valvoline Global is an equal opportunity employer. We are dedicated to fostering an environment where every individual feels valued, respected, and empowered to contribute their unique perspectives and skills. We strictly prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind, regardless of race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability, genetics, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other legally protected characteristic.

We are committed to ensuring accessibility throughout our recruitment process. If you require a reasonable accommodation to participate in any stage of the recruitment or selection process, please contact us at:.

•    Email: Valvolineglobalcareers@valvolineglobal.com

This contact information is solely for accommodation requests. For inquiries about application status, please use the appropriate channels listed in your application materials.

Are You Ready to Make an Impact?

At Valvoline Global, we’re looking for passionate and talented individuals to join our journey of innovation and excellence. Are you ready to shape the future with us? Apply today.

Requisition ID: 2648