Director Operations Europe

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.

Responsible for Valvoline Global's European manufacturing and warehousing operations, driving capacity growth and operational efficiency at owned sites and tolling partners, meeting safety and compliance standards, controlling operational costs, driving process improvements, service excellence, performance optimization, and a strong culture of continuous improvement.

Key Responsibilities:

• Operational Execution: Oversee daily production operations at assigned sites to meet volume, quality, and safety standards. Support operational planning activities and monitor performance to ensure alignment with forecast and capacity. Support and foster the implementation of short- and mid-range production improvement initiatives.
• Regional Operations Strategy: Develop and execute a comprehensive operations strategy aligned with regional growth, business requirements, and customer expectations. Evaluate current and projected raw material needs, production and warehouse capacities, and inventory levels to maintain continuity and service readiness. Identify and mitigate risks to supply continuity, including developing contingency plans for manufacturing, logistics, raw material stocking, and tolling operations.
• Team Leadership & Engagement: Lead and coach site-based operational teams, including supervisors and key operators. Build engagement and accountability through clear goals, yearly site plans, performance feedback, and development planning. Promote a safe, collaborative, and results-oriented culture in line with Valvoline values.
• Asset & Cost Management: Develop plans to achieve capacity growth including business planning, forecasting and executing OPEX and CAPEX plans within budgeted parameters. Monitor asset utilization and recommend improvements to reduce downtime and increase efficiency. Drive capital project execution including equipment upgrades and production line improvements.
• Process Improvement & Standardization: Identify opportunities for process enhancement using Lean or TPM practices. Contribute to standardization of root cause analysis and corrective action planning for recurring operational challenges. Maintain and improve SOPs and process documentation across plants and tolling partners.
• Logistics & Distribution Optimization: Oversee logistics operations, including 3PL management, transportation planning, and international shipments. Identify opportunities for efficiency gains in distribution networks, including mode optimization, consolidation, and new warehousing strategies. Evaluate and manage regional partnerships with logistics providers, ensuring performance and cost effectiveness.
• Cross-functional Collaboration: Coordinate with Planning, Customer Service, Procurement, and EHS teams to ensure synchronized operations. Participate in cross-site and regional meetings to support knowledge sharing and consistent practices. Communicate production status, risks, and opportunities to regional leadership.
• Health & Safety: Develop a culture of safety compliance and risk reduction. Deliver safety talks. Contribute to safety walks.

Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Operations, Supply Chain, or related discipline (Master's preferred).
• 10+ years of experience in manufacturing or operations, including 4+ years in a senior leadership role.
• Proven ability to manage plant floor operations and lead frontline teams.
• Familiarity with production scheduling, asset utilization, and basic project execution.
• Understanding of safety, quality, and compliance standards within a regulated environment.
• Understanding of ERP and production systems (SAP preferred).
• Strong communication and problem-solving skills.
• Fluent in English (required); proficiency in Dutch or Serbian is a plus.

Competencies Desired:

• Execution & Results Orientation – Maintains operational focus in a complex environment, drives accountability, and meets production targets.
• Team Leadership – Builds, develops, and retains high-performing plant teams.
• Continuous Improvement – Leverages Lean/TPM methods to solve problems and improve plant performance.
• Collaboration – Partners effectively across teams and functions.
• Adaptability – Responds flexibly to changing business needs, priorities, or supply chain constraints.