Lead Director, Operational Excellence

At Prologis, we don’t just lead the industry—we define it with a 1.3 billion square foot portfolio and an annual throughput of approximately $3.2 trillion. We create the intelligent infrastructure that powers global commerce, seamlessly connecting the digital and physical worlds. From agile supply chains to energy solutions, our ecosystems help your business move faster, operate smarter and grow sustainably. With unmatched scale, innovation and expertise, Prologis is a category of one—not just shaping the future of logistics but building what comes next.

Job Title:

Lead Director, Operational Excellence

Company:

Prologis

A Day in the Life

Drive transformation at the world’s leading logistics real estate company. As our Lead Director of Operational Excellence, you’ll lead a high-performing team of process engineers and change experts to deliver meaningful impact across the enterprise. Partnering closely with the VP of Operational Excellence and senior leaders across the business, you’ll spearhead large-scale initiatives that standardize, optimize, and innovate how we work—helping us achieve our ambitious goals and deliver exceptional value to our customers. This is a high-visibility role, ideal for a strategic, hands-on leader passionate about driving lasting operational change.

Key Responsibilities

Leadership

• Lead and mentor a team of process engineers and change experts to deliver high-impact outcomes.
• Partner with VP of Operational Excellence to deploy strategy supporting enterprise transformation.
• Oversee large-scale initiatives to standardize, optimize, and improve processes across business lines.
• Drive continuous improvement, fostering innovation and operational efficiency.
• Ensure alignment with financial targets and KPIs, while supporting governance frameworks to track success.
• Communicate effectively with executives and stakeholders to gain buy-in.
• Deploy cost optimization strategies and lead internal process standardization.

Operational Strategy & Execution

• Collaborate with senior leadership to define and execute operational improvement strategy.
• Lead complex enterprise-wide transformation efforts and process improvement initiatives.
• Design and deliver Operational Excellence training (classroom, virtual, on-the-job).
• Manage financial readiness, conduct P&L diagnostics, and recommend cost savings.
• Apply Lean methodologies and tools to optimize processes across departments.
• Communicate status updates, ROI, and results to senior leadership.
• Facilitate improvement events (e.g., VSMs, Kaizen, pilots, analytics, systems thinking).
• Develop and oversee project plans, budgets, and timelines in partnership with PMO.
• Build business intelligence reporting with analytics teams, aligning to strategic objectives.
• Guide development and auditing of Standard Work to ensure policy alignment.
• Meet regularly with project sponsors, provide timely documentation, and escalate key issues.
• Demonstrate initiative, independence, and accountability with a “can-do” mindset.
• Serve as a role model for continuous improvement, leveraging innovation including AI/ML.

Change Management

• Influence and facilitate change without formal authority.
• Obtain Prologis Change Management certification and serve in dual OE/Change roles.
• Lead change initiatives to ensure adoption of new processes, tools, and technologies.
• Develop and execute change management plans (communication, training, stakeholder engagement).
• Partner with leadership to assess impacts, mitigate resistance, and foster adaptability.

Building Blocks for Success

Required:

• 7+ years applying Lean Six Sigma to drive improvement; 5+ years facilitating large-scale Lean Transformations.
• Experience leading and managing teams, including setting goals, providing coaching and feedback, fostering collaboration, and driving performance to achieve organizational objectives.
• Proven success leading cross-functional, complex projects with executive-level engagement.
• Deep experience in Lean tools/methods (Hoshin Kanri, VSMs, Kaizen, A3 thinking, daily management, 5S, Visual Management, Standard Work).
• Skilled in strategy deployment, stakeholder management, and executive communications.
• Strong data analytics capability for problem solving and root cause analysis.
• High emotional intelligence, relationship building, and communication skills.
• Self-starter, strategic thinker, adaptable in ambiguity, committed to continuous learning.
• Experience with Tableau, Sigma, Salesforce, Lucid, Monday.com, and ChatGPT is a plus.

Preferred: