DE EN ES FR

Master Operative Director

Strategic and Operational Leadership in Business Context

Role Overview

The Master Operative Director (MOD) is the strategically and operationally responsible "conductor" of the enterprise: synchronizing strategy, processes, resources, and people, ensuring operational excellence, and guaranteeing that corporate objectives are achieved efficiently, in compliance, and scalably.

Core Responsibilities

1. Strategic Steering

  • Operationalize Corporate Strategy: Derivation of operational roadmaps from corporate strategy; prioritization of initiatives.
  • Objective Setting and Alignment: Establishment of annual goals, OKRs, or KPIs for operational units; ensuring departmental and team alignment.
  • Portfolio and Program Governance: Governance for strategic programs; decisions on resource allocation and milestones.

2. Operational Excellence and Process Management

  • Define Process Architecture: Design and standardization of critical end-to-end processes.
  • Continuous Improvement: Introduction of Lean, Six Sigma, or Kaizen initiatives; process performance measurement.
  • Quality Assurance: Operationalization of quality standards and service-level agreements.

3. Resource and Budget Management

  • Budget Planning and Cost Control: Creation of operational budgets; monitoring of cost centers and cost-saving opportunities.
  • Capacity Planning: Human resources, production, and infrastructure planning to ensure delivery capability and scalability.
  • Sourcing and Supplier Management: Strategic governance of key suppliers and service providers.

4. Leadership, Organization, and Culture

  • Leadership of Managers: Coaching of department heads; development of leadership competencies and succession planning.
  • Organizational Design: Adaptation of organizational structure to growth and efficiency requirements.
  • Culture Development: Promotion of accountability, error tolerance, and cross-functional collaboration.

5. Project and Program Management

  • Establish Governance: Project portfolio management, prioritization, risk assessment.
  • Ensure Delivery Excellence: Method selection (Agile, Waterfall, Hybrid), reporting, and escalation paths.
  • Resource and Time Management: Timely execution of critical projects.

6. Performance Management and KPIs

  • Develop KPI Framework: Definition of key performance indicators (e.g., lead time, cost per unit, customer satisfaction, OEE).
  • Dashboards and Reporting: Creation of management dashboards; regular reporting to executive management and board.
  • Benchmarking and Target Revision: External and internal benchmarks for target adjustment.

7. Risk Management and Compliance

  • Identify Operational Risks: Business continuity planning, supply chain risks, IT and cyber risks.
  • Regulatory Compliance: Ensuring legal requirements, audit readiness, and internal controls.
  • Security and Data Protection Measures: Implementation of policies and monitoring.

8. Stakeholder Management and Communication

  • Internal Communication: Coordination with CEO, CFO, HR, IT, Sales, and Production; regular leadership meetings.
  • External Communication: Primary contact for major customers, investors, authorities, and strategic partners.
  • Change Management: Accompanying change processes with clear communication and training strategy.

9. Innovation, Digitalization, and Transformation

  • Technology Roadmap: Prioritization of digital initiatives (automation, ERP, BI, RPA).
  • Pilot New Solutions: Proof-of-concepts, scaling decisions, and ROI evaluation.
  • Data-Driven Decisions: Building data infrastructure for operational intelligence.

10. Tools, Methods, and Standards

  • Methods Portfolio: Lean, Six Sigma, Agile, OKR, Project Management standards.
  • Technology Stack: ERP, CRM, BI tools, Workforce Management, Collaboration tools.
  • Documentation and SOPs: Maintenance of Standard Operating Procedures and knowledge bases.

Operational Interfaces and Reporting Structure

Key Competencies and Qualifications

Onboarding, Success Measurement, and Quick Wins

Recommendation for Role Implementation