Job Title: Director Operational Cost Excellence - Decatur, IL
Company Name:
Archer Daniels Midland
Location:
Decatur, IL United States
Position Type:
Full Time
Post Date:
03/16/2026
Expire Date:
04/15/2026
Job Categories:
Engineering, Finance/Economics, Manufacturing and Production, Purchasing, Executive Management, Logistics, Quality Control, Environmental, Energy / Utilities
Job Description
Director Operational Cost Excellence - Decatur, IL Senior Director Operational Cost Excellence – Decatur, Illinois or other Major Plant locations
ADM is seeking for Senior Director Operational Cost Excellence to directly influence Business Unit margin performance by improving operational capability rather than relying on short-term cost containment. Success in this position creates durable competitive advantage through higher asset productivity, lower variability, and improved cost discipline. The Senior Director, Operational Cost Excellence is responsible for driving structural, sustainable cost improvement across manufacturing, supply chain, and asset-intensive operations. This role leads Business Unit-wide initiatives focused on productivity, yield improvement, energy optimization, reliability, and process capability using Lean and Six Sigma methodologies. The successful individual partners closely with Operations, Engineering, Maintenance, Supply Chain, and Finance to reduce cost per unit, improve asset utilization, and embed a culture of continuous improvement. The role ensures that operational improvements translate into verified EBITDA impact.
Key Responsibilities Operational Productivity & Cost Reduction
Lead enterprise programs to reduce cost per ton/unit across manufacturing sites.
Identify and close performance gaps in OEE, yield, labor productivity, and overhead absorption.
Standardize productivity metrics and benchmarking across plants.
Drive structural cost improvements vs. short-term expense cuts.
Lean Six Sigma Deployment
Sponsor and govern Lean Six Sigma (DMAIC) initiatives across operations.
Partner with Master Black Belts and plant CI leaders to prioritize high-impact projects.
Ensure project selection aligns with enterprise financial goals.
Lead yield variance analysis and loss-tree identification.
Reduce process variability and improve Cp/Cpk on critical parameters.
Drive waste elimination and by-product optimization.
Promote replication of best practices across the network.
Energy & Utilities Optimization
Reduce energy intensity per unit of production.
Standardize energy performance dashboards.
Partner with Engineering to identify capital-light efficiency opportunities.
Drive accountability for energy cost management.
Asset & Maintenance Cost Excellence
Improve maintenance cost per unit through reliability-centered practices.
Increase planned vs. reactive maintenance ratios.
Optimize spare parts inventory and contractor spend.
Reduce downtime and improve MTBF.
Network & Throughput Optimization
Identify bottlenecks and throughput constraints.
Improve asset utilization and debottleneck capacity.
Support footprint optimization and capacity rationalization initiatives.
Financial Impact & Governance
Partner with Finance to validate savings and prevent double counting.
Separate volume/mix effects from productivity gains.
Track and report structural vs. one-time savings.
Establish cost baselines and performance scorecards.
Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Operations, Supply Chain, or related field (MBA preferred).
10+ years of experience in manufacturing or asset-intensive industries.
Demonstrated track record of delivering measurable operational cost reduction.
Deep knowledge of Lean, Six Sigma, OEE, reliability, and process capability methods.
Strong financial acumen with experience linking operational KPIs to P&L impact.
Experience leading cross-functional teams in multi-site or global environments.
Preferred Certifications
Lean Six Sigma Black Belt or Master Black Belt
TPM or Reliability certification
Project Management certification (PMP)
Key Competencies
Operational credibility and technical depth
Structured problem solving
Data-driven decision making
Change leadership
Cross-functional influence
Executive communication
Success Metrics
Reduction in cost per unit/ton
Improvement in OEE and yield
Energy intensity reduction
Increase in planned maintenance ratio
Sustained EBITDA improvement from operations
Replication rate of best practices across sites
Excited about this role but don’t meet every requirement listed? Studies show that often applicants will self-select out if they don’t check every box. We encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this role or another one of our openings.
ADM requires the successful completion of a background check.
Company Description:
At ADM, we unlock the power of nature to provide access to nutrition worldwide. With
industry-advancing innovations, a complete portfolio of ingredients and solutions to meet any taste, and a
commitment to sustainability, we give customers an edge in solving the nutritional challenges of today and
tomorrow. We're a global leader in human and animal nutrition and the world's premier agricultural
origination and processing company. Our breadth, depth, insights, facilities and logistical expertise give us
unparalleled capabilities to meet needs for food, beverages, health and wellness, and more. From the seed of the
idea to the outcome of the solution, we enrich the quality of life the world over. Learn more at www.adm.com.
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