Global Opex Capability and Coaching

Global OpEx Capability & Coaching Lead

Our story goes back more than 150 years, to the chilly southern coast of Scandinavia. From our early success in Sweden and Denmark, we’ve grown into the world’s leading specialist producer of plant-based oils, employing more than 4,000 people across the globe.

We work with our customers to make the products you love even better. The oils we produce go into making your chocolate extra-creamy or putting the crunch into your croissant. And it’s not just food — we work across industries to make products that are higher quality, healthier and better for the planet.

Everything we do is about Making Better Happen™.

AAK Location

This role can be based at either Karlshamn or Aarhus.

About the role

As Global OpEx Capability & Coaching Lead, you will play a key role in building the knowledge, skills and capabilities required to advance AAK’s Operational Excellence journey globally.

You will own AAK’s global Operational Excellence Capability Strategy and act as our Global Master Trainer and strategic owner of the Operational Excellence Learning Academy. This includes developing learning pathways, training programmes, certification, coaching frameworks and capability systems that support AAK’s progression through different levels of OpEx maturity.

Working across Operations, Supply Chain, Maintenance, Engineering, Quality, Procurement, Commercial, R&D and other functions, you will create a consistent approach to OpEx capability development and ensure that the right standards, learning materials, coaching tools and deployment packages are in place.

You will work closely with the Global OpEx Deployment Lead, Regional and Local OpEx Leads, plant leadership teams and functional stakeholders. While the Deployment Lead focuses on deployment execution and site implementation, this role focuses on capability building, learning, coaching, certification and organisational readiness.

This is a global role for an experienced Operational Excellence professional who combines strong OpEx expertise with a passion for developing people, sharing best practices and building sustainable improvement capability across AAK.

Responsibilities

• Own and lead AAK’s global Operational Excellence Capability Strategy, ensuring capability building, learning governance and coaching support the organisation’s maturity ambitions.

• Act as AAK’s Global Master Trainer, designing, delivering and continuously improving OpEx learning programmes across frontline, technical, functional, leadership and executive audiences.

• Develop and govern the Operational Excellence Learning Academy, including learning pathways, curricula, digital learning, competency frameworks and coaching programmes.

• Own the global OpEx certification framework, including Practitioner, Coach, Trainer and Master Trainer pathways, ensuring consistent quality and assessment standards.

• Ensure OpEx standards, training materials, coaching guides, assessment criteria and deployment packages are developed and ready before each maturity level is deployed.

• Build Communities of Practice, trainer networks and knowledge-sharing routines to accelerate best-practice sharing and create sustainable OpEx capability across AAK.

• Provide coaching and capability development to Regional and Local OpEx Leads, plant leadership teams, frontline leaders, trainers and practitioners.

• Partner closely with the Global OpEx Deployment Lead to align capability readiness with deployment waves and incorporate feedback from the field into learning and standards.

• Represent the global OpEx capability agenda across regions and functions, ensuring learning, certification and coaching remain aligned with AAK’s transformation priorities.

• Continuously assess capability gaps and improve learning, coaching and development approaches to strengthen OpEx maturity across the organisation. About you

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Operations Management, Supply Chain, Manufacturing, Learning & Development, Organisational Development or a related field; a Master’s degree is an advantage.

• Extensive Operational Excellence experience, ideally 10+ years, with strong expertise in Lean, TPM, Daily Management Systems, Visual Management and structured problem solving.

• Proven experience as a Master Trainer or equivalent, with the ability to design and deliver learning programmes for a wide range of audiences.

• Strong knowledge of adult learning, instructional design, coaching, assessment and certification.

• Deep knowledge of TRACC or a comparable Operational Excellence system; TRACC certification or equivalent is strongly preferred.

• Experience developing capability systems such as learning academies, competency frameworks, coaching programmes or trainer networks.

• Excellent coaching, facilitation and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence across cultures, functions and organisational levels.

• Strong communication and content development skills, with a practical and structured approach.

• Fluent in English and comfortable working globally, including regular international travel.

In return AAK offers

• Join a pioneering company in specialty oils and fats, driving innovation and sustainability.
• In AAK you can work across 25+ countries, gaining international exposure and collaborating with a diverse team.
• AAK invests in your development with training, mentorship, and clear career paths.
• You will contribute to a greener world with AAK's sustainability-focused approach.
• Join a diverse and inclusive workplace that values every individual's perspective and talents. Contact and information

For further information about the position, please contact Emily Lumb, Talent Acquisition Specialist: emily.lumb@aak.com

About AAK

Everything AAK does is about Making Better Happen™. We specialise in plant-based oils that are the value-adding ingredients in many of the products people love to consume. We make these products better tasting, healthier, and more sustainable.

At the heart of AAK’s offer is Customer Co-Development, combining our desire to understand what better means for each customer with the flexibility of our production assets and deep knowledge across multiple industries, including Chocolate and Confectionery, Bakery, Dairy, Plant-based Foods, Special Nutrition, Foodservice and Personal Care.

Our 4,000 employees support close collaboration with customers through 25 regional sales offices, 15 dedicated Customer Innovation Centers, and more than 20 production facilities worldwide. Headquartered in Malmö, Sweden and listed on Nasdaq Stockholm, AAK has been Making Better Happen™ for more than 150 years.

AAK is an equal opportunities employer and is committed to creating an inclusive workplace where diversity is valued and everyone has the opportunity to contribute and grow.