Logistics Productivity Leader
Date: Aug 26, 2026
Location: Columbia, MD, US, 21044 Houston, TX, US, 77002
Company: W. R. Grace & Co.
Annual Wage Range: $126,896.00 - $174,482.00
Other Compensation: Eligibility for the Short-Term Incentive program and other applicable bonuses
Benefits: U.S. Employee Benefits Summary (grace.com)
Grace, a Standard Industries company, is a leading global supplier of catalysts, engineered materials and fine chemicals. We provide innovative products, technologies and services which our customers use to manufacture everyday products like renewable fuels, pharmaceuticals, toothpaste, cosmetics, food packaging, beer, edible oils and more. Our thousands of employees help shape a better future at our global headquarters in Columbia, MD and locations worldwide.
Job Description
We’re hiring a Logistics Productivity Leader who will report to the Productivity Leader in the Manufacturing Center of Excellence, Global Operations. This role is accountable to develop, implement and sustain Logistic Cost improvement initiatives utilizing Lean and Six Sigma methodologies and transform the current culture to a culture of continuous improvement.
These Logistic cost and logistic process improvement initiatives are driven throughout the internal organization and external logistic network and may be extended to suppliers, service providers and customers. The expectation is to deliver long-term cost reduction results and process simplification in the logistics field. This position will be working on projects driving Logistics productivity in site and in the regions to ensure Logistic cost productivity targets are achieved.
This role can sit at either or Columbia, MD or Houston, TX location. The ability to travel up to 50% may be required.
Responsibilities
- Champion a culture of continuous improvement, facilitating continuous improvement initiatives that include Kaizen events, Supply Chain and Logistics mapping and simplification projects, daily process improvement activities, advanced problem solving or Six Sigma projects, 5S, visual management, and lean principles.
- Develop robust business cases for logistic cost productivity projects intra site and inter site in collaboration with finance and procurement (US / EMEA).
- Track progress of project objectives and the project value, provide root cause analysis when Logistic performance deviates from target, and work with team members to develop data driven corrective actions to remediate misses to project deliverables.
- Lead ideation process for Logistics productivity projects with plant teams and prioritize those projects with the asset teams.
- Partner with Global Logistics teams and with Business Asset teams to develop productivity projects, including capital projects in the FEL0 and FEL1 stages.
- Work with value stream owners to create a system to ensure everyone is conducting continuous improvement principles correctly and consistently.
- Assist in the development and management of a best practice sharing internal network supported by Service Levels, Logistics Quality and Cost.
- Provide monthly and quarterly performance reports, as assigned.
- Analyze prior year performance, facilitate multi-year gap closure plans, and help set KPI plans / targets for next several years.
- Work with plant leaders and site logistics leaders to develop a sustained pool of Six Sigma talent.
Required Qualifications
- BS degree in ISE, ChE, ME, EE, Supply Chain Management or equivalent experience
- 10+ years experience in operational excellence, training, strategy, process improvement, logistics leadership, or business analysis
- Ability to develop and lead changes and improvements in a large-scale operation.
- Strong partner management, communication, and interpersonal skills.
- Drives Value Stream strategy with Logistics personnel relative to process and quality of service and products.
Preferred Qualifications
- MBA or equivalent work experience
- Exhibits outstanding team building skills and ability to influence indirectly
- Experience in transforming organizations using Lean & Six Sigma methodologies.
- Leads Lean Manufacturing and Logistics initiatives to eliminate waste of value streams by empowering/teaching others the Lean and practical problem-solving tools.
- Microsoft Office tools
- SAP experience
- 3PL experience
To be considered for this position, candidates must be authorized to work in the United States without the need for current or future employer-sponsored work authorization. This position is not eligible for visa sponsorship or visa transfer.
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Benefits
- Medical, Dental, Vision Insurance
- Life Insurance and Disability
- Grace Wellness Program
- Flexible Workplace
- Retirement Plans
- 401(k) Company Match
- Paid Vacation and Holidays
- Parental Leave (salaried only)
- Tuition Reimbursement
- Company Donation Match Program
Grace is not accepting unsolicited assistance from search firms for this employment opportunity. Please, no phone calls or emails. All resumes submitted by search firms to any employee at Grace via email, the Internet or in any form and/or method without a valid written search agreement in place for this position will be deemed the sole property of Grace. No fee will be paid in the event the candidate is hired by Grace as a result of the referral or through other means.
Nearest Major Market: Baltimore