VP Operational Excellence

We at Yara are part of a global network, collaborating to profitably and responsibly solve some of the world's key challenges - resource scarcity, food insecurity and environmental change.

About the Unit & Department

Yara Technology, Projects & Operational Excellence (YTP) is a global enabler of Yara’s strategy, delivering innovation, project execution, operational and procurement excellence. The unit is structured around five pillars: Technology, Projects, Operational Excellence, Technical Procurement and Digital Business Partnering, covering the full YGP scope. Together, these departments drive the development of modern technologies, execute complex technical projects, and embed continuous improvement and harmonized practices across Yara’s Production system. We collaborate closely with internal and external partners to ensure safe, efficient, and sustainable solutions that create value for Yara and society. 

Operational Excellence is expected to accelerate reliability, debottlenecking, and quality improvements across all production units. The department supports the delivery of mid- and long-term performance targets in line with Yara’s corporate strategy, while increasing focus on value creation across the full value chain. It also ensures that improvements are sustainable and helps build a culture of continuous improvement across Yara under the Core+ program umbrella.
The YTP OpEx department owns Yara’s technical steering system (TOPS), drives global frameworks for plant prioritization, technical Communities of Practice, reliability and process improvements, and capital allocation as part of the annual BP process.

About the Role

The VP Operational Excellence is responsible for driving sustainable performance improvement across Yara’s production network and positioning Yara for long-term growth through operational discipline, continuous improvement, and value delivery. The role translates Yara’s strategic priorities into practical improvement frameworks, performance management processes, and asset productivity initiatives that strengthen safe, reliable, and cost-competitive operations.

Key focus areas include driving competence building across sites and units through Communities of Practice; identifying, prioritizing, and leading targeted initiatives to improve performance at existing assets; and partnering with production sites, subject matter experts, Finance, Digital, and Business Units to develop the next horizon of improvement opportunities across production, maintenance, reliability, turnaround, and quality domains.

The position will report to the SVP YTP & OpEx and will be part of the YTP Management Team.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop the YTP Operational Excellence department and enable people to perform at their best.
• Own the Core+ program and be overall accountable for the outcomes together with relevant line management.
• Own and develop the TOPS (steering system), PPF and other relevant YGP frameworks.
• Drive operational improvements in Yara assets through coordinated, prioritized programs that improve reliability, throughput, cost competitiveness, quality, and sustainable value delivery in line with plant prioritization and corporate strategy.
• Develop competence building through Communities of Practice and Center of Competence.
• Collaborate closely with other units in YGP to ensure a holistic approach to performance and improvement activities across the production system.
• Collaborate closely with YTP Digital and YCD DS teams to safeguard performance, embed digital-enabled improvements into daily operations, and jointly develop the next horizon of value-creating opportunities.
• Steer Capex allocation, LTAP, and related governance processes as part of the annual BP process and Plant Prioritization Framework, ensuring transparent choices and measurable benefits realization.
• Coordinate Global activities to drive performance and share knowledge across the Plant Management community.
• Act as a trusted advisor to Production leadership, Plant Managers, and key functional partners, representing Operational Excellence in relevant executive forums and strategic initiatives.

Profile

• Master diploma or Ph.D. in a relevant field.
• Broad experience leading technical, operational, or global improvement teams in complex chemical or industrial manufacturing environments.
• Solid track record in coaching, steering, and developing diverse teams, with proven ability to drive change through influence and collaboration.
• Capability to resolve complex technical and business challenges & steer systematic improvement.
• Excellent stakeholder management skills and broad network in- and outside of Yara.
• Strong commitment to safety, operational discipline, continuous improvement, and sustainable value delivery.
• Structured, strategic, and business-oriented leader with strong analytical and commercial capabilities, able to translate strategy into execution and measurable outcomes.
• Collaborative mindset and driven by seeing others succeed.
• Fluent in English; knowledge of additional languages is an advantage.

Additional Information

The preferred location is Brussels, Oslo or one of our YGP European production sites. The role will require occasional travel to Yara sites and business locations.

As a global organization, we actively strive to reflect the diversity of society. We therefore encourage qualified applicants from all backgrounds to apply, and we are committed to offering a diverse and inclusive work environment that supports both career and personal life.

Contact details

Tommi Hevonoja - SVP YTP & OpEX
Yannick Deplechin - Senior Manager People & Culture

Apply no later than

Wednesday 14 October 2026

Knowledge grows through differences
Yara is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We believe that creating a diverse and inclusive work environment is not only the right thing, but also the smart thing to do. To deliver on this, Yara has firmly anchored Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DE&I) in our business strategy and has more than 400 employees worldwide involved in D&I ambassadors networks. 

As part of our recruitment process, where permitted by local law, we may conduct reference and background checks. These checks will only be performed when deemed necessary for the nature of the job. Candidates will be informed by HR before any background checks are initiated.