Senior Operational Excellence Manager

This role will act as an agent of change for process improvement and lean transformation implementation, practices, and principles; not only driving the lean transformation and sustainment of process improvement initiatives but building the Lean capabilities of everyone in the Value Stream.

Responsibilities:

• Coaching and developing high-level leaders throughout the value stream, including engineering, product management, and operations, to ensure transformation priorities are aligned to the top overall business needs and Operational Excellence thinking is utilized in solution approaches.
• Coach all plant processes through the lean process and behavior changes, developing a highly effective Daily Management process. Provide coaching on basic lean fundamentals of one-piece flow, on-demand, zero defects, and standardized work. Deploy techniques such as basic problem solving, Kaizen and A3 thinking and tools including Kanban, Value stream mapping, visual management, pull, TPM, SMED and 5S as applicable.
• Coach and develop the full-time OpEx change leaders to grow their OpEx knowledge and execution capabilities.  Mentor them to be true agents of change, improve their change management capabilities (tools and behaviors), and ensure rigor around conducting rapid improvement events.
• Financial acumen to provide cost estimates and capital expenditure justification as necessary, and accurately project and track savings.
• Ensure compliance with standard processes and tools, supports the value stream team to develop and follow their personal standard work (leaders and associates), yielding a culture of system, process, and behavior discipline to get results using lean principles.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor of Science Degree or related discipline required.
• Extensive Lean transformation experience and understanding of lean principles with a proven track record of changing culture and getting results. Successfully led 100+ events over multiple value streams.
• Plant manager or large plant operations experience is highly preferred.
• Excellent written and oral communication and presentation skills with the ability to communicate effectively with both senior management and production staff.
• Leadership through influence, coaching, mentoring, and teaching; ability to foster lean culture change in an environment with varying acceptance.
• Extensive understanding of Gemba-based continuous improvement tools/techniques.
• Knowledge of the Shingo model preferred
• APICS CPIM Certification or equivalent experience preferred.