Operational Excellence Manager

Purpose of the Role

The Operations Excellence Manager improves operational performance by establishing scalable standards, strengthening daily management systems, and leading data-driven continuous improvement initiatives. This role works cross-functionally with Operations leaders to simplify processes, build problem-solving capability, sustain measurable gains, and align execution with safety, quality, delivery, cost, and customer expectations.

Areas of Accountability

Operational Excellence Deployment

• Develop and maintain an operations excellence roadmap, site-level improvement plans, and measurable performance targets based on assigned business priorities.
• Standardize and simplify processes using Lean principles, standard work, visual management, and leader routines.
• Coach leaders and teams to embed continuous improvement practices into daily operations and sustain adoption.
• Lead cross-functional improvement initiatives that increase safety, quality, service, productivity, and cost performance.
• Facilitate Gemba, root cause analysis, kaizen, PDCA, and A3 problem solving; ensure countermeasures have clear owners and due dates.
• Validate benefits, remove barriers, and establish controls that prevent regression.
• Develop and refine KPI dashboards, scorecards, and review routines that create visibility to performance and drive timely action.
• Analyze trends, quantify opportunities, prioritize the improvement pipeline, and communicate progress, risks, and realized value to leadership.
• Align metric definitions, reporting cadence, escalation triggers, and accountability across Operations and support functions.
• Own governance for SOPs, work instructions, standard work, audits, and corrective actions, including approval, version control, implementation, and sustainment.
• Develop practical training, job aids, and facilitation materials; coach teams in Lean tools, KPI interpretation, and disciplined execution.

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree preferred, or equivalent relevant experience; 5+ years in operations excellence, continuous improvement, manufacturing, service operations, quality, or a related field.
• Demonstrated success leading cross-functional improvement initiatives and applying Lean, root cause analysis, PDCA, A3, kaizen, Gemba, and standard work.
• Strong capability in change leadership, facilitation, coaching, project management, data analysis, KPI dashboards, and executive-ready communication.
• Proficiency with Microsoft 365, reporting and visualization tools, and AI-enabled productivity and analytics solutions, including effective prompting, responsible use, output validation, and practical workflow automation; Lean Six Sigma certification preferred.
• Ability to influence without direct authority and travel approximately 30–40%.