Manager, Operational Excellence & Projects

The Manager of Operational Excellence (OPEX) will drive operational excellence activities to become best in class for safety, quality, and delivery while reducing waste and maximizing process performance within our operations and manufacturing functions. This will be accomplished by working in close collaboration with functional leaders across the organization to identify, prioritize and implement initiatives to improve productivity, quality, customer service and/or reducing costs and complexity for our operations. The Manager of OPEX will lead teams to embrace new practices, encourage all to lead with a process-thinking mindset and promote best practice sharing across facilities. These best practices will be implemented in a way that empowers employees and creates a high level of personal accountability.

Responsibilities:

• Leads process improvement initiatives through the disciplined use of measurements, accountability, analysis, and discussion of process alternatives.
• Facilitate and lead kaizen events targeting project planning, process improvements, problem solving, and continuous improvement.
• Create and implement strategies to drive efficiency and increase performance through standardization.
• Collaborates with management to provide strong leadership through strategic training, coaching, project management and effective facilitation of transformation process and events.
• Responsible for VAVE (Value Analysis, Value Engineering) development and implementation to drive efficiencies, cost reductions, and quality improvements through redesign.
• Brings expertise or identifies subject matter experts in support of multi-functional efforts in process improvement, data capture and analysis, infrastructure support, tool ownership and compliance with procedures, etc.
• Utilize strong written and verbal communication skills with a technical and business mindset to prepare project documents and ensure compliance and scheduling.
• Clearly communicate project progress through dashboards and executive summaries.
• Support the running of project team meetings, record action plans, and task owners.
• Assist in running project risk sessions and record the results in Risk Registers with appropriate follow-up and issue resolution plans.

Minimum Requirements/Qualifications:

• Strong experience in Operational Excellence tools including but not limited to Value Stream Mapping, Kaizen facilitation, Problem Solving, Strategy Deployment, 5S, Six Sigma.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, interpersonal skills, and presentation ability.
• Possess a cooperative and team focused attitude.
• Strong analytical skills and demonstrated data and fact-based problem-solving skills.
• Ability to operate within designated time, budget and resource parameters while mitigating risk.
• Excellent project management skills.
• Excellent influencing skills.
• Willingness and ability to travel 20% of the time domestically/internationally.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

• 3+ years of demonstrated project management skills.
• 5+ years of industry experience.

ADDITIONAL SKILLS and QUALIFICATIONS

• Understanding of physics, design, procurement, and manufacturing process limitations.
• Demonstrated experience working in a technical environment.
• Green to Black Belt Six Sigma or Lean expert certification preferred.
• Basic knowledge of accounting/finance.
• Working knowledge of SAP or similar ERP/MRP system.
• Hands-on experience facilitating global, cross-cultural business teams.
• Pursue and obtain PMP or PMI certification (preferred).
• Pursue and obtain VMA (Value Methodology Associate) certification (preferred).
• Proficient in use of Microsoft Office Suite.

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS

• Project Management Professional (PMP) preferred
• Certifications in Lean and/or Six Sigma preferred