SUMMARY OF POSITION: The Operational Excellence Manager serves as a strategic partner to Operations, Engineering, Quality, Maintenance, and Supply Chain by driving continuous improvement initiatives through the application of Lean Manufacturing principles, operational excellence methodologies, and structured problem-solving techniques.
This role provides dedicated focus on improving efficiency, throughput, capacity, labor productivity, equipment utilization, and overall operational performance across all manufacturing locations. The Operational Excellence Manager facilitates, coordinates, and leads improvement initiatives while ensuring all proposed changes are evaluated, reviewed, and implemented through established engineering, quality, customer, and change management processes.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES:- Lead and facilitate Operational Excellence initiatives that improve productivity, throughput, capacity, quality, safety, and overall operational performance.
- Partner with Operations, Engineering, Quality, Maintenance, and Supply Chain teams to prioritize and execute improvement projects.
- Support production ramp-up activities and capacity expansion initiatives to meet increasing customer demand.
- Conduct workflow analysis to identify bottlenecks, constraints, inefficiencies, and opportunities for improvement.
- Drive labor productivity improvement initiatives and workforce efficiency optimization efforts.
- Facilitate equipment utilization and Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) improvement projects.
- Lead structured problem-solving activities using Lean methodologies and continuous improvement tools.
- Coordinate cross-functional Kaizen events, improvement workshops, and continuous improvement activities
- Develop operational performance metrics and dashboards to monitor improvement initiatives and business results.
- Assist leadership teams with capacity planning, resource utilization analysis, and operational performance reviews.
- Facilitate project execution by helping teams identify barriers, align priorities, and drive accountability to project timelines.
- Ensure all recommended improvements follow established engineering, quality, regulatory, customer, and change management requirements.
- Comply with applicable environmental, health and safety laws and regulations, Company policy and accepted safe work practices.
- Perform additional related duties as assigned.
EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:- Bachelor's Degree in Engineering, Operations Management, Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Business, or related field required.
- Minimum of 5-7 years of manufacturing, operations, industrial engineering, continuous improvement, or operational excellence experience in semiconductor, medical, aerospace or automotive industry.
- Minimum of 3 years leading Lean Manufacturing or Continuous Improvement initiatives.
- Understanding of manufacturing operations, production systems, and process improvement techniques.
- Ability to collect, analyze, interpret, and present operational performance data and have a strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
- Excellent interpersonal, leadership, and communication abilities with strong project management and facilitation skills
- Demonstrated success leading cross-functional projects that improve productivity, capacity, throughput, quality, and operational performance.
- Excellent verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills.
- Proficient in Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, Outlook).
PHYSICAL DEMANDS WHILE PERFORMING THE JOB:- Standing or Sitting for extended periods of time, , walking, pushing, pulling, stooping, kneeling, or bending to the floor; use hands to finger, handle or feel parts and materials; reach with hands and arms and overhead; and talk and/or hear instructions and equipment sounds.
- Occasionally sitting or standing.
- Lifting and/or moving items up to 40 pounds.
- Close vision, color vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.
- Ability to differentiate shades and color to identify coating defects.
- Near acuity or accommodation required for reading instrumentation and documentation, dial and digital gauges, blueprints, and precision measuring instruments used in the inspection of coating operations.
- Ability to handle delicate parts.
WORKING ENVIRONMENT OF THE JOB:- Regularly exposed to moving equipment, mechanical parts, ovens, and risk of burns.
- Occasionally exposed to toxic or caustic chemicals and risk of electrical shock.
- High noise levels from operating machines.
- The employee will be required to use personal protective equipment (PPE) to prevent exposure to hazardous materials commonly used in a manufacturing environment (i.e., safety glasses and shoes, gloves, ear plugs/covers, mask, cleanroom suit).
- Approximately 60/40 office and shop floor environment.
- Low noise levels in office environment.
- High noise levels while working near operating machines.
- Physical hazards while working near moving equipment and mechanical parts.
- Possible breathing of fumes, odors, dust, and mist.
