The Senior Operational Excellence Specialist is responsible for leading, driving, and supporting enterprise-wide initiatives aimed at enhancing team member safety, quality, efficiency, employee satisfaction, and customer satisfaction. This role requires a highly experienced professional with a proven track record in Lean Six Sigma methodologies and a deep understanding of operational excellence principles. This position leads high-impact initiatives, mentors cross-functional teams, and ensures alignment between continuous improvement efforts and organizational objectives. The ideal candidate demonstrates exceptional leadership, strategic thinking, and the ability to influence cultural and operational transformation across the organization. This role is instrumental in shaping and scaling operational excellence practices to deliver long-term value to both the organization and its customers.

• Leads the application of Lean and Six Sigma methodologies to strategically reduce waste and variation across operations, driving measurable impact on efficiency and profitability.
• Advises and partners with senior site leadership to achieve and sustain advanced Kenco Operating System maturity targets, ensuring alignment with organizational objectives.
• Oversees and tracks value creation initiatives (VCI), providing strategic insights and recommendations to maximize ROI from continuous improvement efforts.
• Champions Lean principles by guiding Hoshin planning activities to align the organization around strategic priorities and establish Lean systems across all areas of the vertical.
• Provides operational excellence leadership and drives the implementation of Kenco’s Minimum Requirements at startup and high-priority locations, ensuring scalability and consistency.
• Conducts advanced process analysis to identify systemic inefficiencies, eliminate bottlenecks, and implement sustainable solutions using expertise in process design, clearly defining responsibilities, inputs/outputs, and workflow connections.
• Facilitates advanced training sessions and workshops on Kenco Operating System, Lean Six Sigma methodologies, and process improvement tools, empowering leaders and teams to embed a culture of continuous improvement.,
• Drives change management initiatives at the organizational level, ensuring successful adoption of new processes, systems, and the continuous improvement culture.
• Collaborates with executives and senior leaders to align operational excellence initiatives with long-term strategic objectives and ensure enterprise-wide impact.
• Mentors and coach’s teams and leaders in applying Lean tools and methodologies (e.g., 5S, Kaizen, Value Stream Mapping, Root Cause Analysis), fostering a culture of sustainable improvement at scale.

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Operations Management or related field required.
• Minimum of 8-10 years of experience in operational excellence, process improvement, engineering or related required.
• Lean Six Sigma Black Belt preferred.
• Exceptional communication skills with the ability to articulate complex, enterprise-wide concepts to executives, cross-functional leaders, and diverse teams in a clear and compelling manner.
• Proven track record of driving operational excellence through mentoring and guiding leaders and teams to achieve strategic and measurable outcomes.
• Expert facilitation skills in leading large-scale workshops, Kaizen events, and executive-level discussions, ensuring alignment and actionable results.
• Strong leadership and relationship-building capabilities to foster collaboration across all levels of the organization.
• Advanced change management expertise, with the ability to deliver impactful messaging and strategies that encourage adoption of new systems, processes, and cultural transformations.
• Deep commitment to cultivating a culture of continuous improvement by embedding operational excellence principles and Lean methodologies across the enterprise.
• Strong strategic thinking and problem-solving abilities to identify and prioritize improvement opportunities, aligning initiatives with organizational goals.

• Business Acumen - Knowledgeable in current and possible future policies, practices, trends, technology, and information affecting his/her business and organization.
• Communicate for Impact - Proactively communicate with all stakeholders throughout the life cycle of programs and projects.
• Influencing Others - Can quickly find common ground and can solve problems for the good of the organization with a minimal amount of noise. Authentically gains trust and support of peers.
• Managing Transitions/ Change Management - Effectively plans, manages and communicates changes in processes with appropriate stakeholders.
• Strategic Agility - Enable Kenco to remain competitive by adjusting and adapting to innovative ideas necessary to support Kenco’s long-term organizational strategy.

• This position is expected to travel approximately 75% >or greater.
• You will be required to have a valid passport to travel to Canada or Mexico.

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• The statements above are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by employees assigned to this job. Other duties may be assigned as needed. The physical demands and work environment described are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
• Per company policy, all internal job postings expire 14 days from the date they are posted.

Benefits offered:

• Medical insurance including HSA, HRA and FSA accounts

• Supplemental insurance including critical illness, hospital indemnity, accidental injury

• Dental Insurance

• Vision Insurance

• Basic Life and Supplemental Life

• Short Term and Long Term Disability

• Paid Parental Leave

• 401(k)

• Paid Time Off approximately 2 weeks (accrual begins on Day 1 of employment)

• Employer Paid Holidays- 10 days

Kenco strives to provide a supportive, professional environment for all employees. As a part of Kenco, we expect our team to uphold our three key pillars: be honest, serve, and get better. Each should strive for operational excellence, pursue innovation, and want to grow with our company.