Operational Excellence Supervisor

Operational Excellence Supervisor Operational Excellence SupervisorPosition Summary Mueller Water Products is a leading manufacturer of flow control products for the water and gas distribution industries. Our manufacturing commitment helps ensure that one of the world's most precious resources lean drinking water reaches millions of people every day. The Operational Excellence Supervisor leads the facility's Operational Excellence function and is responsible for developing the OPEX team and delivering measurable, sustainable improvements in Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost, Productivity and Capacity. This position leads Mechanical Engineers and Lean People and partners closely with Operations, Quality, Maintenance, Supply Chain, Engineering, EHS and other functions to improve manufacturing performance, eliminate waste and variation, strengthen processes, reduce cost, and build organizational capability. The Operational Excellence Supervisor is a key change leader within the facility, responsible for establishing priorities, developing people, leading improvement initiatives and ensuring improvements are implemented, measured, financially validated and sustained. Primary ResponsibilitiesLeadership & Organizational Development • Lead, develop, coach, and hold accountable Mechanical Engineers and Lean People to achieve individual, team and plant objectives • Establish clear priorities, expectations, goals and performance measures for the OPEX team • Build the technical, leadership and problem-solving capability of engineers, Lean People, supervisors and production employees • Develop a culture of ownership, accountability, employee involvement, and continuous improvement • Develop talent and succession capability within the OPEX organization • Build strong working relationships with Operations, Quality, Maintenance, Supply Chain, Engineering, EHS, and other functional leaders • Lead through influence and collaboration while maintaining accountability for commitments and results Operational Excellence & Business Performance • Develop and execute the facility's Operational Excellence strategy and improvement roadmap in alignment with the Manufacturing Manager and business objectives • Identify and prioritize the facility's improvement portfolio based on business impact, urgency, risk, resources and expected return • Lead initiatives that improve Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost, Productivity, Capacity and customer satisfaction • Identify and eliminate waste, bottlenecks, variation, defects, downtime and non-value-added activities • Lead Lean Six Sigma, Kaizen, DMAIC, A3, PDCA and other structured improvement initiatives • Lead Value Stream Mapping and future-state planning to improve material and information flow • Ensure improvements are translated into standard work, daily management practices and sustainable operating processes • Maintain a strong presence on the manufacturing floor through Gemba walks, direct observation, data analysis and engagement with employees and leaders Cost Reduction & Financial Improvement • Identify and lead initiatives that reduce manufacturing cost and improve financial performance • Establish cost-reduction opportunities through labor productivity, scrap and rework reduction, material utilization, downtime reduction, cycle-time improvement, capacity improvement, inventory reduction and process optimization • Develop business cases and financial justification for significant improvement and capital projects • Establish project baselines and quantify expected financial benefits before implementation where appropriate • Partner with Finance and Manufacturing leadership to validate savings, cost avoidance, productivity improvements, and other financial benefits • Ensure cost savings and productivity improvements are sustained and reflected in ongoing performance • Maintain an improvement pipeline that includes both operational and financially significant opportunities Daily Management & Performance Management • Establish and strengthen daily management systems that enable teams and leaders to identify performance gaps and take timely corrective action • Establish and maintain visual management and performance-review processes that make abnormalities, priorities and accountability visible • Partner with Manufacturing leaders to strengthen Tier meetings, leader standard work, escalation processes and follow-through • Monitor key performance indicators and ensure corrective actions are assigned, executed and sustained • Use facts, data and direct observation to identify the highest-value opportunities for improvement • Communicate plant performance, risks, opportunities and improvement progress to leadership Manufacturing Engineering & Process Improvement • Lead the engineering team in improving manufacturing processes, equipment utilization, throughput, cycle time, capacity, labor productivity and process capability • Evaluate processes and equipment to identify opportunities for simplification, automation, improved utilization and increased reliability • Lead or support manufacturing equipment specification, procurement, installation, commissioning and process validation • Develop and manage capital improvement projects, including scope, justification, implementation and verification of results • Partner with Operations and Maintenance to identify and eliminate equipment and process constraints • Ensure manufacturing process changes are effectively implemented, documented and sustained Quality & Structured Problem Solving • Partner with Quality and Manufacturing to improve Quality at the Source and first-time-right manufacturing • Lead structured root-cause investigations and corrective actions for significant safety, quality, delivery, cost and productivity problems • Utilize data and statistical methods to reduce process variation and improve process capability • Apply appropriate problem-solving and risk-management methodologies based on the nature and complexity of the problem • Develop and implement effective process controls, error-proofing and preventive action • Ensure process improvements address safety, quality, regulatory and customer requirement • Drive prevention of recurring problems rather than relying solely on corrective action Standard Work & Process Control • Develop and maintain standard work, work instructions, process sheets, work standards and other manufacturing documentation • Ensure process changes are effectively communicated, implemented and incorporated into standard work • Establish methods to verify adherence to standard work and identify opportunities for improvement • Develop visual standards and controls that make abnormal conditions and process gaps readily visible • Ensure completed improvements are transferred into normal operating practices and daily management Project & Change Management • Manage multiple improvement and engineering projects while balancing priorities, resources, timelines and business needs • Establish project objectives, milestones, responsibilities, expected results and measures of success • Identify and remove project roadblocks and escalate issues appropriately • Lead organizational change by engaging employees, addressing barriers and ensuring adoption of new processes • Verify operational and financial results and ensure successful projects are sustained after implementation Required Qualifications • Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Operations or a related technical discipline • Five or more years of progressive experience in manufacturing, engineering, Operational Excellence, continuous improvement or a related field • Demonstrated experience leading manufacturing improvement initiatives and delivering measurable operational and financial results • Demonstrated leadership experience with the ability to develop people and hold others accountable<