Operations Excellence Manager

DESCRIPTION

Job Summary

We are looking for a talented Operations Excellence Manager to join our DWU Team for our location in Columbus, IN. In this role, you will lead and coach DWU team members while driving the advancement of Operations Excellence across the plant. You will guide the organization toward World Class Manufacturing by applying the principles of the Cummins Operating System (COS) and the Operations Excellence Key Processes outlined in the Operations Excellence Guidelines.

This position plays a critical role in improving the overall effectiveness of one or more functions, supporting end‑to‑end value stream performance, and enabling better outcomes for customers. You will partner across the business to shape improvement strategies, build capabilities, and lead initiatives that elevate plant performance, functional maturity, and operational reliability.

As an Operations Excellence Manager, you will manage a team of DWU employees and apply deep knowledge of Operations Excellence methods to improve processes, systems, and working standards. You will influence and collaborate with key stakeholders, business leaders, and functional partners, ensuring alignment around plant maturity goals and the broader Corporate Operations Excellence strategy. In addition to leading cross‑functional improvement projects, you will coach leaders to identify real issues, prioritize opportunities, and execute meaningful improvements that produce measurable, sustained impact.

This role also contributes to developing plant subject‑matter expertise, advancing continuous and step‑change improvements, and supporting stronger customer outcomes.

In this role, you will make an impact in the following ways:

+ Leading Work Studies:
Conducts detailed work studies on new and existing production lines to identify efficiencies, validate capacity, and ensure processes align with operational goals.

+ Defining Standard Work:
Develops and maintains standard work methods for current and future production lines, ensuring consistency, repeatability, and high-quality execution across all operations.

+ Driving End-to-End Process Implementation:
Leads project efforts to design, develop, and implement complete manufacturing processes that meet safety standards, production targets, business outcomes, and product requirements.

+ Applying Advanced Manufacturing Principles:
Utilizes deep knowledge of manufacturing principles and best practices to optimize equipment performance, enhance process capability, and support continuous improvement.

+ Maintaining Cummins Manufacturing Standards:
Ensures alignment with Cummins manufacturing standards while also developing new standards to support evolving production needs.

+ Influencing Key Stakeholders:
Leads communication with external stakeholders, business leaders, and cross-functional partners to build alignment, influence direction, and drive successful execution.

+ Coordinating Internal and External Resources:
Partners with internal teams, suppliers, and technical experts to execute assigned project deliverables and maintain strong collaboration throughout the project lifecycle.

+ Coaching and Relationship Management:
Maintains productive relationships with key stakeholders and provides coaching to support adoption of manufacturing best practices across the organization.

RESPONSIBILITIES

To be successful in this role you will need the following:

+ Communicates Effectively:
Demonstrates the ability to deliver clear, concise, and tailored communication across multiple formats, ensuring that diverse audiences understand expectations, decisions, and technical information.

+ Manufacturing & Industrial Engineering Expertise:
Applies strong knowledge of manufacturing processes, industrial engineering principles, ergonomic standards, and safety fundamentals to design, optimize, and improve processes that meet both operational and human‑centric needs.

+ Data‑Driven Process Improvement:
Uses analytical tools, manufacturing simulations, digital modeling, and structured problem‑solving methods to evaluate performance gaps, enhance process flow, minimize waste, and drive continuous improvement initiatives.

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