Lean Six Sigma Consultant

A rapidly growing recycling and sustainability organization is seeking a Lean Six Sigma / Process Improvement Manager to drive operational excellence initiatives across five California facilities. The business has experienced approximately 30-40% growth and is looking for a dedicated leader to establish operational standards, improve efficiency, optimize throughput, and increase profitability.

This individual will work directly with ownership and site leadership to evaluate current operations, identify improvement opportunities, implement best practices, and create a scalable operational framework that can be replicated across multiple facilities.

• Stockton, CA (2 facilities)
• Modesto, CA
• Escalon area facility

Candidates located in Stockton or Modesto are preferred, though strong regional candidates will be considered.

• Lead Lean Six Sigma initiatives across five recycling and material-processing facilities.
• Travel regularly between locations to assess operations and identify improvement opportunities.
• Analyze and redesign operational processes, material flow, and facility workflows.
• Develop and implement standardized operating procedures and best practices.
• Establish KPIs, scorecards, and reporting mechanisms to measure operational performance.
• Optimize throughput, labor utilization, inventory management, and profitability.
• Evaluate facility layouts and recommend improvements to reduce bottlenecks and waste.
• Partner with operations, accounting, and leadership teams to improve visibility and accountability.
• Drive change management initiatives and influence stakeholders at all levels of the organization.
• Deliver data-driven recommendations that support strategic business decisions.
• Create sustainable operational processes that can be replicated across multiple sites.

• Facility and production operations
• Material handling and process flow
• Throughput optimization
• Inventory visibility and controls
• KPI development and performance reporting
• Cost reduction initiatives
• Operational profitability improvements
• Standardization of processes across sites

• Strong background in manufacturing, logistics, industrial operations, process improvement, or operational excellence.
• Experience implementing Lean and continuous improvement programs in plant or facility environments.
• Proven success driving measurable improvements in productivity, efficiency, cost reduction, and profitability.
• Strong analytical, project management, and change management skills.
• Ability to work independently and influence multiple teams across geographically dispersed locations.
• Comfortable spending significant time onsite in operational environments.

• Background in recycling, waste management, commodities processing, manufacturing, distribution, or logistics.
• Experience developing KPIs, dashboards, and operational reporting frameworks.
• Experience working within private equity-backed, high-growth, or turnaround organizations.
• Proven ability to drive operational transformation across multiple facilities.
• Hands-on leadership style with a willingness to spend time on the floor identifying improvement opportunities.

Within the first six months, this individual will:

• Visit and assess all five facilities.
• Establish consistent operational standards and "ways of working" across sites.
• Develop KPI and performance management frameworks.
• Identify and implement throughput, labor, and process improvements.
• Improve operational visibility and accountability.
• Deliver measurable efficiency gains and profitability improvements.
• Build a scalable operational excellence model that supports future company growth.