Lean Manufacturing Manager

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Full Time - Employee Sumner, WA, US

8 days ago Requisition

Salary Range: $ To $ Annually

RTCA is a precision aerospace and defense manufacturing group built on decades of hands‑on machining expertise, with roots spanning more than 50 years. We support mission‑critical commercial and government aerospace programs across North America through four U.S. Centers of Excellence operating as an integrated platform with 150+ CNC machines and a team of 250+ professionals.

Unlike large organizations where roles can be narrow, RTCA offers hands‑on ownership and real visibility – you understand how your work supports the team, the operation, and the end customer. Our flat structure allows employees to take initiative, grow their skills, and have their contributions recognized, while still providing the stability, advanced technology, and meaningful work of an established aerospace manufacturer.

At RTCA, we believe in teamwork, excellence, and delivering with pride.
One Team! One Mission!

The Lean Manufacturing Manager owns the lean deployment roadmap for the assigned RTCA site. This role builds lean capability across the organization by coaching site leaders, supervisors, engineers, and value‑stream teams; leading value‑stream mapping and Kaizen events; and developing standard work, visual management, and daily accountability systems that improve flow, productivity, and quality‑at‑the‑source. The Lean Manufacturing Manager works through Operations rather than around it, partnering closely with Site Leadership, Operations, Quality, Business Systems, Engineering, and HR to translate lean methods into measurable, sustained business results and to build a pipeline of internal lean talent.

• Working a full‑time, onsite position at our Sumner, WA location.
• Create and maintain the site lean deployment roadmap tied to business priorities and measurable operating results.
• Coach site leaders, supervisors, engineers, and value‑stream teams in lean thinking and practical application.
• Lead value‑stream mapping and convert future‑state designs into prioritized implementation plans.
• Establish a disciplined Kaizen system, including event selection, preparation, facilitation, follow‑through, and benefit validation.
• Develop and sustain 5S, visual management, standard work, leader standard work, daily accountability, and structured problem‑solving systems.
• Partner with Operations on flow, pull, layout, line balance, takt, capacity, constraints, setup reduction, and productivity improvement.
• Build internal lean capability through training, coaching, certification/qualification standards, and practitioner development.
• Maintain an improvement funnel and transparent reporting of actions, savings, productivity, lead‑time, and quality/sustainment results.
• Ensure improvements transition into normal operational ownership and, where appropriate, controlled business processes.
• Advise the Site Leader and Operations leadership on where lean resources will create the greatest business impact.
• Develop the lean team, assign resources, set standards, and build a healthy pipeline of internal lean talent.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Operations, Business, or a related field, or equivalent demonstrated experience.
• Typically 7-10+ years of manufacturing/operations experience, including significant leadership of lean transformations.
• Demonstrated, site‑level lean/continuous improvement transformation results (VSM, Kaizen, standard work, flow/pull, daily management).
• Strong leadership coaching skills and executive‑level communication, with the ability to advise and influence site leadership.
• Deep, practical lean knowledge that goes beyond classroom certification, gained through hands‑on application.
• Ability to prioritize a portfolio of improvement work and balance near‑term operating needs with…