Operational Excellence Manager

Position Summary

The Operational Excellence Manager is accountable for delivering measurable improvements in productivity, quality, safety, cost, and sustainability across the organization. This role leads enterprise-wide continuous improvement initiatives that translate strategy into operational results—reducing variability, eliminating waste, improving asset reliability, and enabling scalable, data-driven operations. Success is defined by quantifiable performance gains, cost savings, and a sustained culture of operational excellence.

Operational Excellence Strategy & Leadership

• Design and execute a multi-year Operational Excellence roadmap aligned to corporate growth, cost, and safety objectives.
• Embed Lean, Six Sigma, and reliability-centered maintenance practices across operations, resulting in sustained performance improvement year over year.
• Serve as a change leader, ensuring improvement initiatives are adopted, sustained, and embedded into daily operations.
• Develop and implement an operational excellence roadmap aligned with organizational goals.
• Champion Lean, Six Sigma, and reliability-centered maintenance practices across operations.

Process Optimization & Digital Enablement

• Identify bottlenecks in workflows and implement solutions to improve throughput and reduce waste.
• Standardize operating procedures to reduce process variation and improve quality consistency.
• Lead automation, digitalization, and predictive maintenance initiatives to improve real-time visibility and proactive decision-making.

Quality & Compliance Performance

• Ensure adherence to industry specifications and standards.
• Implement quality control systems to minimize defects and rework.

Performance Management & Financial Impact

• Define, track, and report operational KPIs related to productivity, cost, quality, energy, and asset performance.
• Translate operational improvements into quantified financial results, including cost savings and margin improvement.
• Provide actionable insights and recommendations to senior leadership based on performance data.

Training & Culture

• Train and coach teams on Lean principles, root cause analysis, and continuous improvement tools.
• Foster a strong culture of safety, sustainability, and operational excellence.

Environmental & Sustainability Goals

• Reduce greenhouse gas emissions year over year through process and energy optimization.
• Implement recycling initiatives for packaging and residual materials.
• Optimize energy usage to meet or exceed corporate sustainability targets.
• Ensure full compliance with all applicable environmental regulations and standards.

Education & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, or related discipline.
• 7-12 years of experience in process improvement or operational excellence roles.
• Lean Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt certification preferred.
• Strong knowledge of continuous improvement methodologies and operational processes.

Core Competencies

• Results-Driven Continuous Improvement
• Data-Driven Decision Making
• Change Leadership & Influence
• Cross-Functional Collaboration
• Safety, Quality & Environmental Stewardship

KPIs & Success Metrics

• Operational Efficiency:
  Increase throughput by 5% without additional capital investment.
• Quality Performance:
  Maintain 1% defect rate per quarter.
• Energy Optimization:
  Reduce energy consumption by 3% annually.
• Cost Reduction:
  Achieve 0 NCR through process optimization and waste reduction.
• Safety Metrics:
  Zero lost-time incidents; maintain TRIR below industry benchmark.
• Continuous Improvement Engagement:
  Conduct 6 audits per year; 10% of staff trained in Lean principles.

Reports to:

Vice President, Engineering & Operational Excellence