Senior Manager Operational Excellence

Kennametal; Vohenstrauß; On-site; EUR 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

You will report to the Global OpEx Director, travel 20–50% of the time, and guide complex projects across multiple sites, ensuring sustainable performance gains and continuous improvement culture.

Qualifications

• 10+ years in manufacturing/related fields with 5+ years of managerial experience, focusing on Lean Manufacturing and Operational Excellence.
• Proven track record leading continuous improvement initiatives across multiple sites and international teams.
• Strong experience deploying Lean methodologies, coaching leaders, and driving performance improvements.

Responsibilities

• Lead deployment of global Operational Excellence and Lean strategies across EMEA manufacturing sites.
• Develop Lean capabilities within local teams to increase site autonomy in continuous improvement.
• Coach Plant Managers and OpEx teams in implementing Lean methods and driving improvements.
• Lead Kaizen workshops, Gemba activities and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Monitor regional performance, identify improvement opportunities and drive action plans.
• Support improvements in key manufacturing KPIs and standardize Lean practices across sites.
• Promote knowledge sharing and collaboration between sites and manage stakeholder engagement.
• Monitor Lean-related budgets and progress against regional targets.
• Provide recovery action plans for sites facing operational challenges and contribute to global OpEx initiatives.

Skills

Lean Manufacturing

Operational Excellence

Change Management

Leadership

Stakeholder Management

Analytics

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s in Engineering/Manufacturing

Tools

5S

Kanban

Value Stream Mapping

SMED

TPM

Job description

Senior Manager Operational Excellence (m/w/d)

About the role

We are looking for an experienced Regional Operational Excellence Manager / Senior Manager to lead and drive continuous improvement initiatives across our EMEA manufacturing sites.

In this role, you will be responsible for deploying global Lean strategies at the regional level, developing Operational Excellence capabilities across multiple sites, and supporting manufacturing teams in improving operational performance.

Working closely with Plant Managers, Manufacturing Directors and local OpEx teams, you will drive a culture of continuous improvement, promote best practices and ensure consistent application of Lean methodologies across the region.

This is a regional leadership position combining strategic responsibility, hands-on operational involvement and people development.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the deployment of global Operational Excellence and Lean strategies across EMEA manufacturing sites.
• Develop and strengthen Lean capabilities within local teams, supporting sites in becoming more autonomous in continuous improvement.
• Coach and support Plant Managers, Production Managers and local OpEx teams in implementing Lean methodologies and driving operational improvements.
• Lead and facilitate Kaizen workshops, Gemba activities and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Monitor operational performance across the region, identify improvement opportunities and drive action plans.
• Support improvements in key manufacturing KPIs.
• Ensure consistent implementation of Lean standards, methodologies and best practices across manufacturing sites.
• Promote knowledge sharing and collaboration between sites, facilitating the exchange of successful improvement initiatives.
• Support change management initiatives and engaging stakeholders at different organizational levels.
• Monitor Lean-related budgets, performance indicators and progress against regional improvement targets.
• Provide support to manufacturing sites facing operational challenges, including leading task forces and developing recovery action plans.
• Contribute to global Operational Excellence initiatives and the continuous development of Lean standards and tools.

What We Are Looking For

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Engineering (including Industrial Engineering), Manufacturing, or related discipline.
• At least 10 years of working experience including 5+ years of managerial experience in manufacturing, supply chain, quality, engineering, etc., with a strong focus on Lean Manufacturing and Operational Excellence.
• Proven experience leading to continuous improvement initiatives in a manufacturing environment.
• Experience managing or supporting multiple manufacturing sites and working with cross-functional, international teams.
• Strong practical knowledge and experience of Lean Manufacturing methodologies and tools, including but not limited to:
• 5S and workplace organization
• Standard Works
• Kanban and Pull Systems
• SMED
• TPM
• Value Stream Mapping (VSM)
• Strong leadership, communication, change management, coaching and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to influence senior stakeholders, drive organizational change and build a continuous improvement culture.
• Strong analytical skills and experience working with operational performance metrics.

Nice to Have

• Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt certification.
• Experience with Smart Factory, Industry 4.0 and digital manufacturing initiatives.
• Experience leading regional or multi-site Operational Excellence programs.
• Background in industrial manufacturing, metalworking, automotive or machinery industries.

Additional Information

• Regional responsibility covering multiple manufacturing sites across EMEA.
• The target office location is Vohenstrauss plant. Regular domestic including international travels expected to account for approximately 20–50% of working time.
• Direct reporting line to the Global Operational Excellence Director.