Lean Manager

VAT Vakuumventile AG; Malaysia; On-site; MYR 120,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

VAT Vakuumventile AG in Malaysia seeks a strategic Lean Manager to champion continuous improvement across operations. You will lead structured initiatives (Kaizen, VSM, SMED, 5S) and translate performance data into prioritized action.

You will coach site teams and collaborate with digital, analytics and industrial engineering teams to deliver measurable productivity improvements. The role reports to Global Industrial Engineering and requires strong leadership to embed Lean methods into daily

Responsibilities

• Lead and deliver structured improvement initiatives (Kaizen, VSM, flow optimization, waste elimination)
• Translates site performance data into prioritized improvement actions
• Drive measurable impact on productivity, lead time, quality, and cost
• Ensure initiatives deliver sustainable results and are embedded into daily operation
• Act as the main Lean contact at site, supporting deployment of Lean principles and tools
• Establish and sustain daily performance management routines (tiered meetings, Gemba, visual management)
• Connect shopfloor performance to structured problem solving and escalation routines
• Support implementation of stable processes (standard work, flow, takt, SMED, 5S)
• Translate digital dashboards and analytics into actionable shopfloor improvements
• Work closely with digital, analytics, and industrial engineering teams
• Coach and develop operators, specialists, and leaders in Lean methods and problem-solving
• Support development of Green Belt project pipeline and CI capabilities
• Act as facilitator for structured problem solving (A3, DMAIC, 8D)
• Monitor and report Lean performance and project impact (aligned to site targets)
• Ensure prioritization of initiatives based on business impact
• Support Lean assessments and ensure adherence to Lean standards
• Share and implement best practices across CH, RO, MY
• Contribute to harmonized Lean systems and standards across sites
• Collaborate with GIE, Operations Excellence, Quality, SCM, Production leaders

Job description

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Innovation, Efficiency and Ambition:this is what VAT has stood for over 50 years.

With this passion, VAT has grown to become the leading international developer, manufacturer and supplier of high-performance high-end vacuum valves and vacuum sealing technology, employing over 2000 people worldwide. The headquarters are located in Haag (Switzerland), the production centers in Switzerland, Malaysia, Romania and Taiwan.

Weareseekingastrategicandresults-drivenLeanManagertochampioncontinuousimprovementacrossouroperations.

Yourresponsibilitiesinclude,butnotlimitedto:

• Leadanddeliverstructuredimprovementinitiatives(Kaizen,VSM,flowoptimization,wasteelimination)
• Translatesiteperformancedataintoprioritizedimprovementactions
• Drivemeasurableimpactonproductivity,leadtime,quality,andcost
• Ensureinitiativesdeliversustainableresultsandareembeddedintodailyoperation
• ActasthemainLeancontactatsite,supportingdeploymentofLeanprinciplesandtools
• Establishandsustaindailyperformancemanagementroutines(tieredmeetings,Gemba,visualmanagement)
• Connectshopfloorperformancetostructuredproblemsolvingandescalationroutines
• Supportimplementationofstableprocesses(standardwork,flow,takt,SMED,5S)
• Translatedigitaldashboardsandanalyticsintoactionableshopfloorimprovements
• Workcloselywithdigital,analytics,andindustrialengineeringteams

4.CapabilityBuilding

• Coachanddevelopoperators,specialists,andleadersinLeanmethodsandproblem-solving
• SupportdevelopmentofGreenBeltprojectpipelineandCIcapabilities
• Actasfacilitatorforstructuredproblemsolving(A3,DMAIC,8D)

5.Governance&PerformanceTracking

• MonitorandreportLeanperformanceandprojectimpact(alignedtoDarWin/sitetargets)
• Ensureprioritizationofinitiativesbasedonbusinessimpact
• SupportLeanassessmentsandensureadherencetoLeanstandards.
• ShareandimplementbestpracticesacrossCH,RO,MY
• ContributetoharmonizedLeansystemsandstandardsacrosssites
• CollaboratewithGIE,OperationsExcellence,Quality,SCM,Productionleaders

7. Scope&OrganizationalContext

• TheLeanManagerisaccountableforlocalexecutionandimpactdelivery,whilemethods,standards,andgovernancearedefinedbyGlobalIndustrialEngineering.
• MaycoordinateorguidelocalCIresources(e.g.technicians,engineers),dependingonsitematurity
• WorksunderfunctionalguidanceofGlobalContinuousImprovementleadership,whileoperatingwithinlocalsitestructure
• Accountableforlocalexecutionandimpact,inalignmentwithglobalLeangovernance

8.KeyPerformanceIndicators

• Measurableimprovementdelivered(productivity,cost,quality,leadtime)
• ContinuousImprovementpipelinevalueofprojectsandsuccessfulprojectexecutionrate(measurableimpactonCashFlow,P&L,andCostAvoidance)
• %ofinitiativesdeliveringvalidatedandsustainableimpact
• Leanmaturityimprovement(assessmentresultsfromexternallymoderatedfacilitatorse.g.UMS,KaizenInstitute)
• DevelopmentofsiteCIcapabilities(GreenBeltpipelineofprojects)

VAT is an equal opportunity employer. We see ourselves as a responsible and far-sighted employer that offers not only jobs, but also career and personal development opportunities through various training programs. We recognize the value of employee diversity and provide equal employment opportunity for all qualified application that contributes to innovation, improves customer orientation and employee satisfaction. One-step in this direction is to ensure that people are recognized and fairly compensated for their contributions to the company. In 2021, VAT received the Fair-ON-Pay+ certificate as an acknowledgement for our commitment in ensuring equal pay for equal work between men and women.