Americas Lean & Operational Excellence Lead

Chromalox; Cary (IL); On-site; USD 100,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Chromalox (Electrical Thermal Solutions) seeks a Lean Manager to drive Continuous Improvement and develop the Operational Excellence framework across the Americas. This role will embed Lean principles, identify process improvements, and deliver measurable gains across manufacturing sites.

You will lead CI workshops, coach site teams, and collaborate with engineering, operations, quality, and supply chain to achieve end-to-end improvements. Travel within the Americas is required, 1–2 times/month.

Qualifications

• Strong knowledge of Lean Manufacturing principles and tools (SMED, 5S, VSM, root cause analysis, standard work).
• Experience leading CI workshops and engaging cross-functional teams.
• Ability to operate at a GOLD level within CI standards with a continuous improvement mindset.
• Hands-on, practical approach with the ability to work strategically and on the shop floor.
• Strong communication and stakeholder engagement skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development and deployment of the Operational Excellence framework across Americas sites, ensuring alignment with global standards.
• Apply Lean principles to identify inefficiencies, reduce waste, and improve process performance.
• Deliver and support GOLD-level Continuous Improvement activities per CI standards, with ongoing development toward higher levels.
• Facilitate and lead CI workshops (Kaizen, value stream mapping, root cause problem solving) to drive sustainable improvements.
• Identify, prioritize, and execute process improvement initiatives across manufacturing and support functions; provide hands-on support including changeover (SMED) improvement exercises.
• Coach and train site teams in Lean tools and CI methodologies to build internal capability.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to deliver end-to-end improvements and share best practices.
• Own the CI savings delivery for the ETS Americas, track and validate savings against forecasted targets.

Skills

Lean Manufacturing

SMED

5S

VSM

Root cause analysis

Standard work

CI workshops

Change management

Communication

Bilingual (Spanish, French, German)

Job description

Chromalox (Electrical Thermal Solutions) seeks a Lean Manager to drive Continuous Improvement and develop the Operational Excellence framework across the Americas. This role will embed Lean principles, identify process improvements, and deliver measurable gains across manufacturing sites.

You will lead CI workshops, coach site teams, and collaborate with engineering, operations, quality, and supply chain to achieve end-to-end improvements. Travel within the Americas is required, 1–2 times/month.