Continuous Improvement & Operations Excellence Team Lead

Siemens; Wendell (NC); On-site; USD 74,970 - 128,520; Full time

Job summary

Siemens in Wendell, NC seeks a Continuous Improvement & Operations Excellence Team Lead to drive lean and CI across production, logistics, and fabrication. You will lead cross‑functional teams to implement rapid improvements, standardize work, and enable a performance‑driven MDl mindset at the EA Wendell Operations site.

You will mentor staff, run Kaizen events, and shape the site’s improvement roadmap with a focus on value, efficiency, and sustainable results.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Operations, or related technical discipline.
• 5+ years in Process Engineering, Operations Management, Lean Manufacturing / Continuous Improvement.
• Lean/CI tools: 5S/6S, VSM, Standardized Work, 8D/A3, Yamazumi, TPM, Pull Systems, SMED.
• Ability to communicate across disciplines and lead change in ambiguous, complex environments.
• Group facilitation, public speaking, presentation, coordination, and facilitation skills.
• Basic project management (Gantt/timeline, RACI, prioritization, risk management).
• Process mapping with Visio or similar; data-driven communication.
• ERP systems knowledge (SAP preferred) and understanding of master data impact on shopfloor.
• Legally authorized to work in the United States without sponsorship.

Responsibilities

• Own shopfloor management system to strengthen capability and performance.
• Facilitate Kaizen / sprint / workshops; guide teams from idea to execution.
• Build CI culture through training, coaching, and pathways for staff.
• Lead RCA, PDCA, 8D, and A3 to address systemic gaps and prevent issues.
• Translate analysis into requirements, features, roadmaps, and business value.

Skills

Lean Manufacturing

5S/6S

VSM

Standardized Work

8D/A3

Yamazumi

TPM

Pull Systems

SMED

Communication across disciplines

Process mapping

Visio

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Operations, or related technical discipline

Tools

Visio

SAP

Job description

Here at Siemens, we take pride in enabling sustainable progress through technology, empowering customers by combining the real and digital worlds. We improve how we live, work, and move today and for the next generation. Our people thrive, and that fuels our success.

About Smart Infrastructure – Electrification and Automation

The Electrification and Automation (EA) Business Unit delivers a comprehensive portfolio of energy distribution systems and solutions across all markets and sales channels. It supports today’s power distribution needs while investing in Future Grids and digital applications to enable the power distribution grid of tomorrow. The U.S. headquarters in Wendell, North Carolina focuses on medium‑voltage power distribution equipment, primary and secondary switchgear, controllers, contactors, circuit breakers, OEM and replacement/retrofit solutions, and services. The factory also assembles low‑voltage motor control centers, low‑voltage switchboards, and features in‑house fabrication capabilities and automated wire‑harness manufacturing processes.

Continuous Improvement & Operations Excellence Team Lead

This pivotal manufacturing professional leader role is based in Wendell, NC. You will drive transformational lean, agile, and continuous improvement activity for all production, logistics, and fabrication processes at the SI EA Wendell Operations (Switchgear & Breakers) manufacturing site. You will collaborate across matrixed teams of technical, commercial, and engineering professionals to build more resilient and sustainable systems of production value flow. Your influence will shape the plant’s daily operational management system, ensuring a performance‑driven, managing‑for‑daily‑improvement (MDI) approach is embodied by all work teams.

Your Impact

• Shopfloor management system ownership: strengthening manufacturing capability and performance by providing new management system enablers such as visual process controls, performance indicators, signals, escalation protocols, accountability, standardization, fast‑response problem solving, process audits, and sustaining mechanisms.
• Kaizen / sprint / workshop facilitation: building customized work events, orchestrating pre‑work and practical logistics, and guiding all contributing parties through collaborative exercises to accelerate internal improvement projects from idea to execution.
• Building organizational competency and fostering CI culture: providing training, coaching, and pathways for staff to learn, adopt, and practice continuous improvement principles aligned with business objectives.
• Structured problem‑solving and process stabilization: owning, hosting, and socializing a system of RCA, PDCA, 8D, and A3 techniques to address systemic gaps and implement effective preventative measures.
• Roadmap and strategy development: translating technical analysis into requirements, features, user stories, backlogs, roadmaps, and commercial value propositions to build momentum and clarity around strategic objectives and plans.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Operations, Supply Chain, or a related technical discipline.
• 5+ years of experience in Process Engineering, Operations Management, Lean Manufacturing / Continuous Improvement, with implementation responsibility within a production environment.
• Demonstrated practitioner of Lean/CI approaches and tools such as 5S/6S, VSM, Standardized Work, 8D/A3, Yamazumi, TPM, Pull Systems, and SMED.
• Proven ability to communicate across multiple disciplines and lead change in ambiguous, complex environments where alignment and accountability of multiple stakeholders is necessary.
• Group facilitation, public speaking, presentation, coordination, and strong facilitation skills.
• Basic project management skills for coordinated activity on time and within scope (Gantt/timeline, RACI, prioritization, dependency mapping, risk management).
• High proficiency in process mapping tools such as Visio or similar and ability to communicate effectively across groups using data, models, and visuals.
• Basic knowledge of ERP systems (SAP preferred) and understanding of how ERP and master data interactions shape shopfloor flow conditions.
• Legally authorized to work in the United States on a permanent basis without company sponsorship.

Preferred Qualifications

• Microsoft Power Platform data modeling, visualization, and workflow automation.
• Lean, Agile, and/or Six Sigma certification.
• Experience in complex, high‑mix manufacturing assembly environments (engineer‑to‑order).
• SAP experience (PP, WM).
• Scrum, Kanban, or similar Agile framework experience.

Our Commitment to Equity and Inclusion

We value your unique identity and perspective. We are fully committed to providing equitable opportunities and building a workplace that reflects the diversity of society, attracting the best talent based on qualifications, skills, and experiences. We welcome you to bring your authentic self and transform the everyday with us.

Salary: $74,970 – $128,520