Lean Lab Excellence Lead

NSF; Ann Arbor (MI); On-site; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

NSF seeks a Senior Specialist, Operational Excellence, to lead laboratories in establishing and sustaining a lean management culture across North America. You will drive continuous improvement, training excellence, and deploy lean systems such as visual management and leader standard work.

You will coach laboratory employees and leaders, partner with cross-functional teams to meet safety, quality, delivery, and culture targets, and lead Kaizen events to deliver measurable business results.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Operations Management, Business, or related field.
• Minimum 5 years of experience in Lean, Continuous Improvement, Operational Excellence, or laboratory operations.
• Experience facilitating kaizen events and coaching cross-functional teams.
• Proficiency with Lean tools: 5S, Standard Work, Visual Management, Value Stream Mapping, Problem Solving, TPM.
• Ability to collect, analyze, and interpret operational data to drive improvements and measure results.
• Proven ability to lead cross-functional projects and influence stakeholders without direct authority.
• Strong communication, presentation, and facilitation skills.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office and digital training systems/LMS platforms.
• Understanding of quality systems, regulatory requirements, and laboratory processes.
• Strong coaching and influencing skills with ability to lead without direct authority.
• Excellent communication, facilitation, and presentation skills across all levels of the organization.
• Demonstrated problem-solving capability and structured thinking.
• High degree of initiative, ownership, and follow-through.

Responsibilities

• Lead the deployment and adoption of Lean culture initiatives across North America laboratories, driving continuous improvement and operational excellence.
• Provide coaching, mentoring, and training to laboratory employees and leaders on Lean principles, problem-solving methodologies, and continuous improvement tools.
• Partner with laboratory leadership to strengthen accountability for key performance metrics, including Safety, Quality, Delivery, and Culture.
• Facilitate the identification, prioritization, execution, and sustainment of continuous improvement projects that deliver measurable business results.
• Lead Kaizen events, problem-solving workshops, and other Lean activities to improve laboratory performance and efficiency.
• Support the implementation of visual management systems, standard work, and performance review processes that sustain improvement outcomes.
• Collaborate with laboratory staff and leaders to identify opportunities, remove barriers, and implement effective operational improvements.
• Monitor and analyze performance metrics, tracking progress against improvement goals and action plans.
• Communicate project achievements, performance improvements, and best practices to laboratory and business stakeholders.
• Develop and maintain Lean training materials, tools, and resources to build continuous improvement capability across the laboratory network.
• Foster a culture of engagement, accountability, and employee ownership in continuous improvement efforts.
• Partner with cross-functional teams to support strategic initiatives and drive consistency in Lean practices across North America laboratories.
• Measure and report the impact of Lean culture and continuous improvement initiatives, ensuring results are sustained over time.
• Maintain strong presence on the laboratory floor.
• Travel may be required for cross-site initiatives
• Perform other duties as assigned

Skills

Lean principles

Problem-solving

Coaching

Cross-functional leadership

Facilitation

Data analysis

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering or related field

Tools

5S

Standard Work

Visual Management

Value Stream Mapping

Problem Solving

TPM

Job description

NSF seeks a Senior Specialist, Operational Excellence, to lead laboratories in establishing and sustaining a lean management culture across North America. You will drive continuous improvement, training excellence, and deploy lean systems such as visual management and leader standard work.

You will coach laboratory employees and leaders, partner with cross-functional teams to meet safety, quality, delivery, and culture targets, and lead Kaizen events to deliver measurable business results.