Lean Transformation Leader - Operational Excellence

AeroVironment, Inc.; Simi Valley, Northern (CA, KY); Hybrid; USD 107,000 - 163,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental, Vision

401(k) with company matching

9/80 work schedule

Paid holiday shutdown

Job summary

AeroVironment, Inc. in Simi Valley, CA seeks a Manager of Operational Excellence to design, implement, and optimize a lean manufacturing strategy across units, driving value stream efficiency, cost control, quality, and lead time improvements.

You will lead lean training, standardize problem solving, conduct value stream mapping, track KPIs, and mentor supervisors and frontline teams while partnering with Operations, Quality, Engineering, and Program Management.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 8 years of related experience in complex assembly production environments.
• Minimum of 3 years of successfully leading manufacturing teams within a product development environment.
• Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or a related field and/or equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.
• Proficiency in process simulation tools, time studies, and data analytics.

Responsibilities

• Lead and own lean manufacturing implementation across all business units using lean tools and concepts.
• Develop & maintain lean training tools, content, training boot camps, workshops, kaizen & project management funnels.
• Standardize problem solving methodology, draft accompanying training content and deployment strategy.
• Conduct and lead value stream mapping activities to identify bottlenecks and inefficiencies.
• Own the implementation and execution of value stream tracking centers at all business units.
• Deploy Lean methodologies to reduce variation, waste, and non-value-added activities.
• Facilitate cross-functional Kaizen events and improvement workshops across departments and business units.
• Analyze production data to identify trends, root causes, and improvement opportunities.
• Establish visual and daily management systems with appropriate KPI tracking for performance management at various levels and departments.
• Develop cost-benefit analyses for capital projects and process changes.
• Develop, train and mentor supervisors, engineers, and front line teams in lean manufacturing principles.
• Act as a change agent, promoting a culture of ownership, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Build lean maturity road maps and assess organizational readiness for transformation.
• Partner with Operations, Quality, Engineering, Supply Chain, and Program Management to align lean initiatives with business objectives.
• Interface with executive leadership to report lean transformation progress, ROI, and impact.
• Ensure compliance with applicable standards including AS9100, ISO 9001, ITAR, and customer-specific quality requirements.
• Work collaboratively with local teams & foster a continuous improvement culture within all business units.

Skills

Lean manufacturing

Value stream mapping

Leadership

Project management

Data analytics

Process improvement

Cross-functional collaboration

Training & mentoring

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering or related field

Tools

Process simulation tools

Job description

AeroVironment, Inc. in Simi Valley, CA seeks a Manager of Operational Excellence to design, implement, and optimize a lean manufacturing strategy across units, driving value stream efficiency, cost control, quality, and lead time improvements.

You will lead lean training, standardize problem solving, conduct value stream mapping, track KPIs, and mentor supervisors and frontline teams while partnering with Operations, Quality, Engineering, and Program Management.