Lean Transformation Leader - Operational Excellence

AeroVironment, Inc.; West Valley City (UT); On-site; USD 107,000 - 163,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

401K with company matching

9/80 work schedule

Paid holiday shutdown

Job summary

AeroVironment, Inc. is seeking a Manager of Operational Excellence to design, implement, and optimize a lean manufacturing strategy across our complex assembly operations.

You will drive value stream efficiency, deploy training programs, and lead cross-functional Kaizen events to reduce waste and strengthen performance. You will report on ROI and align lean initiatives with business objectives, ensuring quality and ITAR compliance.

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 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.

Skills

Lean manufacturing

Leadership

Project management

Facilitation

Data analytics

Process simulation

Time studies

Travel willingness

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Industrial/Manufacturing Engineering

Job description

AeroVironment, Inc. is seeking a Manager of Operational Excellence to design, implement, and optimize a lean manufacturing strategy across our complex assembly operations.

You will drive value stream efficiency, deploy training programs, and lead cross-functional Kaizen events to reduce waste and strengthen performance. You will report on ROI and align lean initiatives with business objectives, ensuring quality and ITAR compliance.