Manager - Operational Excellence

Dürr; Southfield (MI); On-site; USD 95,000 - 135,000; Full time

Job summary

Dürr Systems, LLC is seeking a results-driven leader for our Operational Excellence and Continuous Improvement function in the United States. You will drive cross-functional initiatives to improve safety, quality, delivery, cost, cash and customer outcomes from our Southfield, Michigan operations.

Responsibilities include leading root-cause analyses, governing BOS implementation, and coordinating annual strategy deployment, KPI reporting, and audits across global sites.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Engineering, Operations, Supply Chain, Project Management, Quality or related field, or equivalent relevant experience.
• Five or more years of experience in continuous improvement, operational excellence, quality, management systems, compliance, internal controls, auditing or related function.
• Working knowledge of ISO management systems, internal auditing, corrective action, root-cause analysis, process documentation and performance management.
• Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional initiatives and influence stakeholders without relying on direct authority.
• Strong analytical, facilitation, written communication, presentation, project-management and organizational skills.
• Ability to manage competing priorities, maintain accurate records and drive actions through completion.
• Sound judgment, integrity, attention to detail and the ability to provide constructive challenge.

Responsibilities

• Lead cross-functional improvement initiatives that strengthen safety, quality, delivery, cost, cash and customer outcomes.
• Identify recurring operational and project issues, facilitate root-cause analysis, and drive corrective and preventive actions through verified closure.
• Lead project closeout and lessons-learned sessions, converting findings into reusable standards and tracked improvement actions.
• Establish methods to prioritize, charter, monitor and report continuous-improvement activities and measurable benefits.
• Promote accountability, standard work, fact-based decision-making and sustained improvement.
• Coordinate certification, surveillance and recertification activities for ISO 9001, 14001 and 45001; develop and maintain internal audit programs.

Skills

Project management

Root-cause analysis

Cross-functional collaboration

Process documentation

Data analysis

Communication skills

Decision making

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience

Tools

ISO auditing

Quality management systems

KPI dashboards

Job description

What You'll Do

• Lead cross-functional improvement initiatives that strengthen safety, quality, delivery, cost, cash and customer outcomes.
• Identify recurring operational and project issues, facilitate root-cause analysis, and drive corrective and preventive actions through verified closure.
• Lead project closeout and lessons-learned sessions, converting findings into reusable standards and tracked improvement actions.
• Establish methods to prioritize, charter, monitor and report continuous-improvement activities and measurable benefits.
• Promote accountability, standard work, fact-based decision-making and sustained improvement.

What You'll Do

Operational Excellence and Continuous Improvement

• Lead cross-functional improvement initiatives that strengthen safety, quality, delivery, cost, cash and customer outcomes.
• Identify recurring operational and project issues, facilitate root-cause analysis, and drive corrective and preventive actions through verified closure.
• Lead project closeout and lessons-learned sessions, converting findings into reusable standards and tracked improvement actions.
• Establish methods to prioritize, charter, monitor and report continuous-improvement activities and measurable benefits.
• Promote accountability, standard work, fact-based decision-making and sustained improvement.

Business Operating System Governance

• Own and serve as the local champion for the Business Operating System (BOS), including governance, deployment, maintenance and periodic review.
• Partner with process owners to develop and improve policies, procedures, work instructions, process maps, templates and standard work.
• Define document ownership, review cycles, approval requirements and change-control expectations.
• Coordinate the local implementation of global business-system and continuous-improvement requirements, escalating gaps when local operational needs differ.
• Facilitate process standardization across functions and sites while maintaining necessary customer, regulatory and operational requirements.

Strategy Deployment and Performance Management

• Coordinate the annual company goal-setting and deployment process, including alignment, ownership, measures, targets and review cadence.
• Maintain visibility into progress against strategic objectives and facilitate escalation and recovery planning for off-track goals.
• Coordinate leadership dashboards, KPI reporting and performance updates with clear definitions, ownership, data sources and action tracking.
• Analyze performance trends and translate findings into focused improvement priorities and leadership decisions.

Management Systems, Audits and Internal Controls

• Coordinate certification, surveillance and recertification activities for applicable management systems, including ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001.
• Develop and maintain the internal audit program, including schedules, auditor coordination, findings, corrective actions and closure verification.
• Coordinate quarterly Internal Control System audits and track findings, owners, deadlines, supporting evidence and completion.
• Support external audits and information requests by coordinating documentation, subject-matter experts, responses and follow-up actions.
• Monitor audit readiness and communicate material risks, recurring findings, systemic issues and overdue actions to leadership.
• Preserve audit objectivity by coordinating with process owners and independent auditors when directly responsible for the process being reviewed.

Customer and Cross-Functional Improvement

• Coordinate customer-experience improvement activities with Sales and other responsible functions, including issue trends, ownership and progress reporting.
• Build cross-functional and multi-site partnerships to remove barriers, clarify accountability and sustain improvements.
• Facilitate workshops, process reviews and leadership discussions with clear decisions, action owners and deadlines.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

What You'll Bring

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Engineering, Operations, Supply Chain, Project Management, Quality or a related field, or equivalent relevant experience.
• Five or more years of experience in continuous improvement, operational excellence, quality, management systems, compliance, internal controls, auditing or a related function.
• Working knowledge of ISO management systems, internal auditing, corrective action, root-cause analysis, process documentation and performance management.
• Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional initiatives and influence stakeholders without relying on direct authority.
• Strong analytical, facilitation, written communication, presentation, project-management and organizational skills.
• Ability to manage competing priorities, maintain accurate records and drive actions through completion.
• Sound judgment, integrity, attention to detail and the ability to provide constructive challenge.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience within a manufacturing, engineering, automotive or project-based environment.
• Lean, Six Sigma, ISO auditing, quality management, project management or change management training or certification.
• Experience with KPI dashboards, data visualization, workflow tools and document-control systems.
• Experience coordinating global or multi-site process deployments.
• Experience presenting performance insights, risks and improvement recommendations to senior leadership.

Why Join Us

• Influence how the organization operates by building scalable processes, stronger governance and sustainable improvement practices.
• Partner with leaders and teams across functions and locations on initiatives with measurable business and customer impact.
• Help translate strategic priorities into clear goals, performance measures and accountable execution.
• Work within a global engineering and manufacturing environment where operational excellence directly supports business performance.
• Bring structure, insight and continuous-improvement leadership to complex, high-visibility challenges.

Dürr Systems, LLC has been present in the United States since 1970 and operates multiple locations across the United States, including facilities in Michigan and Wisconsin. The largest site is in Southfield, Michigan, which serves as the main center for operations. Dürr employs people across the country who support a wide range of market segments. Dürr Systems USA plans, builds, and installs complete, state-of-the-art paint shops and final assembly facilities, supported by DXQ, Dürr's digital products suite. The company also offers advanced automated painting, sealing, and gluing application technologies, as well as high-viscosity material handling solutions. In addition to serving the automotive industry, Dürr Systems provides premium application technology products for the general industry. In the field of electrode manufacturing, Dürr Systems enhances quality, cost efficiency, and speed to market lithium-ion battery electrode coating through its advanced development and manufacturing coating systems. Committed to innovation, excellence, and customized solutions, Dürr Systems addresses the diverse needs of its North American customers with precision and reliability.

Dürr Systems, LLC. provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training. We maintain a drug-free workplace and perform pre-employment drug and alcohol testing.

Note to all Staffing Agencies: Dürr has a team of dedicated Human Resources professionals who are responsible for all hiring needs. Our practice is to partner and work with our approved vendors on an as needed basis. We do not accept resumes from agencies that are not on our preferred vendor list and have not signed our Recruiting and Permanent Placement Contract. Any resumes submitted from unapproved vendors will be considered unsolicited, and Dürr will not be responsible for any placement fees associated with such candidates.