Operational Excellence Analyst

Afni, Inc.; Bloomington (IL); On-site; USD 65,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive compensation and benefits

Medical, dental, vision, and Rx

401(k) plan with company match

Paid time off and holidays

Tuition reimbursement and professional

Collaborative culture focused on CI

Job summary

Afni, Inc. in Bloomington, IL is seeking an Operational Excellence Analyst to drive data-informed decision-making and process improvement across the COE and operations teams. This role analyzes performance trends, investigates root causes, and supports governance and project enablement to deliver measurable business results.

The position is hybrid at our Bloomington headquarters. You will partner with COE managers and leaders to standardize processes, develop dashboards, and apply Lean Six Sigma

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree as listed in the qualifications.
• 2+ years in business analysis, analytics, or improvement roles.
• Experience analyzing KPIs and translating findings into actions.
• Lean Six Sigma, process mapping, and workflow documentation knowledge.
• Advanced Excel skills (PivotTables, Power Query).
• Experience with Visio, PowerPoint, SharePoint; Power BI/Tableau preferred.

Responsibilities

• Analyze operational performance data to identify trends, risks, opportunities, and root causes.
• Support COE-led initiatives with project planning, milestones, and documentation.
• Develop standards, governance materials, and drive Lean Six Sigma improvements.

Skills

Data analysis

Root cause analysis

Lean Six Sigma

Project coordination

Stakeholder collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Business, Operations Management, MIS, Data Analytics, Industrial Engineering, Project Management, or related field

Tools

Excel

Visio

Power BI

Tableau

SharePoint

PowerPoint

Job description

The Operational Excellence Analyst supports operational excellence through data analysis, process improvement, project enablement, and process governance. This role serves as an analytical resource to the Center of Excellence (COE) and operations teams by identifying performance trends, investigating the root causes of operational issues, supporting continuous improvement initiatives, and providing project management support for strategic initiatives.

The Operational Excellence Analyst partners with COE Managers and operational leaders to drive data-informed decision-making, standardization, process effectiveness, and measurable business results.

*This position is hybrid in our Bloomington, IL headquarters.*

Why Join Afni?

At Afni, we believe our people are our greatest competitive advantage. We’re committed to creating opportunities for growth, encouraging innovation, and empowering employees to make a meaningful impact on the business.

What We Offer

• Competitive compensation and a comprehensive benefits package
• Medical, dental, vision, and prescription coverage
• 401(k) plan with company match
• Paid time off and paid holidays
• Tuition reimbursement and professional development opportunities
• A collaborative culture focused on continuous improvement, accountability, and innovation

Essential Functions and Responsibilities

Data Analytics & Operational Performance

• Analyze operational, quality, productivity, recovery, and financial performance data to identify trends, risks, opportunities, variances, and root causes.
• Perform root cause analysis using methodologies such as Five Whys, Fishbone Diagrams, Pareto Analysis, and other process analysis techniques.
• Partner with functional leaders and stakeholders to interpret performance data, investigate operational issues, and translate findings into actionable business recommendations.

Project & Initiative Support

• Support COE-led initiatives through project planning, milestone tracking, status reporting, and maintenance of project documentation.
• Develop and maintain project management tools, including Gantt charts, project timelines, action logs, RAID logs, and implementation trackers.
• Track initiative outcomes and support the measurement of benefits realization and operational impact.
• Apply project and product management practices, as appropriate, to support initiative planning, execution, stakeholder alignment, and successful implementation.

Process Improvement & Governance

• Assist in the development and maintenance of process standards, business process overviews, training materials, governance documentation, and implementation resources.
• Facilitate data gathering and analysis to support Lean Six Sigma and other continuous improvement initiatives.
• Support current-state and future-state process assessments through workflow analysis, process mapping, and performance measurement.
• Identify opportunities for automation, standardization, process simplification, and improved operational controls.
• Support process governance by maintaining accurate documentation, reinforcing established standards, and helping clarify process ownership and accountability.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Operations Management, Management Information Systems, Data Analytics, Industrial Engineering, Project Management, or a related field.
• Two or more years of experience in business analysis, operational analytics, continuous improvement, project coordination, or a related discipline.
• Experience analyzing KPIs, performing root cause analysis, and translating findings into actionable business recommendations.
• Working knowledge of Lean Six Sigma methodologies, process mapping, and workflow documentation.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills, including PivotTables, Power Query, and data analysis functions.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Visio, PowerPoint, SharePoint, and project management applications. Experience with Power BI, Tableau, or similar reporting tools is preferred.

Shift

Full-time