Operational Excellence Lead

Isola Group; Ridgeway (SC); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Isola Group in Ridgeway, SC seeks a Regional Operational Excellence Leader to deploy iOE across the Chandler, Ridgeway and Düren sites, drive culture transformation and standardize best practices, with travel to supported sites.

You will coach leaders, lead Kaizen events, implement daily management systems, track KPI savings, and ensure sustained improvements aligned with global strategy and SQDCPI targets.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent; advanced degree preferred.
• 10+ years in Operational Excellence leadership, preferably in laminate or semiconductor industries.
• Proven track record deploying Operational Excellence and cultural transformation.
• Strong facilitation, coaching and training capabilities.
• Excellent communication and cross-functional influence across global teams.
• Fluency in English; German language a plus.
• Willingness to travel internationally up to 30%.

Responsibilities

• Champion deployment of regional iOE practices across all sites.
• Lead and facilitate cross-site Kaizen and Gemba initiatives aligned to SQDCPI targets.
• Train and coach leaders, Kaizen teams, and CI resources in lean methods and daily management.
• Drive daily Gemba Walks, Daily Management, and performance reviews with site leadership.
• Serve as central resource for performance tracking and savings validation.
• Partner with site leadership to embed and improve iOE systems.
• Share best practices and read-across of initiatives between Chandler, Ridgeway, and Düren.
• Develop and deliver modular training for iOE tools and systems globally.
• Promote engagement and alignment with iOE goals across global teams.
• Mentor Kaizen talents to strengthen problem-solving and leadership.
• Execute site-specific and cross-site Kaizen events.
• Drive measurable improvements in SQDCPI year over year.

Skills

Leadership

Facilitation

Coaching

Training

Communication

Problem solving

Lean methodologies

Cross-site collaboration

Gemba walking

Change management

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent

Advanced degree preferred

Job description

Isola, a regional leader in materials science, is committed to improving lives through innovation in electronic products. We are seeking a Regional Operational Excellence Leader to support our transformation journey and drive sustainable operational excellence across our North American and European manufacturing facilities.

Primary Location: Ridgeway, SC

(with regular travel to supported sites)

Purpose and Scope of Role:

This high-impact Regional role is responsible for deploying Isola’s Operational Excellence (IOE) systems, driving Operational Excellence culture transformation, and ensuring standardization and continuous improvement across the Chandler (AZ), Ridgeway (SC), and Düren (Germany) plants. The Regional Operational Excellence Leader will be a key partner to plant leadership and operations teams, driving alignment with global strategy, ensuring best practice sharing, and cultivating high-performance, problem-solving cultures at each site.

Key Responsibilities:

• Champion the deployment of regional Operational Excellence (iOE) (Operational Excellence) practices across all supported sites.
• Lead and facilitate cross-site Kaizen and Gemba initiatives aligned to SQDCPI (Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost, People, Innovation) targets.
• Train and coach functional leaders, Kaizen teams, and plant-level CI resources in lean methodologies, problem solving, and daily management systems.
• Drive and sustain daily Gemba Walks, LDM (Operational Excellence Daily Management), and performance reviews with local leadership teams.
• Act as the central resource for performance tracking and analysis of CI initiatives, including KPI reporting and savings validation.
• Partner with site leadership to ensure iOE systems are fully embedded and continuously improved.
• Facilitate best practice sharing and read-across of successful initiatives between Chandler, Ridgeway, and Düren.
• Support development and delivery of modular training for iOperational Excellence (iOE) tools and systems globally.
• Promote high engagement and alignment with iOE goals through strong communication and cultural integration across global teams.
• Mentor and develop Kaizen talents to strengthen problem-solving and leadership capabilities.
• Execution of site-specific and cross-site Kaizen events
• Measurable improvements in SQDCPI metrics year over year
• Increased Operational Excellence capability across supported sites
• Standardized and sustainable deployment of iOE systems and tools
• High-performance team behaviors and improved employee engagement

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience; advanced degree preferred
• 10+ years of experience in Operational Excellence leadership, operational excellence, or related roles, preferably in laminate or semiconductor industries
• Proven track record leading Operational Excellence deployments and driving cultural transformation
• Strong facilitation, coaching, and training capabilities
• Effective communicator with strong presentation and influencing skills across global and cross-functional teams
• Fluent in English; German language proficiency a plus
• Willingness to travel internationally up to 30%