Operational Excellence Lead (5S & Kaizen)

Nippon Paint Automotive Americas; Lansing (IL); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Attendance bonuses

Merit increases

Annual incentive plan

Health and welfare coverage

401(k) with company match

Tuition reimbursement

Job summary

Nippon Paint Automotive Americas Inc. seeks an experienced manufacturing professional to lead Lean initiatives and 5S on the production floor.

You will partner with Operations, Quality, and Supply Chain to redesign processes for speed, safety, and quality while tracking performance via the monthly customer scorecard. You will champion Kaizen events focused on cost reduction, inventory turns, and process stability, applying Lean/Six Sigma across multiple projects with coaching and hands-on

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a technical discipline (or equivalent practical experience).
• 10+ years of relevant experience in manufacturing environments.
• Working knowledge of IATF 16949 and/or ISO 9001.
• Proven project leadership delivering cross-department process improvements.

Responsibilities

• Own and champion NPAA’s 5S system—sustain audits, visuals, and coaching.
• Lead cross-functional analyses to map sequences of operations and re-engineer workflows.
• Conduct studies on cost control/reduction, inventory control, and production record systems; implement changes.
• Facilitate Kaizen events to remove waste and build capability.
• Apply Lean and Six Sigma toolsets on multiple projects and stand up new processes.
• Track the monthly customer scorecard and drive corrective/preventive improvements.

Skills

Lean Six Sigma

Cross-functional leadership

Problem solving

Change management

Data analysis

Education

Bachelor’s degree in a technical discipline

Tools

SAP

Job description

About the rolePicture your morning at Nippon Paint Automotive Americas Inc. (NPAA): you start on the production floor, walking a 5S audit with team members, spotting flow interrupters before they become bottlenecks. By lunch, you’re whiteboarding cross-functional workflows with Operations, Quality, and Supply Chain, redesigning processes for speed and stability. Your afternoon shifts to facilitation—running a Kaizen focused on cost and inventory turns—then closing the day by updating CI logs, capturing before/after states, and reviewing the monthly customer scorecard to target the next round of improvements.What you’ll driveOwn and champion NPAA’s 5S system—sustain audits, visuals, and coaching for lasting workplace discipline.Lead cross-functional analyses to map sequences of operations and re-engineer workflows for safety, quality, delivery, and cost.Conduct studies on cost control/reduction, inventory control, and production record systems; recommend and implement operating method changes.Facilitate Kaizen events across the business to remove waste and build capability.Apply Lean and Six Sigma toolsets on multiple concurrent projects to solve problems and stand up new processes.Track the monthly customer scorecard and launch corrective and preventive improvements accordingly.Trend and elevate quality-system performance: change control, customer feedback and complaints, investigations, deviations, and on-time delivery.Source and share best practices from Nippon group companies and relevant industry standards.Document baseline and improved conditions; maintain accurate, up-to-date logs on all CI work, in-flight and completed.What you bringBachelor’s degree in a technical discipline preferred (or equivalent practical experience).10+ years of relevant experience in manufacturing environments.Working knowledge of IATF 16949 and/or ISO 9001.Proven project leadership delivering cross-department process improvements.Exceptional planning, organization, and change agility.Demonstrated leadership, analytical rigor, decision quality, and problem-solving skills.Self-starter who operates effectively with minimal supervision.Nice to have: formal Lean/Six Sigma training or certification; SAP experience.Why NPAAEarned bonuses: monthly hourly attendance bonuses, merit increases, and an annual incentive plan.Time off and holidays: 11 paid holidays plus paid time off.Comprehensive benefits: robust health and welfare coverage options.Retirement: 401(k) with an exceptional company match.Growth & recognition: employee recognition programs and tuition reimbursement.Community: a welcoming NPAA family with appreciation events throughout the year.Equal Employment OpportunityNippon Paint Automotive Americas Inc. 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.