Operational Excellence Lead: Lean & CI Champion

DSJ Global; Maple Grove (MN); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

DSJ Global is seeking a hands-on Continuous Improvement Manager to drive Lean manufacturing and operational excellence across our Minnesota sites. You will lead cross-functional teams, run Kaizen events, develop standardized work, and leverage data to sustain improvements while developing a culture of accountability.

You will partner with plant leadership, mentor employees, and communicate outcomes to leadership, fostering sustainable performance improvements throughout the organization.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Operations, Business, or a related field.
• 5+ years of experience in manufacturing, operations, continuous improvement, or operational excellence.
• Proven Lean manufacturing and continuous improvement leadership.
• Strong knowledge of Lean, Kaizen, and structured problem-solving techniques.
• Experience facilitating cross-functional teams and influencing stakeholders at multiple levels.
• Excellent communication and project management skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead and support continuous improvement initiatives focused on safety, quality, delivery, cost, and productivity performance.
• Facilitate Lean events, Kaizen workshops, root cause analysis activities, and problem-solving sessions to drive measurable operational improvements.
• Partner with plant leadership to identify improvement opportunities, prioritize initiatives, and execute action plans.
• Conduct Gemba walks and operational assessments to identify process gaps, inefficiencies, and improvement opportunities.
• Develop, implement, and sustain standardized work, visual management systems, and operational best practices.
• Monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) and utilize data analysis to evaluate performance, identify trends, and support decision‑making.
• Track and communicate project outcomes, including productivity gains, cost savings, quality improvements, and operational efficiencies.
• Support the development of continuous improvement capabilities through coaching, training, and mentoring employees at all levels of the organization.
• Benchmark industry best practices and introduce effective methodologies to improve operational performance.
• Partner with cross‑functional teams to ensure successful implementation and sustainability of improvement initiatives.
• Drive a culture of accountability, employee engagement, and continuous improvement throughout the organization.
• Manage and develop direct reports, including hiring, coaching, performance management, and succession planning.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Skills

Lean manufacturing

Kaizen methodologies

Data analysis

Cross-functional leadership

Project management

Communication skills

Problem-solving

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Operations, Business, or related field

Job description

DSJ Global is seeking a hands-on Continuous Improvement Manager to drive Lean manufacturing and operational excellence across our Minnesota sites. You will lead cross-functional teams, run Kaizen events, develop standardized work, and leverage data to sustain improvements while developing a culture of accountability.

You will partner with plant leadership, mentor employees, and communicate outcomes to leadership, fostering sustainable performance improvements throughout the organization.