Operational Excellence Lead — Lean Manufacturing & Kaizen

ZEISS Group; Minneapolis (MN); On-site; USD 101,000 - 125,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical

Vision

Dental

401k Matching

Employee Assistance Programs

Vacation and sick pay

Job summary

ZEISS Group in Maple Grove, MN seeks a seasoned Production Leader to run day-to-day operations on the shop floor, driving safety, quality and on-time delivery while reducing costs. The role emphasizes Lean practices, standard work, and a data-driven culture focused on continuous improvement.

Lead a high-performing team, stabilize processes, and mentor line leads to develop capabilities. On-site role with travel. 7+ years lean manufacturing experience and Six Sigma preferred.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in industrial, mechanical, manufacturing engineering or related field (2-year technical degree acceptable with strong experience).
• 7+ years in high-volume lean manufacturing, including 2+ years in people leadership.
• Six Sigma Green or Black Belt preferred; Lean methodologies and Value Stream Mapping knowledge.
• Read and interpret engineering drawings/blueprints; apply problem-solving on the shop floor.
• ERP experience (SAP preferred; Oracle or similar acceptable).

Responsibilities

• Provide hands-on Gemba leadership, 60–70% time on the shop floor to identify bottlenecks and waste.
• Plan, develop, and motivate a high-performing team; hire and coach per ZEISS policies.
• Implement and sustain Daily Management Systems with visual boards and Lean practices.
• Lead rapid problem solving via root cause analysis and Kaizen events.
• Analyze production KPIs to reduce downtime and improve takt times and throughput.
• Develop hands-on training on Standard Work and maintain training matrix.
• Ensure routing/build procedures meet ISO and internal requirements; improve processes.
• Maintain production equipment; ensure calibration and good working order.
• Maintain a safe, clean, ergonomic workplace; provide safety training per OSHA/ZEISS.
• Lead escalation in a timely manner; model company values.
• Perform other duties as required.

Skills

Lean leadership

People management

Problem solving

Shop floor credibility

Education

Bachelor's degree in Industrial/Mechanical/Manufacturing Engineering or related field

Two-year technical degree with strong relevant experience

Tools

SAP

Oracle

Job description

ZEISS Group in Maple Grove, MN seeks a seasoned Production Leader to run day-to-day operations on the shop floor, driving safety, quality and on-time delivery while reducing costs. The role emphasizes Lean practices, standard work, and a data-driven culture focused on continuous improvement.

Lead a high-performing team, stabilize processes, and mentor line leads to develop capabilities. On-site role with travel. 7+ years lean manufacturing experience and Six Sigma preferred.