Operational Excellence Manager

Rehrig Pacific Company, Inc.; Pittsburgh (Allegheny County); On-site; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Rehrig Pacific Company is seeking an Operations Excellence Manager to drive scalable standards and data-driven improvement across our manufacturing and service operations. You will partner with operations leaders to simplify processes, strengthen daily management, and align execution with safety, quality, delivery, cost, and customer expectations.

The role emphasizes Lean deployment, Gemba walks, and Kaizen, with accountability for KPI dashboards, SOP governance, and training.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree preferred or equivalent experience.
• 5+ years in operations excellence, continuous improvement, manufacturing, service operations, quality, or related field.
• Proven success leading cross-functional improvement initiatives using Lean, RCA, PDCA, A3, kaizen, Gemba, and standard work.
• Strong change leadership, facilitation, coaching, project management, data analysis, KPI dashboards, and executive communication.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain an operations excellence roadmap with measurable targets.
• Standardize processes using Lean principles and visual management.
• Coach leaders to embed continuous improvement in daily operations.
• Lead cross-functional improvement initiatives to improve safety, quality, service, and cost.
• Facilitate Gemba walks, root-cause analysis, kaizen, PDCA, and A3 problem solving.
• Validate benefits and sustain improvements with clear owners and dates.
• Develop KPI dashboards, scorecards, and performance reviews.
• Analyze trends and prioritize the improvement pipeline for leadership.
• Align metrics and accountability across Operations and support.
• Govern SOPs, work instructions, audits, and corrective actions.
• Develop training and job aids; coach teams in Lean tools and disciplined execution.

Skills

Lean principles

Root cause analysis

A3 problem solving

Gemba walks

PDCA cycle

KPI dashboards

Change leadership

Executive communication

Data analysis

Cross-functional leadership

Education

Bachelor’s degree preferred

Equivalent experience

Tools

Microsoft 365

Reporting tools

Visualization tools

AI-enabled productivity tools

Job description

Career Opportunities with Rehrig Pacific Company

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Here at Rehrig Pacific, we are all about our people. Since 1913, our organization has focused on sustainable supply chain solutions while creating a culture and atmosphere where amazing people, like you, are celebrated for doing their best work. Rehrig Pacific has grown to meet the needs of our industry consumers across the country and internationally. We are constantly creating innovative solutions to transcend the new standards set forth by our customers. We find true fulfillment in helping others, both within the Rehrig Pacific family and in our communities. As servant leaders, we lead by example.

Purpose of the Role

The Operations Excellence Manager improves operational performance by establishing scalable standards, strengthening daily management systems, and leading data-driven continuous improvement initiatives. This role works cross-functionally with Operations leaders to simplify processes, build problem-solving capability, sustain measurable gains, and align execution with safety, quality, delivery, cost, and customer expectations.

Areas of Accountability

Operational Excellence Deployment

• Develop and maintain an operations excellence roadmap, site-level improvement plans, and measurable performance targets based on assigned business priorities.
• Standardize and simplify processes using Lean principles, standard work, visual management, and leader routines.
• Coach leaders and teams to embed continuous improvement practices into daily operations and sustain adoption.
• Lead cross-functional improvement initiatives that increase safety, quality, service, productivity, and cost performance.
• Facilitate Gemba, root cause analysis, kaizen, PDCA, and A3 problem solving; ensure countermeasures have clear owners and due dates.
• Validate benefits, remove barriers, and establish controls that prevent regression.
• Develop and refine KPI dashboards, scorecards, and review routines that create visibility to performance and drive timely action.
• Analyze trends, quantify opportunities, prioritize the improvement pipeline, and communicate progress, risks, and realized value to leadership.
• Align metric definitions, reporting cadence, escalation triggers, and accountability across Operations and support functions.
• Own governance for SOPs, work instructions, standard work, audits, and corrective actions, including approval, version control, implementation, and sustainment.
• Develop practical training, job aids, and facilitation materials; coach teams in Lean tools, KPI interpretation, and disciplined execution.

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

• ​Bachelor’s degree preferred, or equivalent relevant experience; 5+ years in operations excellence, continuous improvement, manufacturing, service operations, quality, or a related field.
• Demonstrated success leading cross-functional improvement initiatives and applying Lean, root cause analysis, PDCA, A3, kaizen, Gemba, and standard work.
• Strong capability in change leadership, facilitation, coaching, project management, data analysis, KPI dashboards, and executive-ready communication.
• Proficiency with Microsoft 365, reporting and visualization tools, and AI-enabled productivity and analytics solutions, including effective prompting, responsible use, output validation, and practical workflow automation; Lean Six Sigma certification preferred.
• Ability to influence without direct authority and travel approximately 30–40%.

Rehrig Pacific Company is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and is an affirmative action employer. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity or Veteran status. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements. See also here .