Operational Excellence Manager

InvestedintheMission; Simi Valley (CA); On-site; USD 107,000 - 163,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical

Dental & Vision

401(k) with match

9/80 schedule

Paid holidays

Job summary

AeroVironment, Inc. in California is seeking a Manager of Operational Excellence to design, implement, and optimize lean manufacturing strategies across business units. You will drive value-stream efficiency, deploy kaizen events, and align lean goals with output, cost, quality, and lead time improvements.

Lead training, standardize problem solving, mentor supervisors and frontline teams, and report ROI to executive leadership, while ensuring compliance with ITAR and ISO standards.

Qualifications

• 8+ years in complex assembly production environments.
• 3+ years leading manufacturing teams in a product development environment.
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in Industrial/Manufacturing Engineering or related field.
• Proficiency in process simulation, time studies, and data analytics.
• Strong leadership, PM, and facilitation skills.
• Able to travel domestically and internationally up to 50%.
• Organizational and time management skills; adaptable in fast-paced environments.
• Strategic thinker with collaborative mindset and ownership attitude.

Responsibilities

• Lead lean manufacturing implementation across all units.
• Develop & maintain lean training tools, content, boot camps, workshops, kaizen & project funnels.
• Standardize problem solving methodology; create training content and deployment strategy.
• Conduct value stream mapping; own implementation of value stream tracking centers.
• Deploy Lean to reduce waste and non-value-added activities.
• Facilitate cross-functional Kaizen events and improvement workshops.
• Analyze production data for trends, root causes and opportunities.
• Establish visual daily management systems with KPI tracking.
• Develop cost-benefit analyses for capital projects and process changes.
• Train and mentor supervisors, engineers and front-line teams in lean principles.
• Act as change agent promoting ownership and continuous improvement.
• Build lean maturity roadmaps and assess transformation readiness.
• Partner with Ops, Quality, Eng, Supply Chain, PM to align lean initiatives.
• Interface with exec leadership to report progress, ROI and impact.
• Ensure compliance with AS9100, ISO 9001, ITAR and customer requirements.

Skills

Leadership

Project management

Facilitation

Data analytics

Communication

Travel up to 50%

Education

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

Job description

Worker Type

Regular

Job Description

Summary: The Manager of Operational Excellence is responsible for designing, implementing, and optimizing the lean manufacturing strategy. They drive value stream efficiency and strategic use of resources, ensuring alignment with business goals related to output, cost, quality, and lead time.

Position Responsibilities

• Lead and own lean manufacturing implementation across all business units using lean tools and concepts.
• Develop & maintain lean training tools, content, training boot camps, workshops, kaizen & project management funnels.
• Standardize problem solving methodology, draft accompanying training content and deployment strategy.
• Conduct and lead value stream mapping activities to identify bottlenecks and inefficiencies. Own the implementation and execution of value stream tracking centers at all business units.
• Deploy Lean methodologies to reduce variation, waste, and non-value-added activities.
• Facilitate cross-functional Kaizen events and improvement workshops across departments and business units.
• Analyze production data to identify trends, root causes, and improvement opportunities.
• Establish visual and daily management systems with appropriate KPI tracking for performance management at various levels and departments.
• Develop cost-benefit analyses for capital projects and process changes.
• Develop, train and mentor supervisors, engineers, and front line teams in lean manufacturing principles.
• Act as a change agent, promoting a culture of ownership, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Build lean maturity road maps and assess organizational readiness for transformation.
• Partner with Operations, Quality, Engineering, Supply Chain, and Program Management to align lean initiatives with business objectives.
• Interface with executive leadership to report lean transformation progress, ROI, and impact.
• Ensure compliance with applicable standards including AS9100, ISO 9001, ITAR, and customer-specific quality requirements.
• Work collaboratively with local teams & foster a continuous improvement culture within all business units.
• Other duties as assigned

Basic Qualifications (Required Skills & Experience)

• Minimum of 8 years of related experience in complex assembly production environments.
• Minimum of 3 years of successfully leading manufacturing teams within a product development environment.
• Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or a related field and/or equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.
• Proficiency in process simulation tools, time studies, and data analytics.
• Strong leadership, project management, and facilitation skills.
• Proven ability to manage multiple priorities in a demanding production environment.
• Ability to travel domestically and internationally as needed (up to 50%).
• Strong organizational and time management skills
• Proven adaptability in fast-paced, evolving environments
• Strategic thinker who anticipates change and fosters team alignment
• Collaborative, team-oriented mindset with a focus on shared success
• Ownership-driven, continuously learning, and improvement-focused

Physical Demands

• Ability to work in an office and manufacturing environment (Constant)
• Required to sit and stand for long periods; talk, hear, and use hands and fingers to operate a computer and telephone keyboard (Frequent)

Clearance Level

No Clearance

Salary

$106,500 - $162,500

Benefits

• medical
• dental vision
• 401K with company matching
• a 9/80 work schedule
• paid holiday shutdown

ITAR Requirement

This position requires access to information that is subject to compliance with the International Traffic Arms Regulations ("ITAR") and/or the Export Administration Regulations ("EAR"). In order to comply with the requirements of the ITAR and/or the EAR, applicants must qualify as a U.S. person under the ITAR and the EAR, or a person to be approved for an export license by the governing agency whose technology comes under its jurisdiction. Please understand that any job offer that requires approval of an export license will be conditional on AeroVironment’s determination that it will be able to obtain an export license in a time frame consistent with AeroVironment’s business requirements. A “U.S. person” according to the ITAR definition is a U.S. citizen, U.S. lawful permanent resident (green card holder), or protected individual such as a refugee or asylee. See 22 CFR § 120.15. Some positions will require current U.S. Citizenship due to contract requirements.

Company Overview

About AV: AV isn’t for everyone. We hire the curious, the relentless, the mission-obsessed. The best of the best.

We don’t just build defense technology—we redefine what’s possible. As the premier autonomous systems company in the U.S., AV delivers breakthrough capabilities across air, land, sea, space, and cyber. From AI-powered drones and loitering munitions to integrated autonomy and space resilience, our technologies shape the future of warfare and protect those who serve.

Founded by legendary innovator Dr. Paul MacCready, AV has spent over 50 years pushing the boundaries of what unmanned systems can do. Our heritage includes seven platforms in the Smithsonian—but we’re not building history, we’re building what’s next.

If you're ready to build technology that matters—with speed, scale, and purpose—there’s no better place to do it than AV.

We also encourage you to review our company website at http://www.avinc.com to learn more about us.

Equal Opportunity Statement

We are proud to be an EEO/AA Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability/veterans. AeroVironment, Inc. is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer and welcomes all qualified applicants. Qualified applicants will receive fair and impartial consideration without regard to race, sex, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status, genetic data, sexual orientation, gender identity or other legally protected status.

ITAR

U.S. Citizenship required