Operational Excellence Manager

Socket.dev; Virginia Beach (VA); On-site; USD 77,000 - 94,000; Full time

Job summary

Socket.dev in Virginia Beach, VA is seeking an Operational Excellence Manager to lead continuous improvement in a manufacturing setting. You will identify inefficiencies, reduce waste, and drive productivity using Lean, Six Sigma, Kaizen, and structured problem-solving.

The ideal candidate is a hands-on leader who collaborates with production teams, analyzes operating data, and turns improvement opportunities into measurable results that support safety, quality, and customer satisfaction.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering, Operations Management, Business Management, Manufacturing Engineering, or a related field.
• 5+ years of experience leading or implementing continuous improvement initiatives in manufacturing.
• Experience in engineer‑to‑order, fabrication, industrial, or manufacturing operations preferred.
• Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, or Continuous Improvement certification strongly preferred.
• Proven ability to deliver measurable results through process improvement projects.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage continuous improvement initiatives aligned with operational goals.
• Partner with manufacturing and operations leaders to improve productivity, labor efficiency, quality, safety, cycle time, and cost.
• Identify bottlenecks, waste, and process inefficiencies and develop sustainable corrective actions.
• Facilitate Kaizen events, process improvement workshops, and root‑cause analysis.
• Apply Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, value stream mapping, and change‑management methods.
• Train, coach, and mentor employees on continuous improvement tools and practices.
• Establish and monitor KPIs to measure improvement results and program effectiveness.
• Analyze operational data and use findings to support decisions and action plans.

Skills

Leadership

Problem-solving

Data analysis

Communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering, Operations Management, Business Management, Manufacturing Engineering, or related field

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Operational Excellence Manager

Location: Virginia Beach, VA
Job Type: Full-Time
Starting Salary: $85,000/year (higher depending on experience)

Position Overview

We are seeking an Operational Excellence Manager to lead continuous improvement efforts in a manufacturing environment. This position will identify process inefficiencies, reduce waste, improve productivity, and implement sustainable solutions using Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, Kaizen, and structured problem-solving.

The ideal candidate is a hands‑on leader who can work directly with production teams, analyze operational data, and turn improvement opportunities into measurable results.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and manage continuous improvement initiatives aligned with operational goals.
• Partner with manufacturing and operations leaders to improve productivity, labor efficiency, quality, safety, cycle time, and cost.
• Identify bottlenecks, waste, and process inefficiencies and develop sustainable corrective actions.
• Facilitate Kaizen events, process improvement workshops, and root‑cause analysis.
• Apply Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, value stream mapping, and change‑management methods.
• Work directly with production teams to implement process improvements and standard work.
• Train, coach, and mentor employees on continuous improvement tools and practices.
• Establish and monitor KPIs to measure improvement results and program effectiveness.
• Analyze operational data and use findings to support decisions and action plans.
• Present project results, recommendations, and progress to plant and senior leadership.
• Develop strategies to increase employee participation and accountability in improvement initiatives.
• Identify opportunities for workflow improvements, labor efficiency, and capital investment.
• Support improvement activities across multiple shifts as needed.
• Ensure all initiatives support safety, quality, customer satisfaction, and operational excellence.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering, Operations Management, Business Management, Manufacturing Engineering, or a related field; equivalent experience considered.
• 5+ years of experience leading or implementing continuous improvement initiatives in manufacturing.
• Experience in engineer‑to‑order, fabrication, industrial, or manufacturing operations preferred.
• Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, or Continuous Improvement certification strongly preferred.
• Proven ability to deliver measurable results through process improvement projects.
• Strong knowledge of Lean principles, value stream mapping, root cause analysis, Kaizen, and change management.
• Ability to collect, analyze, and interpret operational data.
• Strong leadership, project management, facilitation, presentation, and training skills.
• Excellent communication and organizational skills.
• Self‑motivated with strong problem‑solving abilities.
• Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Office.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines in a fast‑paced manufacturing environment.
• Strong commitment to safety, quality, accountability, and continuous improvement.

Work Environment

• Regularly walk and interact with teams on the manufacturing floor.
• Ability to stand, bend, and move throughout production areas.
• Ability to occasionally lift up to 50 lbs.
• Ability to support multiple shifts and work flexible hours when improvement activities require it.
• Comfortable working in both office and manufacturing environments.