Operational Excellence Manager - Lafayette Hill, PA

Higher Recruitment, Inc.; Whitemarsh Township (Montgomery County); On-site; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Higher Recruitment, Inc. seeks an experienced Operational Excellence Manager to lead continuous improvement across a manufacturing operation.

Translate strategy into measurable improvements in safety, quality, productivity, cost, delivery, and employee engagement as a hands-on Lean/OpEx leader. Partner with plant leadership and frontline teams to identify opportunities, implement sustainable improvements, develop problem-solving capabilities, and build a culture of continuous improvement across

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations or related field.
• 5+ years in Operational Excellence/Lean/CI in a manufacturing setting.
• Hands-on Lean implementation experience.
• Proven ability to drive measurable improvements in productivity, quality, cost, throughput, and lead time.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with data-driven decision making.
• Experience facilitating Kaizen, process improvement projects and root-cause analysis.
• Knowledge of Lean tools: 5S, Standard Work, Visual Management, Value Stream Mapping, Kaizen.
• Six Sigma certification or demonstrated Six Sigma experience is a plus.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to influence and drive change without relying solely on formal authority.
• Strong project management skills to handle multiple initiatives.
• Comfort working with frontline employees to executive leadership.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development and execution of the site's Operational Excellence strategy.
• Identify opportunities with plant leadership to improve performance and profitability.
• Drive Lean and CI initiatives focused on quality, productivity, cost, delivery, safety, and waste reduction.
• Analyze operational data and KPIs to identify root causes and prioritize improvements.
• Facilitate structured problem-solving and implement corrective actions.
• Coach teams in Lean methods (5S, Kaizen, Standard Work, Value Stream Mapping).
• Develop and maintain systems to sustain improvements and standardize gains.
• Establish KPIs to track financial impact of initiatives.
• Collaborate across functions to remove barriers and improve plant performance.
• Develop training and coaching for employees and leaders at all levels.
• Build internal capability to develop problem solvers and CI champions.

Skills

Lean Manufacturing

Operational Excellence

Problem-Solving

Project Management

Continuous Improvement

Six Sigma

Education

Bachelor's degree (Engineering/Manufacturing/Operations)

Job description

Our client is seeking an experienced Operational Excellence Manager to lead continuous improvement and operational excellence initiatives across a manufacturing operation. This is a highly visible opportunity for a hands‑on Lean/OpEx leader who can translate strategy into measurable improvements in safety, quality, productivity, cost, delivery, and employee engagement.

The ideal candidate will be a strong change agent who can work collaboratively with plant leadership and frontline teams to identify opportunities, implement sustainable improvements, develop problem‑solving capabilities, and build a culture of continuous improvement.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the development and execution of the site's Operational Excellence and Continuous Improvement strategy.
• Partner with plant leadership and cross‑functional teams to identify opportunities to improve operational performance and profitability.
• Drive Lean Manufacturing and continuous improvement initiatives focused on quality, productivity, cost, delivery, safety, and waste reduction.
• Analyze operational data and KPIs to identify root causes, prioritize improvement opportunities, and measure results.
• Facilitate structured problem‑solving activities and implement sustainable corrective actions.
• Lead and coach teams in Lean methodologies, including 5S, Kaizen, Standard Work, Visual Management, Value Stream Mapping, Root Cause Analysis, and other Lean tools.
• Develop and maintain systems that ensure improvements are standardized, sustained, and continuously improved.
• Establish and monitor key performance indicators to track the effectiveness and financial impact of improvement initiatives.
• Partner with operations, engineering, quality, maintenance, supply chain, and other functions to remove barriers and improve overall plant performance.
• Develop and deliver training and coaching to employees and leaders at all levels.
• Build internal capability by developing leaders and frontline employees into effective problem solvers and continuous improvement champions.
• Lead improvement projects from opportunity identification through implementation, validation, and sustainment.
• Identify opportunities to improve manufacturing processes, workflow, equipment utilization, labor efficiency, and overall operating costs.
• Help create a culture where employees are encouraged to identify problems, challenge existing processes, and contribute ideas for improvement.
• Communicate project progress, results, and financial impact to plant and senior leadership.
• Support the implementation and adoption of best practices across the organization.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations, Business, or a related field preferred.
• 5+ years of progressive experience in Operational Excellence, Continuous Improvement, Lean Manufacturing, Manufacturing Engineering, or Operations.
• Strong hands‑on experience implementing Lean and continuous improvement methodologies within a manufacturing environment.
• Demonstrated success delivering measurable improvements in productivity, quality, cost, throughput, waste, and/or lead time.
• Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills with the ability to use data to drive decisions.
• Experience facilitating Kaizen events, process improvement projects, and structured root‑cause analysis.
• Strong understanding of Lean principles, including 5S, Standard Work, Visual Management, Value Stream Mapping, Kaizen, and problem‑solving methodologies.
• Six Sigma certification or demonstrated Six Sigma experience is a plus.
• Excellent communication, presentation, facilitation, and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to influence and drive change without relying solely on direct authority.
• Strong project management skills with the ability to manage multiple initiatives and priorities.
• Comfortable working directly with frontline employees, supervisors, managers, and executive leadership.
• Hands‑on, collaborative leadership style with a strong sense of urgency and accountability.