Operational Excellence Manager - Production

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

How many companies can say they’ve been in business for over 180 years?!

Here at ZEISS, we certainly can! As the pioneers of science, ZEISS handles the everchanging environments in a fast-paced world, meeting it with cutting edge of technologies and continuous advancements. ZEISS believes that innovation and technology are the key to a sustainable future and solutions for global change. We have a diverse range of portfolios throughout the ZEISS family in segments like, Industrial Quality & Research, Medical Technology, Consumer Markets and Semiconductor Manufacturing Technology. We are a global company with over 42,000 employees and have over 4,000 in the US and Canada alone! Make a difference, come join the team!

Location/Region: This position is located in Maple Grove, MN - 5 days a week onsite. Ability to travel both domestic and international occasionally.

What’s the role?

Lead and manage high-performance, day-to-day production operations on the shop floor to consistently achieve world-class safety, quality, and on-time delivery at optimal cost. This hands-on role drives operational excellence at the Gemba by stabilizing and standardizing processes, maximizing machine uptime, and relentlessly eliminating defects and waste. You will set ambitious performance standards, provide clear direction and data-driven feedback, and coach production personnel in Lean and best practices to build a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and quality excellence. Success is measured by sustained gains in throughput, first-pass yield, safety, and cost, demonstrated through continuously improving key performance metrics.

Sound Interesting?

Here’s what you’ll do:

• Provide hands-on Gembaleadership, spending60-70% of time on the shop floor to identify bottlenecks, safety hazards, and waste and to support teams in meeting daily/weekly/monthly production goals.

• Plan, develop, and motivate a high-performing team; hire, coach, and manage performance in line with ZEISS policies and core values. Ensure that line leads to perform duties to build and develop teams. Ensure roles and responsibilities between operator and line leads are fulfilled

• Implement and sustain Daily Management Systems, including visual boards, tiered accountability meetings, Lean techniques, and 6Sstandards to maintain an organized, disciplined workplace.

• Lead rapid problem solving through root cause analysisand Kaizen events, ensuring timely resolution of production issues and quality defects.

• Analyze production KPI’sto reduce downtime, improve tact times machine build times and drive continuous improvements in throughput, quality, and cost i.e. NQEs

• Develop hands-on training on Standard Work, maintain training matrix for all shop floor employees.

• Ensure routing and build procedures are current and compliant withISOand internal product requirements; maintain and improve robust processes for best-in-class product quality and coordinate timely implementation of engineering changes.

• Ensure all production equipment is properly maintained, calibrated, and in good working order.

• Maintain a clean, safe, and ergonomic work environment; complete safety reports and provide training in accordance withOSHAand ZEISS standards.

• Lead escalation in a timely manner through the organization.

• Consistently model behaviors aligned with company values and perform other related duties as required.

Do you qualify?

• Required Education & Experience

  • Bachelor’s degree in industrial, Mechanical, Manufacturing Engineering, or related field (two-year technical degree acceptable with strong relevant experience).
  • 7+ years of progressive experience in high-volume, lean manufacturing (e.g., automotive, aerospace, medical, food & beverage), including2+years in a people leadership/management role.

• Certifications & Methodologies

  • Six Sigma Green or Black Belt strongly preferred.
  • Deep knowledge of Lean-methodologies and Value Stream Mapping with proven implementation success.

• Technical Skills

  • Solid understanding of manufacturing methods, assembly processes, and standard work.
  • Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings/blueprints.
  • Working knowledge ofERPsystems (SAP preferred; Oracle or similar acceptable) for production and inventory control.
  • Ability to interpretPLC -driven data and key productionKPI’sfor decision-making.

• Leadership & Soft Skills

  • Demonstrated strong leadership, sound decision-making, and the ability to “grow” and develop a high-performing team.
  • Proven track record managing via and driving measurable performance improvement.
  • Strong “shop floor credibility” with the ability to communicate effectively at all levels—from operators to senior leadership—both orally and in writing.

The annual pay range for this position is $101,000 - $125,000 and is also eligible for a performance bonus.

The pay offered for this role may be influenced by factors such as job location, scope of role, qualifications, education, experience, & complexity/specialization/scarcity of talent.

We have amazing benefits to support you as an employee at ZEISS!

• Medical
• Vision
• Dental
• 401k Matching
• Employee Assistance Programs
• Vacation and sick pay
• The list goes on!

The above is intended to describe the general content of and requirements for this job. It is not to be construed as an exhaustive statement of requirements, duties, or responsibilities. The Company reserves the right to interpret, amend, or otherwise modify, in whole or in part, any job description at any time, at its sole discretion.

Your ZEISS Recruiting Team:

Holly Greenwood-Mosher

Zeiss provides Equal Employment Opportunity without unlawful regard to an Applicants race, color, religion, creed, sex, gender, marital status, age, national origin or ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, military or veteran status, citizen status, sexual orientation, pregnancy (includes childbirth, breastfeeding or related medical condition), genetic predisposition, carrier status, gender expression or identity, including transgender identity, or any other class or characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law of the employee (or the people with whom the employee associates, including relatives and friends).