Operational Excellence Project Manager

CIRCOR International, Inc; Warren (MA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

CIRCOR International, Inc. in Warren, MA is seeking a hands-on project leader to manage an expansive portfolio of Operational Excellence initiatives across Lean, Manufacturing Engineering, Quality, and CNC Programming.

The role requires translating priorities into clearly defined projects, establishing governance, and driving execution from definition through sustainment, with measurable financial and operational benefits.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a related technical discipline with 5+ years of experience.
• Strong understanding of machining and manufacturing processes.
• Experience leading projects involving manufacturing engineers, quality engineers, CNC programmers, and production staff.
• Ability to manage multiple projects, priorities, and stakeholders simultaneously.
• Strong written and verbal communication, from shop floor to senior leadership.
• Experience in highly regulated, high-mix/low-volume environments.
• PMP certification preferred.
• Familiarity with ERP/MRP and ISO 9001 or similar requirements.

Responsibilities

• Lead a portfolio of Operational Excellence projects across Lean, Manufacturing Engineering, Quality, and CNC Programming.
• Translate business priorities into clearly defined projects with scope, objectives, deliverables, milestones, resources, and outcomes.
• Coordinate roles to mitigate redundancy and optimize team productivity.
• Establish project governance, schedules, risk management, and escalation processes.
• Manage dependencies and resource conflicts across concurrent projects.
• Facilitate cross-functional reviews and communicate status, risks, decisions, and actions to leadership.
• Maintain visibility of the portfolio and focus resources on high-value priorities.
• Drive projects from problem definition through implementation, validation, standardization, and sustainment.
• Establish measurable financial and operational benefits and track results against commitments.

Skills

Execution Focus

Manufacturing Acumen

Project Leadership

Shop-Floor Leadership

Prioritization

Communication

Adaptability

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering/Manufacturing/Operations

Tools

ERP/MRP systems

Job description

The ideal candidate combines strong project leadership with practical manufacturing knowledge and is equally comfortable managing an executive-level project portfolio and driving execution on the shop floor.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead a portfolio of Operational Excellence projects across Lean, Manufacturing Engineering, Quality, and CNC Programming.
• Translate business and operational priorities into clearly defined projects with scope, objectives, deliverables, milestones, resource requirements, and measurable outcomes.
• Coordinate roles & responsibilities to mitigate redundancy and optimize team productivity
• Establish project governance, schedules, action registers, risk management, and escalation processes.
• Manage dependencies and resource conflicts across multiple concurrent projects.
• Facilitate cross-functional project reviews and communicate status, risks, decisions, and recovery actions to operations and senior leadership.
• Maintain visibility of the overall project portfolio and ensure resources remain focused on the highest-value operational priorities.
• Drive projects from problem definition through implementation, validation, standardization, and sustainment.
• Establish measurable financial and operational benefits and track results against project commitments.

Candidate Profile

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Execution Focus - Converts improvement opportunities into clearly owned project plans, with a bias toward action.
• Manufacturing Acumen - Understands how engineering, quality, programming, planning, and production interact to determine factory performance.
• Project Leadership - Creates structure, accountability, and urgency across complex cross-functional initiatives.
• Shop-Floor Leadership - Builds credibility with machinists, technicians, engineers, supervisors, and managers through practical engagement at the point of execution.
• Prioritization - Distinguishes critical operational constraints from lower-value activity and directs resources accordingly.
• Communication - Provides concise, fact-based communication of performance, risks, decisions, and required actions.
• Adaptability - Able to anticipate risks through agility and contingency planning.

Education & Experience

• Bachelor's degree, with 5+ years experience, in Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations Management, Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
• Strong understanding of machining and manufacturing processes.
• Experience managing projects involving technical resources such as manufacturing engineers, quality engineers, CNC programmers, and production personnel.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects, priorities, and stakeholders simultaneously.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to communicate effectively from the shop floor through senior leadership.
• Ability to work effectively in a highly regulated, high-mix/low-volume manufacturing environment.
• PMP certification preferred.
• Familiarity with ERP/MRP systems and applicable ASME, NAVSEA, MIL-SPEC, ISO 9001, or similar requirements preferred.

Company Background

CIRCOR International is one of the world's leading providers of mission critical flow control products and services for the Industrial and Aerospace & Defense markets. The Company has a product portfolio of market-leading brands serving its customers' most demanding applications. CIRCOR markets its solutions directly and through various sales partners to more than 14,000 customers in approximately 100 countries. The Company has a global presence with approximately 3,100 employees with headquarters in Burlington, Massachusetts. For more information visit our website at https://www.circor.com/. In late 2023, CIRCOR was acquired by the private equity firm Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. L.P. (together with its affiliates, "KKR"). The news release is available here along with additional information about KKR and its unique approach to employee ownership can be found at the end of this document.

Equal Opportunity Statement

CIRCOR is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We value diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. Individuals with disabilities, veterans, women, and minorities are encouraged to apply.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities

This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.