Operational Excellence & Projects Leader

Heraeus Holding GmbH; Santa Fe Springs (CA); On-site; USD 115,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Heraeus Precious Metals seeks a Continuous Improvement & Project Manager to lead site‑wide initiatives and cross‑functional projects at the Santa Fe Springs facility. You will translate business priorities into structured improvement programs, delivering measurable results in safety, quality, delivery, cost, and productivity.

Work closely with Operations, Engineering, Quality, and EH&S to drive Lean transformations and ensure sustainable execution of improvements in a chemical manufacturing

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Operations Management, Chemical Engineering, or a related technical or business discipline.
• At least five years of progressive experience in continuous improvement, project management, operations, manufacturing engineering, Operational Excellence, or a related field within a manufacturing environment.
• Demonstrated experience leading cross‑functional projects from planning through implementation and sustainment.
• Strong working knowledge of Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, Operational Excellence, and structured problem‑solving methodologies.
• Demonstrated experience applying continuous improvement tools such as Kaizen, 5S, Value Stream Mapping, Standard Work, Root Cause Analysis, and process optimization.
• Experience developing and using operational KPIs, performance metrics, and data analysis to identify opportunities and measure results.
• Working knowledge of risk assessment, root cause investigation, Management of Change, and EH&S requirements in a manufacturing environment.
• Strong analytical, organizational, facilitation, communication, and stakeholder‑management skills.
• Demonstrated ability to influence and drive change across multiple functions and organizational levels without direct reporting authority.
• Ability to manage multiple projects, competing priorities, deadlines, and changing business requirements in a fast‑paced manufacturing environment.
• Strong judgment and problem‑solving skills, with the ability to evaluate alternatives and recommend practical solutions.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, including Excel and PowerPoint.

Responsibilities

• Lead and facilitate Operational Excellence and Lean Manufacturing initiatives, including Kaizen, 5S, Value Stream Mapping, Standard Work, Root Cause Analysis, and other structured improvement methods.
• Identify performance gaps, waste, inefficiencies, and improvement opportunities, and develop practical solutions that deliver measurable and sustainable results.
• Manage site-level projects from initiation through implementation and closeout, including process improvements, equipment upgrades, capital projects, process transfers, and strategic operational initiatives.
• Develop project plans, schedules, milestones, resource requirements, risk assessments, and documentation aligned with project scope, budget, operational objectives, and business priorities.
• Establish project priorities, coordinate cross-functional activities, remove execution barriers, and maintain accountability for milestones and commitments.
• Develop and monitor KPIs, performance measures, and dashboards to evaluate operational performance, validate project results, and identify additional opportunities.
• Facilitate cross-functional problem‑solving sessions and coach employees and stakeholders on Lean tools, project management, structured problem solving, and continuous improvement practices.
• Drive initiatives focused on productivity improvement, scrap reduction, downtime reduction, process optimization, waste elimination, cost improvement, and operational discipline.
• Coordinate with Engineering, Operations, Maintenance, Quality, EH&S, Supply Chain, external vendors, and site Leadership to support equipment installation, commissioning, process implementation, and project execution.
• Lead or support Management of Change activities and ensure process, equipment, and operational modifications comply with applicable safety, environmental, quality, regulatory, and company requirements.
• Monitor project performance, communicate status and risks, elevate issues, and recommend actions to stakeholders and site Leadership.
• Verify project results, standardize successful improvements, document lessons learned, and transition completed initiatives to the responsible functional owners for sustainment.

Skills

Lean Manufacturing

Six Sigma

Project management

Kaizen

Value Stream Mapping

Root Cause Analysis

Standard Work

Cross-functional leadership

KPI development

Data analysis

Problem solving

MS Office (Excel/PowerPoint)

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering/Related field

Tools

ERP systems

PM software

Manufacturing performance systems

Job description

Heraeus Precious Metals seeks a Continuous Improvement & Project Manager to lead site‑wide initiatives and cross‑functional projects at the Santa Fe Springs facility. You will translate business priorities into structured improvement programs, delivering measurable results in safety, quality, delivery, cost, and productivity.

Work closely with Operations, Engineering, Quality, and EH&S to drive Lean transformations and ensure sustainable execution of improvements in a chemical manufacturing