Operational Excellence / Smart Factory Consultant (Contract)

VDS Consulting Group; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 165,000 - 248,000; Full time

Job summary

VDS Consulting Group seeks an Operational Excellence / Smart Factory Consultant for a contract engagement in the Los Angeles area. You will lead diagnostics, ROI analyses, and transformation roadmaps to drive automated operations and lean improvements.

You will collaborate with plant leadership to implement changes, redesign layouts, and manage organizational transition. 8+ years in manufacturing operations or consulting and a Black Belt are required. Big Four experience is a plus.

Qualifications

• 8+ years in manufacturing operations, consulting or industrial engineering.
• Lean Six Sigma Black Belt or equivalent continuous improvement track record.
• Experience building financial business cases for capital projects.
• Strong executive communication and workshop facilitation.

Responsibilities

• Lead plant diagnostics: value stream mapping, OEE baselines, bottleneck and waste analysis.
• Build make-or-buy and ROI/CapEx analyses for automation and digital investments.
• Redesign factory floor layouts and material flow for automated operations.
• Develop the phased transformation roadmap and executive presentations.
• Lead organizational change management with plant leadership and workforce.

Skills

Executive communication

Workshop facilitation

Diagnostics & analysis

Tools

FlexSim

Plant Simulation

Job description

Operational Excellence / Smart Factory Consultant (Contract)

Lead the early-phase diagnostic and business case that sets each client's transformation roadmap.

What you'll do

• Run plant diagnostics: value stream mapping, OEE baselines, bottleneck and waste analysis
• Build make-or-buy and ROI/CapEx analyses for automation and digital investments
• Redesign factory floor layouts and material flow for automated operations
• Develop the phased transformation roadmap and executive presentations
• Lead organizational change management with plant leadership and workforce

Requirements

• 8+ years in manufacturing operations, consulting or industrial engineering
• Lean Six Sigma Black Belt or equivalent continuous improvement track record
• Experience building financial business cases for capital projects
• Strong executive communication and workshop facilitation

Nice to have: Big Four or boutique manufacturing consulting background, Prosci change management certification, layout simulation tools (FlexSim, Plant Simulation).