Plant Operational Excellence Leader

Saint-Gobain; Fremont (CA); On-site; USD 92,000 - 142,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health and Wellbeing

Medical Insurance

Vision Insurance

Dental Insurance

401(k) with Company Match

Paid Time Off

Job summary

Saint-Gobain/CertainTeed seeks an Operational Excellence Manager to lead continuous improvement initiatives across the plant, driving safety, quality, delivery, cost, and productivity with World Class Manufacturing methodologies. You will report to the Plant Manager and partner with Operations, Maintenance, Quality, Engineering, Supply Chain, HR, and EHS to implement and sustain programs.

This role requires a strong track record in Lean, Six Sigma, Kaizen, and RCA, with ability to coach teams,

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations Management, Industrial Engineering, Supply Chain, Business required.
• Minimum of 5 years of manufacturing experience with a proven track record of improving operational performance, productivity, and business results.
• At least 3 years of experience leading Continuous Improvement, Operational Excellence, Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, Kaizen, or World Class Manufacturing (WCM) initiatives.
• Six Sigma Green Belt certification required; Black Belt, Lean Manufacturing, WCM, or PMP certifications are preferred.
• Strong knowledge of Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, Kaizen, Root Cause Analysis (RCA), loss elimination, and continuous improvement methodologies.
• Demonstrated ability to identify operational losses, analyze performance data, develop KPIs, and implement sustainable solutions that deliver measurable results.
• Experience leading cross‑functional projects and driving change across Operations, Maintenance, Quality, Engineering, Supply Chain, HR, and EHS functions.
• Proven ability to influence, coach, and develop teams without direct supervisory authority while fostering accountability and engagement.
• Strong analytical, problem‑solving, and project management skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast‑paced manufacturing environment.
• Excellent communication, facilitation, and presentation skills with the ability to engage employees and leaders at all levels of the organization.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, including Excel, PowerPoint, Word, and Teams; experience with ERP systems and Power BI is a plus
• Passion for continuous improvement, operational excellence, employee development, and delivering sustainable business results.

Responsibilities

• Lead and drive continuous improvement initiatives across the plant to improve safety, quality, delivery, cost, and productivity.
• Identify and eliminate operational losses, lead root cause analysis and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Facilitate Kaizen events and drive Net Manufacturing Savings (NMS) objectives.
• Coach, train, and provide functional leadership to pillar teams and cross-functional improvement groups.
• Develop and maintain the plant's Operational Excellence roadmap and monitor KPIs.
• Analyze operational data and ensure sustainability of improvements through standardization and accountability.
• Collaborate with plant leadership and corporate Operational Excellence resources to drive sustainable improvements across facilities.

Skills

Lean Manufacturing

Six Sigma Green Belt

Kaizen

RCA

Continuous Improvement

Leadership without authority

Project Management

Data analysis

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations Management, Industrial Engineering, Supply Chain, Business

Master's degree preferred

Tools

Power BI

ERP systems

Microsoft Office

Job description

Saint-Gobain/CertainTeed seeks an Operational Excellence Manager to lead continuous improvement initiatives across the plant, driving safety, quality, delivery, cost, and productivity with World Class Manufacturing methodologies. You will report to the Plant Manager and partner with Operations, Maintenance, Quality, Engineering, Supply Chain, HR, and EHS to implement and sustain programs.

This role requires a strong track record in Lean, Six Sigma, Kaizen, and RCA, with ability to coach teams,