Program Manager, Operational Excellence

NuScale Power; Portland (OR); On-site; USD 151,000 - 182,000; Full time

Job summary

NuScale Power is seeking a Program Manager, Operational Excellence, to drive sustainable, standardized improvements across the enterprise. You will lead Lean, Six Sigma initiatives and coach teams, developing multi-level scorecard reporting and benchmarking against best practices.

The role emphasizes collaboration with leadership, training in methodologies, and driving COPQ reduction while enhancing data visualization platforms to guide decision-making.

Qualifications

• https://(Bachelors) degree in Engineering or related field and significant applicable work experience in Operational Excellence / continuous improvement.
• Lean / Six Sigma Green or Black Belt certification preferred.

Responsibilities

• Oversee the execution of Operational Excellence strategies across multiple departments.
• Facilitate application of OE tools (value stream mapping, A3, FMEA) and mentor teams.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to implement continuous improvement projects.
• Lead kaizen events and promote a culture of adaptation and ongoing improvement.
• Act as subject matter expert for OE and benchmark best practices.
• Identify and reduce COPQ with finance and project leadership involvement.
• Establish performance metrics and visual data via PowerBI and KanBo.
• Track progress and hold stakeholders accountable for impact.

Skills

Lean / Six Sigma

Value stream mapping

A3 problem solving

FMEA

PowerBI

KanBo

Training & coaching

Cross-functional collaboration

Problem solving

Communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering

Tools

PowerBI

KanBo

Job description

NOTE: PREFERENCE WOULD BE FOR CANDIDATES AVAILABLE TO WORK FROM EITHER OUR CORVALLIS OR HOUSTON OFFICE LOCATIONS.

POSITION SUMMARY

As Program Manager, Operational Excellence, you will be tasked with implementing operational improvements that lead to sustainable, standardized practices throughout the enterprise. This position leads and facilitates improvement initiatives, developing and providing training and coaching on methodologies such as Lean, Six Sigma, and related tools to support NuScale Power’s commitment to ongoing process and operational enhancement. As a self-motivated/partially self-directed leader, you will play a visible, pivotal role in supporting the enterprise, promoting a culture of innovation, adaptability, and continual improvement, while participating in defining success metrics and developing comprehensive, multi-level balanced scorecard reporting across the organization.

Essential Duties And Responsibilities

• Oversee the execution of Operational Excellence strategies, including Lean and other frameworks, to advance process optimization and operational efficiency within multiple departments.
• Facilitate the application of Operational Excellence tools (e.g., value stream mapping, A3 problem solving, FMEA), identifying areas for improvement and inefficiencies, and provide instruction, mentorship, and coaching in their use.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including Enterprise Process Administration, to implement continuous improvement projects, streamline processes, eliminate redundancies, and maintain alignment with organizational objectives.
• Lead kaizen events and guide teams in adopting Operational Excellence principles, serving as a catalyst for a company-wide culture of adaptation and ongoing process refinement.
• Act as a subject matter expert for Operational Excellence, ensuring best practices are regularly benchmarked and integrated into NuScale’s operational framework. Work closely with leadership to assess change impacts, recognize resistance, and devise actionable mitigation plans.
• Lead organization in identification and reduction of cost of poor quality (COPQ), leveraging continuous improvement tools to identify and eliminate redundancies and waste. Participate with finance and project leadership to determine value associated with improvements and elimination of COPQ.
• Support leaders in establishing performance metrics and key indicators, utilizing data analysis to identify inefficiencies and generate actionable recommendations for improved business outcomes. Continually enhance and champion the usability of data visualization platforms such as PowerBI and KanBo to aid improvement initiatives.
• Guide the generation and prioritization of suggestions and initiatives, uphold tracking standards, and ensure accountability mechanisms are in place. Employ KanBo and similar tools to track progress, monitor accountability, and measure the impact of improvement activities on business outcomes.
• Perform additional duties as assigned.

CORE COMPETENCIES

• Problem solving: Identifies and resolves problems in a timely manner, gathers and reviews information appropriately. Uses own judgment and acts independently; seeks input from other team members as appropriate for complex or sensitive situations.
• Oral/written communication: Listens carefully and speaks clearly and professionally in all situations. Edits work for accuracy and clarity, is able to create, read and interpret complex written information. Ability to develop strong interpersonal networks within the organization.
• Planning/organizing: Prioritizes and plans work activities, organizes personal and project timelines and deadlines, tracks project timelines and deadlines, and uses time efficiently.
• Adaptability: Adapts to changes in the work environment, manages competing demands and is able to deal with frequent interruptions, changes, delays, or unexpected events.
• Dependability: Consistently on time and at work, responds to management expectations and solicits feedback to improve performance.
• Team Building: Capable of developing strong interpersonal networks and trust within the organization. Leads consensus by involving all stakeholders, facilitating their understanding of differences, agreeing on requirements and constraints, and developing the best solution.
• Safety Culture: Adheres to the Corporate Safety culture and is expected to model safe behavior and influence peers to meet high standards.
• Quality Assurance: Commits to the understanding and implementation of quality assurance regulations, standards, and guidelines of 10 CFR 50 Appendix B, 10 CFR 21, and NQA-1.

Minimum Skills, Qualifications And Abilities

• Education/Certification: Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or related field and significant applicable work experience in Operational Excellence / continuous improvement. Certification as Lean / Six Sigma Green or Black Belt preferred. Certification as a root cause analyst is a plus.
• Experience: 7+ years of operational excellence experience including application in a non-manufacturing environment. Proven leadership experience and application of skill set delivering tangible business results; demonstrated ability to lead improvement initiatives and manage priorities to meet near-term needs and long-term goals. Ability to effectively coach / mentor others on application of tools. Must have excellent communication skills including writing, presentation, and interpersonal. Knowledge and experience in nuclear corrective action programs, including causal analysis is a plus. Experience working within commercial nuclear industry is a plus, as is experience working in ASME NQA-1 and ISO 9001 quality programs/systems.
• Industry Requirements: Eligible to work under Department of Energy 10 CFR Part 810.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

• Ability to understand and communicate clearly using a phone, personal interaction, and computers.
• Ability to learn new job functions and comprehend and understand new concepts quickly and apply them accurately in a rapidly evolving environment.
• The employee frequently is required; to sit and stand; walk; bend, use hands to operate office equipment; and reach with hands and arms. Ability to lift ten to fifteen pounds.
• Ability to travel nationally and locally using common forms of transportation This position may require travel 10 – 25% of time, primarily domestically.

Disclaimer: Employee(s) must perform the essential duties and responsibilities with or without reasonable accommodation efficiently and accurately without causing significant safety threat to self or others. The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by employee(s) assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and/or skills required of all employees in this classification.

NuScale Power, LLC is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate against otherwise qualified applicants on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, ancestry, age, sex, marital status, national origin, disability or handicap, or veteran status.

Pay And Benefits

The target base salary range for this position is $150,537 - $181,682 annually. The full base salary range is $134,964 - $211,098.

At NuScale, compensation decisions are determined using factors such as relevant job-related skills, full-time working experience, education and training, equity within the department.

For information on employee benefits, please visit our Careers Overview page: Employee Benefits | NuScale Power