Supplier Operations Manager

7-Eleven, Inc; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 85,000 - 128,000; Full time

Job summary

7-Eleven, Inc. is seeking a Supplier Operations Manager to serve as the primary operational partner to 5–10 supplier facilities. You will drive performance excellence, optimize production, and support new product launches with hands-on consulting and strategic oversight.

This role requires regular on-site engagement and up to 50% travel. The ideal candidate holds a Bachelor's in Engineering or related field with 5+ years in manufacturing operations or supply chain, plus Lean Six Sigma

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Supply Chain, Operations Management, Industrial Engineering, or related field required.
• 5+ years of experience in manufacturing operations, supply chain management, or operations consulting.
• 2+ years of experience with production environments, supplier networks, or vendor management in a distributed network.
• 2+ years of management experience.
• Lean Six Sigma certification (Green Belt or Black Belt) or continuous improvement certification preferred.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary operational liaison for assigned portfolio of supplier facilities, building strategic partnerships that drive accountability and performance.
• Conduct monthly or quarterly on-site visits to evaluate production processes and improve facility performance.
• Provide guidance on production flow optimization, line efficiency, capacity planning, and labor modeling.
• Partner with suppliers to support new product launches, ensuring readiness and quality adherence.
• Drive continuous quality improvement by identifying root causes and implementing corrective actions.
• Develop and monitor KPIs including yield, waste, service levels, and OEE.
• Monitor supplier performance via scorecards and reporting aligned with company targets.
• Collaborate with operations, field merchandising, QA, and supply chain teams to close gaps.
• Lead Lean/Six Sigma driven improvements and standardize best practices across the network.
• Translate operational data into actionable improvement plans to boost efficiency and reduce costs.
• Facilitate problem-solving sessions with supplier leadership to remove barriers.

Skills

Lean Six Sigma

Data analysis

Project management

Stakeholder mgmt

Cross-functional

Process optimization

Communication

Operations consulting

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering or related field

Tools

Excel

PowerPoint

Word

ERP systems

QMS

Job description

7-Eleven is an iconic family of brands with over 86,000 locations, surpassing every retailer in the world. We revolutionize convenience, restaurants and fuel through cutting edge innovation — working hard to be the customer's first choice. 7-Eleven empowers our employees to 'activate awesome' and make a meaningful impact in their stores and communities every day. If you're ready to grow, lead and make a difference, come join our team and help shape the future of convenience.

The Supplier Operations Manager serves as the primary operational partner to a portfolio of approximately 5-10 supplier facilities, driving performance excellence, operational efficiency, and execution consistency across the supplier network. This role combines hands‑on operational consulting with strategic oversight to optimize production outcomes, support new product launches, and establish best‑in‑class operational standards. The position requires regular on‑site engagement through monthly or quarterly facility visits and continuous performance monitoring to identify improvement opportunities and implement sustainable solutions that enhance supplier capabilities and business results.

KEY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Serve as the primary operational liaison for assigned portfolio of supplier facilities, building strategic partnerships that drive accountability, performance improvement, and operational excellence

• Conduct monthly or quarterly on-site visits to evaluate production processes, assess operational standards, identify execution gaps, and provide hands-on consulting to improve facility performance

• Provide operational consulting and technical guidance across production flow optimization, line efficiency improvements, capacity planning, and labor and staffing model design

• Partner with suppliers to support successful new product launches, ensuring production readiness, execution capability, scalability, and adherence to quality specifications

• Drive continuous quality improvement initiatives by identifying root causes of defects, implementing corrective actions, and establishing preventive measures to sustain quality standards

• Develop, operationalize, and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) including yield, waste, service levels, labor efficiency, and overall equipment effectiveness (OEE)

• Monitor supplier performance through comprehensive scorecards and reporting systems, ensuring alignment with company standards, targets, and strategic objectives

• Collaborate cross-functionally with operations, field merchandising, quality assurance, and supply chain teams to identify performance gaps, benchmark execution across facilities, and support in-market product launches

• Lead continuous improvement efforts across the supplier network by standardizing best practices, facilitating knowledge transfer, and driving measurable results through Lean and Six Sigma methodologies

• Analyze operational data and production metrics to translate insights into actionable improvement plans that enhance efficiency, reduce costs, and improve service levels

• Facilitate problem-solving sessions with supplier leadership teams to address operational challenges, remove barriers, and implement sustainable solutions

• Develop and deliver training programs to build supplier capabilities in operational excellence, quality management, and performance measurement systems

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

EDUCATION: Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Supply Chain, Operations Management, Industrial Engineering, or related field required

YEARS OF RELEVANT WORK EXPERIENCE: 5+ years of experience in manufacturing operations, supply chain management, or operations consulting roles

2+ years of experience working directly with production environments, supplier networks, or vendor management in a distributed network.

YEARS OF MANAGEMENT EXPERIENCE: 2+ years

CERTIFICATIONS / LICENSES: Lean Six Sigma certification (Green Belt or Black Belt) or continuous improvement certification strongly preferred

SPECIFIC KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS:

• Strong understanding of manufacturing operations, production systems, and supply chain management principles

• Proficiency in industrial engineering concepts including workflow optimization, time studies, capacity analysis, and labor modeling

• Advanced analytical skills with ability to interpret operational data, identify trends, and translate insights into actionable improvement strategies

• Excellent problem-solving and root cause analysis capabilities using structured methodologies such as 5 Whys, fishbone diagrams, and Pareto analysis

• Experience with Lean manufacturing principles including value stream mapping, 5S, kaizen events, and waste elimination techniques

• Strong interpersonal and relationship management skills with proven ability to influence and partner effectively with external stakeholders

• Excellent communication and presentation skills for both field-level operational discussions and executive-level reporting

• Ability to manage multiple facilities and competing priorities simultaneously in a fast-paced, dynamic environment

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, PowerPoint, Word) with advanced Excel skills for data analysis, pivot tables, and dashboard creation

• Experience with production planning systems, quality management systems, and performance management tools

• Strong project management capabilities with ability to drive initiatives from concept through implementation and sustainment

• Willingness to travel up to 50% to conduct on-site facility visits and support operational improvement initiatives

Pay: $85,000.00 -$127,500.00 Annual

If an hourly or salary range is included in this ad it represents the range 7-Eleven in good faith believes is the range of compensation for this role at the time of this posting. The Company may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range. This range is only applicable for jobs to be performed in this state. This range may be modified in the future. No amount is considered to be wages or compensation until such amount is earned, vested, and determinable under the terms and conditions of the applicable policies and plans. The amount and availability of any bonus, commission, long-term incentive compensation, benefits, or any other form of compensation and benefits that are allocable to a particular employee remains in the Company's sole discretion unless and until paid and may be modified at the Company’s sole discretion, consistent with the law.

We will consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the requirements of the Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative For Hiring.

For a general description of all benefits 7-Eleven is offering in the US for the position, please visit this link.

For a general description of all benefits 7-Eleven is offering in Canada for the position, please visit this link.