Operational Excellence Manager
Location: Lincoln, Illinois
Employment Type: Full-Time
Work Arrangement: Onsite – Monday through Friday

The organization is seeking an experienced Operational Excellence Manager (OPEX) for its manufacturing facility in Lincoln, Illinois.

This highly visible plant leadership role will champion the organization's Continuous Improvement System (ECIS), Business System (EBS), Lean Manufacturing, and Six Sigma methodologies to build a strong culture of problem solving, operational discipline, and sustainable performance improvement.

The OPEX Manager will work directly with the plant leadership team to develop and execute the site's continuous improvement roadmap, strengthen daily management systems, develop employee capabilities, and accelerate business results across manufacturing operations.

The successful candidate will drive measurable improvements across:

Safety
Quality
Delivery
Cost
Productivity
Working Capital
Customer Satisfaction
Employee Engagement

This position is ideal for a hands-on continuous improvement leader who can translate business strategy into practical improvement initiatives, coach employees and leaders, and deliver sustainable operational and financial results.

Required Qualifications

Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution.
Minimum of seven (7) years of experience in manufacturing, operations, engineering, quality, supply chain, or another cross-functional discipline within a manufacturing environment.
Minimum of three (3) years of experience in continuous improvement, Lean, Six Sigma, or operational excellence.
Minimum of three (3) years of experience leading people, projects, and cross-functional teams.
Strong understanding of Lean Management Systems and their connection to business strategy, daily operations, and waste elimination.
Broad knowledge of Lean tools and principles, including:
- Value Stream Mapping
- 5S / Workplace Organization
- Continuous Flow Manufacturing
- Setup Reduction
- Total Productive Maintenance (TPM)
- Error Proofing
- Pull Systems
- Standardized Work
Proven analytical, facilitation, and problem-solving skills.
Experience applying structured problem-solving methods, including 8D and statistical analysis.
Ability to define root causes, validate solutions, and prevent recurrence.
Demonstrated ability to lead, influence, and develop cross-functional process improvement teams.
Ability to prioritize multiple time-critical tasks and maintain momentum across several improvement initiatives.
Ability to work as both a strategic partner to leadership and a hands-on coach on the manufacturing floor.
Must be able to work in the United States without requiring current or future employment immigration sponsorship.

Preferred Qualifications

Master's degree from an accredited institution.
Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt certification.
Project management experience or Project Management Professional (PMP) certification.
Experience or certification in Total Productive Maintenance (TPM).
Experience in setup reduction and structured problem solving.
Experience leading Kaizen events.
Experience implementing Lean material flow improvement initiatives.
Experience developing and deploying continuous improvement systems within manufacturing facilities.
Experience leading Operational Assessments and developing improvement roadmaps.
Demonstrated success delivering measurable cost savings and productivity improvements.

Skills & Competencies

Strong understanding of Lean Management Systems and their connection to business strategy, daily operations, and waste elimination.
Broad knowledge of Lean tools and principles, including VSM, 5S, continuous flow, setup reduction, TPM, error proofing, pull systems, and standardized work.
Strong analytical, facilitation, and problem-solving capabilities.
Ability to convert operational data into actionable improvement plans.
Ability to prioritize multiple time-critical tasks and maintain momentum across improvement initiatives.
Strong leadership and stakeholder management skills.
Ability to influence and develop cross-functional teams across all organizational levels.
Hands-on approach to coaching and continuous improvement on the manufacturing floor.
Knowledge of structured problem-solving methods, including 8D and statistical analysis.

Ideal Candidate Profile

The ideal candidate will be an experienced manufacturing operational excellence leader with a proven track record of implementing plant-wide continuous improvement initiatives.

The candidate should demonstrate:

Strong manufacturing operations and plant-level experience.
At least three years of direct Lean, Six Sigma, or OPEX experience.
Experience leading people, projects, and cross-functional teams.
Strong knowledge of Lean Manufacturing, VSM, 5S, TPM, Kaizen, and setup reduction.
Experience implementing daily management systems, visual management, and leader standard work.
Experience conducting Gemba walks and operational assessments.
Strong root cause analysis and structured problem-solving capabilities.
Proven success delivering measurable cost savings, productivity improvements, and operational performance results.
Ability to influence plant leadership and coach employees at all levels.
Willingness to relocate to Lincoln, Illinois, if not currently local, and work onsite Monday through Friday.

Learn more about this Employer on their Career Site