Operational Excellence Manager

Operational Excellence Manager

Agrati Group is a worldwide leader in fasteners and component solutions. We have 12 production plants, 5 logistic centers and nearly 2300 employees.

Investing in people is one of Agrati’s strategic assets: This is possible through technical and managerial training, targeted development paths, innovation and improvement projects that involve all employees across the board.

Whoever joins the Agrati breathes an international context, a dynamic environment, with a strong corporate culture that enhances the specificity of each plant while maintaining a sense of belonging to a historic brand that looks to the future.

A group constantly looking for passionate, competent people, eager to face new challenges.

“Being an Agrati Employee means being part of the history that has distinguished us; a history in continuous evolution.”

It means believing in change and continuous improvement of yourself and your team, believing in the company values and working to achieve them every day.

Position Summary

The Operational Excellence Manager is responsible for leading and sustaining continuous improvement initiatives across the organization. This position drives operational performance through Lean Manufacturing principles, process optimization, employee engagement, and strategic improvement projects. The role partners with leadership teams to improve productivity, quality, safety, cost performance, and customer satisfaction while fostering a culture of continuous improvement.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Operational Excellence Leadership

• Develop and execute operational excellence strategies aligned with company objectives.
• Lead plant-wide continuous improvement initiatives utilizing Lean Manufacturing, Kaizen, 5S, TPM, Value Stream Mapping, Standard Work, and Problem-Solving methodologies.
• Facilitate cross-functional improvement events and ensure sustainable implementation of action plans.
• Identify opportunities to improve safety, quality, delivery, inventory, cost, and employee engagement metrics.
• Champion a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and operational discipline.

Process Improvement & Performance Management

• Analyze manufacturing processes and performance data to identify waste, bottlenecks, and inefficiencies.
• Establish and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure operational effectiveness.
• Lead root cause analysis efforts and corrective action implementation.
• Support capacity planning, workflow optimization, and operational standardization across departments.
• Drive productivity improvements while maintaining quality and safety standards.

Project Management

• Lead strategic operational improvement projects from concept through implementation.
• Develop project plans, timelines, resource requirements, and financial justifications.
• Communicate project status, risks, and results to leadership teams.
• Facilitate collaboration between Operations, Engineering, Quality, Supply Chain, Maintenance, and Human Resources.

Training & Employee Development

• Develop and deliver training programs related to Lean Manufacturing and continuous improvement methodologies.
• Coach leaders and employees on problem-solving techniques and operational excellence principles.
• Mentor improvement teams and support leadership development initiatives.
• Promote employee involvement and idea-generation programs.

Financial & Business Impact

• Establish cost savings targets and track realized financial benefits of improvement initiatives.
• Support annual business planning through identification of productivity, efficiency, and cost-reduction opportunities.
• Prepare reports and presentations demonstrating operational improvements and business results.

Leadership Responsibilities

• Lead, coach, and develop Operational Excellence personnel and project teams.
• Foster teamwork and collaborative problem-solving across the organization.
• Support organizational change management efforts and drive adoption of new processes.

Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor's Degree in Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Operations Management, or related field required.
• MBA or advanced degree preferred.

Experience

• Minimum 7 years of manufacturing experience.
• Minimum 3 years of leadership experience in continuous improvement, operations, engineering, or manufacturing management.
• Demonstrated success implementing Lean Manufacturing and Operational Excellence programs.
• Experience leading cross-functional projects and managing organizational change.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Strong knowledge of Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, Kaizen, Value Stream Mapping, TPM, and 5S methodologies.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and project management skills.
• Strong business acumen with the ability to quantify operational and financial impacts.
• Effective communication and presentation skills.
• Strong leadership, coaching, and team-building abilities.
• Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, and data analysis tools.

Preferred Certifications

• Lean Six Sigma Green Belt, Black Belt, or Master Black Belt.
• Project Management Professional (PMP).
• Certified Lean Practitioner.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to regularly walk throughout manufacturing facilities.
• Ability to stand for extended periods.
• Occasional lifting of up to 25 pounds.
• Ability to travel between company locations as required.

Success Measures

• Productivity improvements
• Cost reduction savings
• OEE improvement
• Quality performance metrics
• Safety performance metrics
• Employee engagement in improvement activities
• Successful completion of strategic improvement projects