Independent Manufacturing Consultant — OEE / Lean / Kaizen / Production Improvement

Jedele Consulting is expanding its network of independent manufacturing and operational excellence consultants to support client engagements on a 1099 project basis.

We are looking for experienced, hands-on professionals who specialize in improving manufacturing performance, strengthening shop floor execution, and helping organizations solve real operational challenges.

This is ideal for consultants, former plant leaders, operations professionals, Lean practitioners, production specialists, and continuous improvement experts who are open to project-based work.

About the Role

Jedele Consulting supports businesses with practical, results-focused consulting. We are looking to connect with independent consultants who can step into manufacturing environments, work directly with leadership and shop floor teams, identify performance issues, and help implement measurable improvements.

This is not a traditional full-time employee role. This is a 1099 independent contractor opportunity, with project work based on client needs, consultant expertise, availability, and geographic fit.

Areas of Expertise We Are Seeking

We are especially interested in consultants with experience in one or more of the following areas:

• OEE improvement
• Production performance improvement
• Lean manufacturing
• Kaizen events
• Shop floor execution
• Standard work
• Bottleneck reduction
• Continuous improvement
• Manufacturing operations
• Plant performance improvement
• Process improvement
• Waste reduction
• Labor efficiency
• Downtime reduction
• Throughput improvement
• Quality and scrap reduction
• Maintenance and reliability improvement
• Operational turnaround

Ideal Candidate Background

Strong candidates may come from backgrounds such as:

• Plant Manager
• Operations Manager
• Production Manager
• Lean Consultant
• Continuous Improvement Manager
• Operational Excellence Manager
• Manufacturing Engineer
• Industrial Engineer
• Kaizen Facilitator
• Value Stream Manager
• Maintenance or Reliability Leader
• Shop Floor Supervisor
• Director of Operations
• Independent Manufacturing Consultant

What We Are Looking For

The ideal consultant is practical, credible, and comfortable working directly in manufacturing environments. We are not looking for people who only want to produce reports from a conference room. We are looking for people who can walk the floor, listen to operators, identify what is really happening, and help clients make meaningful operational improvements.

You should be comfortable working with a mix of executives, plant leaders, supervisors, operators, maintenance teams, quality teams, and production employees.

Responsibilities May Include

• Assessing manufacturing operations and identifying improvement opportunities
• Reviewing OEE, downtime, throughput, scrap, labor efficiency, and production performance
• Supporting Lean and continuous improvement initiatives
• Facilitating Kaizen events or rapid improvement workshops
• Helping implement standard work and visual management systems
• Working with shop floor teams to improve daily execution
• Identifying bottlenecks and production constraints
• Supporting operational turnaround or stabilization efforts
• Creating practical action plans for client leadership
• Helping clients move from recommendations to implementation
• Supporting project-based consulting engagements as needed

Qualifications

• Significant experience in manufacturing, operations, production, Lean, continuous improvement, or operational excellence
• Hands-on experience improving performance in a plant, production, or shop floor environment
• Ability to work directly with employees at all levels of an organization
• Strong communication and problem-solving skills
• Comfortable working independently as a 1099 consultant
• Ability to travel to client sites as needed, depending on project location
• Prior consulting experience is helpful, but not required
• Experience with measurable improvement in OEE, throughput, downtime, scrap, quality, labor efficiency, or delivery performance is strongly preferred

Work Arrangement

• 1099 independent contractor
• Project-based consulting work
• Engagements vary based on client needs and consultant availability
• Remote, hybrid, and on-site work may vary by project
• Travel may be required depending on client location
• Flexible/project-based schedule

Compensation

Compensation will vary based on the project, scope of work, consultant experience, and client engagement. Consultants may be considered for hourly, daily, or project-based rates depending on the assignment.

How to Apply

Please submit your resume or a brief summary of your manufacturing, operations, Lean, OEE, production, Kaizen, or shop floor improvement experience.

In your application, please include:

• Your primary areas of expertise
• Types of manufacturing environments you have worked in
• Examples of operational improvements you have led or supported
• Whether you are currently open to 1099 project-based consulting work
• Your geographic location and travel availability
• Your preferred hourly, daily, or project-based rate, if applicable

Jedele Consulting is looking to build long-term relationships with strong independent consultants who can help clients improve performance in a practical, measurable way.

Pay: $75,000.00 - $200,000.00 per year

Work Location: On the road

Salary : $75,000 - $200,000