Lean Coach Operational Excellence (Manufacturing Operations)

Lean Coach Operational Excellence (Manufacturing Operations)

Company is seeking an experienced Lean Coach to support operational excellence initiatives across its manufacturing and plant operations. This role will partner closely with plant leadership to evaluate operational workflows, identify inefficiencies, and guide teams in implementing practical Lean improvements that enhance productivity, reliability, and operational efficiency. The Lean Coach will work directly with Plant Managers, Operations Leaders, and Technical Teams to drive continuous improvement efforts within manufacturing environments supporting company's lubricants and grease production network. This role is part of the Global Operations organization, a center of expertise responsible for optimizing operations across company's global manufacturing facilities.

Coach plant leadership and operational teams on Lean principles and continuous improvement methodologies

Evaluate manufacturing processes, production workflows, and plant operations to identify opportunities for efficiency and waste reduction

Facilitate Lean workshops, Kaizen events, and process improvement initiatives

Conduct value stream mapping and operational process analysis to identify bottlenecks and inefficiencies

Support plant leaders in implementing practical and sustainable operational improvements

Guide teams in understanding why previous Lean initiatives may have failed and how to implement improvements effectively

Partner with operations, maintenance, and engineering teams to improve production reliability, throughput, and operational performance

Develop and monitor operational performance metrics and improvement KPIs

Mentor plant supervisors and operations leaders on continuous improvement practices

Strong understanding of industrial manufacturing or plant operations environments

Experience with process manufacturing, production workflows, and operational process optimization

Familiarity with maintenance, reliability, and asset utilization in plant environments

Ability to evaluate plant-floor operations and operational inefficiencies

Hands-on experience applying Lean tools such as:

Value Stream Mapping (VSM)

Root Cause Analysis (5 Whys, Fishbone)

Kaizen / Continuous Improvement events

Waste elimination (TIMWOODS)

Standard Work development

Visual management systems

Process flow optimization

Operational performance management

Experience analyzing and improving operational performance indicators such as:

Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE)

Production throughput and capacity utilization

Downtime and equipment reliability

Cycle time and process lead times

Yield, scrap, and rework rates

Maintenance efficiency and asset utilization

Labor productivity

Familiarity with common industrial systems including:

Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES)

Enterprise Resource Planning systems (SAP preferred)

Computerized Maintenance Management Systems (CMMS)

Production planning and plant performance dashboards

The ideal candidate is an experienced operational leader with hands-on manufacturing or plant leadership experience who understands both the potential and limitations of Lean methodologies.

7+ years of experience in operations, manufacturing, or plant environments

Previous leadership experience such as:

o Plant Manager

o Operations Manager

o Production Manager

o Manufacturing Supervisor

o Plant Superintendent

The benefits available with this position include:

• Ongoing Training (RSO, Systems, Software Programs, OSHA Safety, JJ Keller, etc.)
• Continuous Employment Development and Learning
• Ongoing Advocacy, internal assets with HSE, Legal and HR teams and experts to aid in Employee Career Path and Advancement
• 401K
• Aetna Group Medical Coverage & Kaiser for California only
• Dental Insurance Coverage
• Vision Insurance Coverage
• Basic Life Insurance & AD&D
• Long Term Disability
• Voluntary Short-Term Disability
• Direct Deposit
• Health Savings and Flexible Spending Accounts

Cenergy is a dynamic, diverse, woman-owned company that has provided stellar support to our clients globally for over 25 years! We hire extraordinary people, and each of our team members are encouraged to embody our core values to drive innovation and own it with integrity and trust while adding to our positive and forward-thinking atmosphere.