Continuous Improvement Engineering Director

Kelvion•Catoosa, OK

About The Position

The Operational Excellence Director leads and sustains Lean manufacturing and Continuous Improvement initiatives across manufacturing operations. The role drives measurable improvements in safety, quality, delivery, cost, and productivity by developing Operational Excellence (OPX) strategy, deploying Lean tools, coaching leaders, and embedding a culture of Continuous Improvement (CI). The director develops site-level OPX strategy aligned with Kelvion’s goals and implements OPX principles and methods in accordance with Kelvion Manufacturing Excellence (K°MAeX) global standards. The role establishes improvement roadmaps, tracks performance and project results, and works with leaders and cross-functional partners to integrate OPX into daily operations. It also assigns work, coaches employees, and supports their development.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in engineering, business operations, or a related field.
Minimum of 5 years of Lean, CI, or OPX experience in a manufacturing environment.
Demonstrated experience leading CI projects and delivering measurable operational improvements.
Strong knowledge of Lean manufacturing, CI, and OPX tools and methodologies.
Experience with KPI development, data analysis, and performance tracking.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office tools.
Ability to manage multiple improvement initiatives concurrently in a fast-paced environment.
Lean leadership and change management skills.
Analytical and structured problem-solving skills.
Cross-functional collaboration skills.
Strong communication and facilitation skills.
Ability to influence without direct authority.
Results-driven mindset focused on sustainability.

Nice To Haves

Lean certification, such as Lean Six Sigma.
Experience with manufacturing systems.

Responsibilities

Develop, communicate, and execute a site-level OPX strategy aligned with Kelvion’s goals.
Lead implementation of OPX principles and methods, including Shopfloor Management, 5S, Value Stream Mapping, Kaizen, Visual Management, Just-In-Time, and Maturity Assessment, in accordance with K°MAeX global standards.
Identify, prioritize, and lead OPX initiatives that improve safety, quality, cost, delivery, and productivity.
Establish OPX roadmaps, project charters, timelines, and success metrics aligned with local and global strategy; collaborate with leadership to align priorities with company goals.
Organize and facilitate Kaizen workshops with other functions, including structured root-cause analysis and problem solving using methods such as Ishikawa, 5-Why, and A3.
Identify and eliminate waste, variation, and bottlenecks along value streams, and lead lead-time reduction efforts.
Develop and track KPIs to measure OPX effectiveness and sustain gains, including ROI and cost savings; report results to leadership.
Establish standard processes and documentation to sustain improvements in alignment with K°MAeX standards.
Coach and train leaders, supervisors, and employees on Lean, CI, and OPX principles, tools, and methods; support cross-functional teams and shop-floor employees in OPX initiatives.
Influence and engage cross-functional teams to drive change and accountability, and support change management to ensure adoption and sustainability of new processes.
Partner with Manufacturing, Engineering, Quality, Maintenance, and Supply Chain to integrate OPX into daily operations.
Monitor ongoing performance and OPX plans based on data and operational needs.
Assign work, coach employees, and support their development.
Ensure Kelvion’s Standard of Excellence, including Quality, is incorporated into every product produced.
Follow company policies and procedures, including the Global Code of Business Principles, Code of Ethics and Business Conduct, Vision and Values, and Operational Framework.