Mgr, Operational Excellence Eng

Newell Brands•Atlanta, GA

9d•$123,200 - $169,400•Remote

About The Position

The Manager, Operational Excellence Engineering leads site-level configuration, deployment, and adoption of Newell’s internally developed digital operations and operational technology (OT) applications across manufacturing and distribution sites. The role adapts enterprise-built solutions to each location’s workflows, data structures, and operational requirements; directs site readiness; and oversees validation of site infrastructure, operational data, and application integration requirements with site and technical teams. It also leads testing, training, stabilization, and transition to ongoing operational support, supporting standardized processes, continuous improvement, and data-driven decision making through successful deployment and sustained adoption. Within approved program standards, the role leads site readiness, configuration, and deployment execution. It partners with Regional Digital Champions, Site Digital Coordinators, operations leaders, application teams, central application and analytics teams, and IT, OT, and controls teams. Application strategy, software development, infrastructure ownership, production release approval, and permanent site support remain with designated owners. The manager provides day-to-day direction, coaching, and performance oversight for assigned personnel supporting deployment activities. The position is based within two hours of a Newell office or facility and involves travel up to 50%, primarily to North American distribution and manufacturing sites, with potential global travel as the program expands. The listed remote base pay range is $123,200 to $169,400, with salary based on relevant prior experience.

Requirements

Five or more years of relevant experience in operations, industrial engineering, systems configuration, business analysis, or application deployment in a manufacturing or distribution environment.
Experience providing direction and coaching to assigned employees or project resources in a field execution or deployment context.
Experience gathering and validating site, process, equipment, and data information for application configuration and deployment readiness.
Experience implementing or configuring enterprise operational systems, such as warehouse, labor, maintenance, or manufacturing execution platforms.
Experience configuring site workflows, user roles, reference data, equipment structures, reports, and system integration points.
Strong analytical, data-validation, troubleshooting, and problem-solving skills, and ability to learn new applications quickly.
Experience supporting concurrent site deployments and partnering with operations, application, IT, and automation controls teams.
Strong documentation, communication, and training-development skills, including ability to explain technical requirements clearly to operational users.
Familiarity with data quality controls, requirements-to-test traceability, retained evidence, configuration management, and controlled production releases.
Willingness to travel up to 50% across manufacturing and distribution sites; primary scope is North American, with potential global travel as the program expands.

Nice To Haves

Working knowledge of integration among operational applications, ERP systems, and OT environments; SAP experience is preferred.
Exposure to OT environments, SCADA platforms, connected reporting tools, or platforms such as Ignition.
Experience using Microsoft 365, SharePoint, Smartsheet, Power BI, or comparable tools for collaboration, documentation, project tracking, and operational reporting.
Familiarity with Lean, Six Sigma, or similar continuous improvement methods; certification is a plus.
Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Supply Chain, Operations Management, Information Systems, or a related discipline preferred; equivalent practical experience will be considered.

Responsibilities

Assess site readiness by documenting application prerequisites, data availability, connectivity, equipment structures, integration requirements, OT conditions, and site constraints with operations and technical teams.
Build and validate site asset inventories, equipment hierarchies, and line configurations as the foundation for application configuration and deployment planning.
Identify and escalate infrastructure gaps, data limitations, missing prerequisites, site constraints, and scope changes before implementation.
Capture site workflows, shift structures, and operating conditions that affect local application configuration.
Lead completion and documentation of approved site configurations, adapting enterprise applications to local workflows, roles, reference data, reporting requirements, and processes.
Develop and maintain site-readiness checklists covering environment setup, data validation, connectivity, integration points, site resources, contacts, and user acceptance testing readiness.
Oversee and validate approved predeployment workbooks, including applicable equipment master data, line and machine definitions, downtime-code mappings, user roles, and site parameters; verify inputs with site operations and engineering teams.
Coordinate readiness and configuration requirements with regional and site digital roles, central application and analytics teams, operations leaders, IT, automation controls, and application teams.
Support configuration documentation, version control, site baselines, and approved change records.
Lead and coordinate deployment activities, including workflow testing, user acceptance testing, go-live cutover, and confirmation of readiness criteria.
Compile deployment evidence, including training completion, test results, defect disposition, support readiness, and acceptance, before requesting production release approval from the authorized owner.
Track open defects, workarounds, risks, and unresolved actions, including status, owner, target date, and disposition through release or transfer to ongoing support.
Support post-go-live stabilization by diagnosing configuration issues, coordinating approved corrections, validating data quality outputs, and escalating documented software defects.
Support hypercare exit against defined acceptance criteria and transfer unresolved defects, risks, and actions to the permanent support owner.
Lead deployment and hypercare activities, including training, floor walks, side-by-side coaching, and post-go-live support for associates, supervisors, and operations leaders.
Coordinate adoption activities and transfer knowledge and ownership with Regional Digital Champions and Site Digital Coordinators.
Provide application and development teams with structured feedback on usability, adoption barriers, and enhancement opportunities based on site observations.
Monitor early adoption indicators and agreed performance measures and coordinate corrective actions with site leadership and application owners.
Guide sites in establishing sustainment processes, including daily management routines, data quality checks, system health reviews, and local ownership.
Follow up with sites on-site or remotely to assess adoption health, verify sustainment processes, and identify reinforcement needs.
Assess site requests, complete or coordinate approved configuration changes, and document enhancement requests for application owner and development team review.
Contribute lessons learned, site-readiness standards, and configuration best practices to the deployment playbook.
Promote standardized business processes, continuous improvement, and operational excellence through application configuration and deployment according to approved standards and sustained adoption across assigned sites.
Provide day-to-day direction, coaching, and performance oversight for assigned personnel supporting deployment activities.