Manufacturing Excellence Manager

Bacardi • Louisville, KY

5d

About The Position

The Manufacturing Excellence Manager leads the deployment, maturation, and sustainment of Total Productive Manufacturing (TPM) and Lean Manufacturing across assigned manufacturing areas. The role provides support across manufacturing and Supply operations according to business priorities, including distillery, processing, blending, bottling, packaging, maintenance, utilities, aging, warehouse, and internal logistics. It leads loss-elimination and performance-improvement work, strengthens reliability and management systems, builds workforce capability, and ensures improvements are sustained and aligned with site priorities.

The position partners with operational, technical, and business functions to identify and address losses affecting safety, quality, service, cost, productivity, reliability, and employee engagement. It leads structured problem solving, improvement projects, performance management, standards and governance, and the use of digital manufacturing tools. The role also serves as site owner and facilitator of Strategy Development and Deployment, helping Site Leadership set and cascade priorities, align resources, track progress, and embed strategic initiatives in TPM, TMS, and daily management routines.

The role requires a bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering or Mechanical Engineering and at least five years of progressive experience in manufacturing or related operations. A master’s degree and Lean Six Sigma Green Belt or higher are preferred. The position calls for hands-on TPM and Lean experience, capability in Tier Management Systems, cross-functional project leadership, strong analytical and communication skills, and the ability to coach and influence across a multicultural, matrixed organization.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering or Mechanical Engineering.
• At least five years of progressive experience in manufacturing, operational excellence, continuous improvement, engineering, maintenance, or related Supply operations.
• Hands-on experience deploying and sustaining TPM and Lean Manufacturing in an operating environment, including loss elimination, Standard Work, and structured problem solving.
• Experience implementing or strengthening Tier Management Systems, Daily Direction Setting, visual management, escalation, and leader standard work.
• Experience supporting one or more manufacturing environments, with ability and willingness to support other areas based on business need.
• Demonstrated success leading cross-functional improvement projects and organizational change with measurable results.
• Strong leadership and influence skills, including the ability to align multiple functions and organizational levels without direct authority.
• Strategic thinking and ability to translate site and business priorities into a practical Manufacturing Excellence roadmap.
• Demonstrated workshop, Kaizen, problem-solving, and leadership-conversation facilitation and coaching ability.
• Systems thinking across people, processes, equipment, materials, information, and management systems.
• Strong analytical capability and financial awareness, with ability to convert operational data into prioritized action and verified value.
• Organization, attention to detail, execution discipline, follow-through, governance, and independent judgment.
• Excellent written, verbal, and presentation skills for communicating with frontline teams through senior leadership.
• Ability to lead change, manage resistance, and sustain new ways of working in ambiguous or complex environments.
• Proficiency with Microsoft 365 and relevant manufacturing systems such as SAP, MES, Power BI, and digital performance-management tools.
• English language proficiency and ability to work effectively in a multicultural, matrixed organization.

Nice To Haves

• Master’s degree in Engineering, Operations, Supply Chain, or Business.
• Lean Six Sigma Green Belt or higher certification.
• TPM, Project Management, or Change Management certification.
• Additional languages, depending on location.

Responsibilities

• Lead the deployment, maturation, and sustainment of TPM across assigned manufacturing areas, including applicable TPM pillars.
• Provide Manufacturing Excellence support across manufacturing and Supply operations according to business priorities.
• Build and maintain area loss trees, prioritize improvement work, and lead initiatives to eliminate chronic and sporadic losses.
• Improve equipment effectiveness and process performance by addressing Availability, Performance, and Quality losses through centerlining, CIL optimization, changeover reduction, breakdown elimination, defect handling, and condition restoration.
• Strengthen Tier Management System routines, visual management, Daily Direction Setting, escalation, action tracking, leader standard work, and follow-through.
• Facilitate root-cause analysis and structured problem solving using A3, PDCA, DMAIC, 5 Whys, Fishbone, Pareto analysis, and other Lean tools.
• Lead Kaizen events, Value Stream Mapping, 5S, Standard Work, flow, waste elimination, and process optimization initiatives.
• Coach operators, technicians, supervisors, managers, and site leaders in TPM, Lean Manufacturing, TMS, problem solving, performance management, and ownership behaviors.
• Partner with Operations, Maintenance, Engineering, Quality, SQS, Supply Chain, Planning, Finance, Warehouse, and Site Leadership to align priorities and remove barriers.
• Define, standardize, and monitor performance indicators; ensure data integrity and use metrics to expose losses and guide action.
• Lead improvement-project portfolios, track milestones, risks, and resources, and validate financial and operational benefits with business partners.
• Develop and audit standards, management routines, health checks, and confirmation processes to sustain improvements and prevent regression.
• Use SAP, MES, Power BI, OEE systems, and other digital manufacturing tools to improve visibility, decision-making, and operational control.
• Ensure improvement work complies with applicable safety, quality, environmental, and regulatory requirements and reinforces Bacardi SQS Codes of Practice.
• Share standards and best practices and support Manufacturing Excellence priorities beyond the primary area or site when required.
• Own and facilitate the site Strategy Development and Deployment process, supporting Site Leadership in setting priorities, cascading objectives, aligning resources, tracking progress, and embedding strategic initiatives into TPM, TMS, and daily management routines.

Benefits

• Competitive pay package.
• Competitive holiday and paid time off, plus additional days such as a volunteer day.
• Retirement or pension plan.
• Medical, critical illness, and life insurance.
• Employee Assistance Programs.
• Family-friendly and inclusive leave policies.
• Incentive programs linked to company and individual performance.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager