Operational Excellence Director

Viant•Minneapolis, MN

20h•Hybrid

About The Position

The Director of Operational Excellence, AMS drives continuous improvement, Lean transformation, and operational performance across Viant's Advanced Metal Solutions network of seven manufacturing sites. Reporting to the Center of Excellence, this hands-on leader partners with site teams to deliver cost savings, improve efficiency, develop talent, and support strategic business objectives. This role combines strategy and execution, leading Lean initiatives, kaizen events, and problem-solving efforts while building a culture of operational excellence. The ideal candidate brings multi-site manufacturing experience, preferably within metal machining, turning, or drawing environments, and thrives as a player-coach who can effectively lead, coach, and execute. This is not a corporate training role; it is hands-on. Individuals who succeed in this role act as a player-coach, able to seamlessly switch between coaching, facilitating, and doing.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Business, Engineering, Operations Management, or related field (Master’s or relevant certification preferred).
8+ years of experience in operational excellence, process improvement, or operations leadership, preferably in a manufacturing or regulated environment.
Proven track record of leading large-scale change management, transformation and continuous improvement initiatives
Trainer-level competency in Lean, Six Sigma, or similar problem-solving methodologies with demonstrated enterprise-level execution experience.
Strong analytical, problem-solving, and project management skills; proficiency in data analysis and performance metrics.
Demonstrated experience with implementation of automation, standard work, and technology in operational settings
Exceptional communication, facilitation, and interpersonal skills; strong active listening and interpretation abilities; proven capacity to influence and build alignment across all levels of the organization.
Willingness and ability to travel (approximately 20-50%)

Nice To Haves

preferably within metal machining, turning, or drawing environments

Responsibilities

Identify and deliver multi-year road map of savings to achieve annual savings target
Work with business unit and functional leaders to identify and implement operational improvements including OEE, tiered daily management, and leader standard work
Facilitating kaizens spanning multiple sites, functions, and programs to deliver transformational business results including technology adoption and culture change
Develop and upskill all individuals in the OpEx network, ranging from individual coaching to identifying and facilitating enterprise-wide trainings through external training partners
Influence OpEx at all levels within the organization, driving adoption of best practices and continuous improvement