Operational Excellence Manager - Paper Center of Excellence

Dart Container•Leola, PA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

Leola, PA is now home to Dart’s newest Paper Plate Manufacturing Center of Excellence—a state-of-the-art, high-efficiency operation built to meet the growing demand for sustainable, paper-based food and beverage packaging. As we enter full production, we are looking for a dynamic Operational Excellence Manager to help define, scale, and sustain world-class manufacturing performance in this flagship facility. If you’re passionate about continuous improvement, thrive in fast-paced environments, and want to make a measurable impact from day one—this is your opportunity. As our Operational Excellence Manager, you will play a critical role in embedding a culture of continuous improvement and operational discipline. You’ll partner across functions to drive performance, elevate team capability, and ensure we deliver on our promise of excellence—together, as One Team.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Operations, or related field
Minimum 5 years of continuous improvement experience in a manufacturing environment
Deep expertise in Lean Manufacturing and Operational Excellence principles
Strong working knowledge of CI methodologies (e.g., Kaizen, 5S, VSM, SMED, FMEA, Root Cause Analysis)
Experience with data analysis and identifying variation and loss
Proficiency in Microsoft Office with the ability to translate data into actionable plans
Proven ability to influence, align, and inspire teams toward a culture of continuous improvement
Strong problem-solving skills with a data-driven mindset that delivers measurable outcomes
Ability to clearly communicate, train, and engage cross-functional teams
Drives accountability, fosters learning, and builds operational discipline
Builds strong partnerships across functions to align priorities and accelerate results

Nice To Haves

Lean / Six Sigma certification
Experience in paper converting or related manufacturing environments

Responsibilities

Lead and sustain Lean initiatives that improve KPIs, reduce waste, and increase process stability
Champion DMS practices to ensure consistent execution and connection to problem-solving at all levels
Train, coach, and empower managers, supervisors, and team leads to independently apply CI tools and sustain gains
Facilitate Kaizens, lead root-cause analysis, and ensure timely follow-through on improvement actions
Identify and remove production bottlenecks to improve flow, throughput, and efficiency
Support operational priorities using tools like A3 thinking, action planning, and progress tracking (Gantt)