Operational Excellence Supervisor

Mueller Water Products•Cleveland, TN

3d•Onsite

About The Position

Mueller Water Products is a leading manufacturer of flow control products for the water and gas distribution industries. Our manufacturing commitment helps ensure that one of the world's most precious resources lean drinking water reaches millions of people every day. The Operational Excellence Supervisor leads the facility's Operational Excellence function and is responsible for developing the OPEX team and delivering measurable, sustainable improvements in Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost, Productivity and Capacity. This position leads Mechanical Engineers and Lean People and partners closely with Operations, Quality, Maintenance, Supply Chain, Engineering, EHS and other functions to improve manufacturing performance, eliminate waste and variation, strengthen processes, reduce cost, and build organizational capability. The Operational Excellence Supervisor is a key change leader within the facility, responsible for establishing priorities, developing people, leading improvement initiatives and ensuring improvements are implemented, measured, financially validated and sustained.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Operations or a related technical discipline
Five or more years of progressive experience in manufacturing, engineering, Operational Excellence, continuous improvement or a related field
Demonstrated experience leading manufacturing improvement initiatives and delivering measurable operational and financial results
Demonstrated leadership experience with the ability to develop people and hold others accountable
Strong understanding of Lean Manufacturing and Operational Excellence principles
Strong problem-solving, analytical, and data-analysis capabilities
Experience applying structured problem-solving and continuous-improvement methodologies
Ability to lead cross-functional teams and influence employees and leaders at all levels of an organization
Strong written, verbal, presentation, facilitation and interpersonal communication skills.
Strong organizational skills and ability to manage multiple priorities in a changing manufacturing environment

Nice To Haves

Lean Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt certification
Experience leading an Operational Excellence, Continuous Improvement or Manufacturing Engineering team
Experience in high-mix, medium-volume manufacturing
Experience in metal machining, fabrication, casting, molding, assembly or similar manufacturing environments
Experience with capital equipment projects and manufacturing equipment procurement
Experience with ERP/MRP systems and manufacturing data
Experience with CAD systems such as AutoCAD or SolidWorks
PMP or other recognized project-management certification is a plus
Experience with rubber injection and compression molding is a plus

Responsibilities

Lead, develop, coach, and hold accountable Mechanical Engineers and Lean People to achieve individual, team and plant objectives
Establish clear priorities, expectations, goals and performance measures for the OPEX team
Build the technical, leadership and problem-solving capability of engineers, Lean People, supervisors and production employees
Develop a culture of ownership, accountability, employee involvement, and continuous improvement
Develop talent and succession capability within the OPEX organization
Build strong working relationships with Operations, Quality, Maintenance, Supply Chain, Engineering, EHS, and other functional leaders
Lead through influence and collaboration while maintaining accountability for commitments and results
Develop and execute the facility's Operational Excellence strategy and improvement roadmap in alignment with the Manufacturing Manager and business objectives
Identify and prioritize the facility's improvement portfolio based on business impact, urgency, risk, resources and expected return
Lead initiatives that improve Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost, Productivity, Capacity and customer satisfaction
Identify and eliminate waste, bottlenecks, variation, defects, downtime and non-value-added activities
Lead Lean Six Sigma, Kaizen, DMAIC, A3, PDCA and other structured improvement initiatives
Lead Value Stream Mapping and future-state planning to improve material and information flow
Ensure improvements are translated into standard work, daily management practices and sustainable operating processes
Maintain a strong presence on the manufacturing floor through Gemba walks, direct observation, data analysis and engagement with employees and leaders
Identify and lead initiatives that reduce manufacturing cost and improve financial performance
Establish cost-reduction opportunities through labor productivity, scrap and rework reduction, material utilization, downtime reduction, cycle-time improvement, capacity improvement, inventory reduction and process optimization
Develop business cases and financial justification for significant improvement and capital projects
Establish project baselines and quantify expected financial benefits before implementation where appropriate
Partner with Finance and Manufacturing leadership to validate savings, cost avoidance, productivity improvements, and other financial benefits
Ensure cost savings and productivity improvements are sustained and reflected in ongoing performance
Maintain an improvement pipeline that includes both operational and financially significant opportunities
Establish and strengthen daily management systems that enable teams and leaders to identify performance gaps and take timely corrective action
Establish and maintain visual management and performance-review processes that make abnormalities, priorities and accountability visible
Partner with Manufacturing leaders to strengthen Tier meetings, leader standard work, escalation processes and follow-through
Monitor key performance indicators and ensure corrective actions are assigned, executed and sustained
Use facts, data and direct observation to identify the highest-value opportunities for improvement
Communicate plant performance, risks, opportunities and improvement progress to leadership
Lead the engineering team in improving manufacturing processes, equipment utilization, throughput, cycle time, capacity, labor productivity and process capability
Evaluate processes and equipment to identify opportunities for simplification, automation, improved utilization and increased reliability
Lead or support manufacturing equipment specification, procurement, installation, commissioning and process validation
Develop and manage capital improvement projects, including scope, justification, implementation and verification of results
Partner with Operations and Maintenance to identify and eliminate equipment and process constraints
Ensure manufacturing process changes are effectively implemented, documented and sustained
Partner with Quality and Manufacturing to improve Quality at the Source and first-time-right manufacturing
Lead structured root-cause investigations and corrective actions for significant safety, quality, delivery, cost and productivity problems
Utilize data and statistical methods to reduce process variation and improve process capability
Apply appropriate problem-solving and risk-management methodologies based on the nature and complexity of the problem
Develop and implement effective process controls, error-proofing and preventive action
Ensure process improvements address safety, quality, regulatory and customer requirement
Drive prevention of recurring problems rather than relying solely on corrective action
Develop and maintain standard work, work instructions, process sheets, work standards and other manufacturing documentation
Ensure process changes are effectively communicated, implemented and incorporated into standard work
Establish methods to verify adherence to standard work and identify opportunities for improvement
Develop visual standards and controls that make abnormal conditions and process gaps readily visible
Ensure completed improvements are transferred into normal operating practices and daily management
Manage multiple improvement and engineering projects while balancing priorities, resources, timelines and business needs
Establish project objectives, milestones, responsibilities, expected results and measures of success
Identify and remove project roadblocks and escalate issues appropriately
Lead organizational change by engaging employees, addressing barriers and ensuring adoption of new processes
Verify operational and financial results and ensure successful projects are sustained after implementation
Demonstrate visible leadership and personal commitment to a safe working environment
Incorporate safety and ergonomic considerations into process, equipment and continuous-improvement activities
Partner with EHS and Manufacturing to identify and eliminate safety risks
Ensure process changes comply with applicable company policies, regulatory requirements and quality-system requirements
Promote a culture in which employees are expected and empowered to identify and address safety concerns
Lead with accountability, integrity, respect and a continuous-improvement mindset
Develop people and organizational capability rather than simply solving problems for others
Use facts, data and direct observation to drive decisions
Communicate clearly and effectively with both hourly and salaried employees
Influence across organizational boundaries and effectively manage difficult conversations
Balance immediate operational needs with sustainable long-term improvement