Operations Excellence Manager

Vermeer Corporation • Pella, IA

4d • Onsite

About The Position

The Operations Excellence Manager works with manufacturing and operations leaders through individual interactions and group facilitation to advance lean leadership principles across the organization. The role partners with leaders at multiple levels and across organizational functions to support the personal and professional development of the operations team and help drive business plans and organizational success.

The position serves as a resource for operations leaders on Vermeer culture, lean principles, and performance-board use. It coordinates with Continuous Improvement Leaders on lean activities, learning, change management, leadership development, and kaizen events. It also partners with support functions and mentors Production Area Managers in alignment with Vermeer Characteristics and Behaviors. The role is onsite, with occasional travel expected.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree.
• Minimum of four years’ experience in manufacturing or an equivalent business leadership role.
• Proven operations leadership experience within a manufacturing environment.
• Expertise in lean manufacturing, managing through daily improvement (MDI), and leading structured problem-solving efforts.
• Ability to coach and develop leaders through observation, feedback, and practical application.
• Ability to build trusted relationships, influence without formal authority, and partner effectively across functions and organizational levels.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a resource for operations leaders to develop Vermeer culture and lean principles and use performance boards to engage team members in team success, driving metrics, and production goals.
• Coordinate with Continuous Improvement Leaders to advance lean activities and learning that support change management and leadership development.
• Plan, prepare, lead, execute, review, and audit kaizen events.
• Promote and educate leaders on standard processes, improved flow, waste elimination, and managing for daily improvement (MDI) activities.
• Partner with Continuous Improvement, Quality, Operations Engineering, Talent Development, and other support functions to align and coordinate proactive measures and leadership development.
• Mentor current Production Area Managers through leadership development initiatives aligned with Vermeer Characteristics and Behaviors.

What This Job Offers

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