Operational Excellence Manager

About the role

As the Operational Excellence Manager, Americas for PPG, you will help build a culture of Operational Excellence across multiple manufacturing sites within your region. Working with the Americas Continuous Improvement (CI) Director and Plant Managers, you will lead the deployment of Lean methodologies and Continuous Improvement plans that align with PPG's strategic goals.

Responsibilities

• Support local plants with completion of Operational Excellence maturity assessments, developing roadmaps, and support implementation to promote improvement capabilities across sites.
• Lead internal campaigns and programs to strengthen the use of Continuous Improvement tools and systems; facilitate the regional Continuous Improvement committee to monitor progress, validate savings, and guide accountability.
• Provide hands-on support for CI project execution, workshops, and implementation of best practices aimed at increasing productivity, eliminating waste, reducing costs, and standardizing operations.
• Work with local plants to analyze strategic goals and identify CI projects with measurable impact. Manage the regional manufacturing CI project portfolio, which includes Kaizen, DMAIC, PDCA, and Just Do It projects.
• Implement regional OpEx training plan; deliver Lean tool training and improvement coaching to project leaders and local teams.
• Promote active participation of local staff in generating and implementing improvement ideas; facilitate communication between management and work teams to ensure agreement and engagement.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering (Chemical, Industrial, Mechanical) or a related field.
• 8 years' experience in improvement, Lean, and Operational Excellence within a manufacturing environment.
• Certified Lean Six Sigma Green Belt required; Black Belt certification.
• Expertise in Lean Manufacturing principles and Lean methodologies.
• Experience driving cultural change and operational improvements at a regional or multi-site level.
• Willingness to travel 25-35 % to assigned facilities within the region to provide on-site support and leadership.