Senior Project Lead - Operational Excellence Business Improvements

Role and responsibilities

Lead end-to-end delivery of one or more complex, cross-functional improvement projects. This may include but is not limited to: defining the project team and gaining approval on project plan. Manage end to end project planning and executing project deliverables while measurable impact. Establish accurate project reporting, tracking project financials and transferring the project to business process owners in line management upon project close.

Manage key stakeholders across Wilton Factory to align and prioritize need on new processes or improvements delivered. Ensure continuous commitment of WF key stakeholders at all levels (from operational to senior leadership) to make the project a success, by addressing them on their tasks and responsibilities.

Identify project dependencies across the factory and create project roadmaps with clear timelines and objectives. Drive execution rigor and translate strategic priorities into executable delivery plans.

Plan and coordinate the identification and elicitation of requirements; conduct analysis of those requirements for completion and alignment; document and manages requirements throughout the life of the project; and coordinate the verification of the end deliverable.

Evaluate financial consequences and business case of required improvements (including resources). Develop strong understanding of the business and own the business case and value realization. Quantify benefits, assess financial and resource implications, and ensure delivery of targeted impact.

Collaborate with IT business partners and teams throughout application testing phases, ie. SIT, UAT. Ensure test scripts accurately represent the business process flows either being created or currently in place. Collect feedback via end users and drive business user adoption on release.

Lead and develop high-performing project teams, defining a clear vision and outcomes while providing direction on how to achieve them; effectively manage resources across projects and adjust team composition as needed; foster an environment of open communication and continuous feedback.

Coach and mentor team members to strengthen capability, engagement, performance, and overall delivery maturity. Manage project governance by providing clear, fact-based reporting and steering decision-making through Project Boards and senior management forums.

Manage the deployment of project resources, proactively managing project costs, providing forecasts, and presenting variances with narrative at appropriate review points to ensure effective utilization.

Lead and embed change management, ensuring adoption of new processes, tools, and ways of working through structured communication and stakeholder engagement. Ensure sustainable handover to line organization, embedding improvements into standard ways of working and securing long-term impact.

Remove barriers and address risks/escalations, ensuring momentum and on-time delivery in a complex, dynamic environment.

Education and experience

• Bachelor’s degree required - preferably a technical field or business administration.
• MBA preferred.
• Extensive experience with project management methodologies, project reporting, and risk analysis and management.
• Certification in project management methodology such Prince2 or PMBOK foundation & practitioner preferred.
• Experience leading and deploying complex enterprise transformation projects including improvements to IT applications and infrastructure.
• SAP experience preferred.
• 7+ years proven track record in managing cross-departmental projects in a fast-paced, technical environment with demonstrated delivery of business impact.
• Experience driving organizational change within complex stakeholder environments.
• Previous experience in a manufacturing environment strongly preferred (e.g., high-tech, semiconductor or similar).
• Experience in operational excellence and continuous improvement, including roles such as project lead or process improvement leader.
• Experience working with Agile practices and mindset preferred.

Skills

• A hands-on, pragmatic mindset. You are comfortable engaging directly with stakeholders, including the shopfloor.
• A continuous improvement mindset; you instinctively look for waste, variation, and flow issues.
• Sharp observation and situational awareness, with the ability to read people, dynamics, and operational signals and respond effectively.
• Learning agility and the ability to quickly absorb and apply new concepts, tools, and ways of working.
• Data-driven decision making. You interpret data, translate insight into action, and connect it to business impact.
• Customer focus and the ability to prioritize based on customer value, quality, and delivery performance.
• A high attention to detail and execution rigor, with a focus on accuracy and completeness.
• Resilience in a dynamic environment and the ability to perform effectively under pressure, shifting priorities, and tight timelines.
• Strong written and verbal communication. The ability to clearly communicate difficult concepts to diverse stakeholder groups and senior leaders. Effective stakeholder management by building trust and driving alignment across teams, functions, and leadership.
• A structured way of working—able to operate independently within defined processes while improving and challenging them where needed.

Other information

Role within Office: Routinely required to sit; walk; talk; hear; use hands to keyboard, finger, handle, and feel; stoop, kneel, crouch, twist, reach, and stretch. Occasionally required to move around the campus. Occasionally lift and/or move up to 20 pounds. May require travel dependent on business needs.

Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.

This position may require access to controlled technology, as defined in the Export Administration Regulations (15 C.F.R. 730, et seq.). As a condition of employment, qualified candidates must be legally authorized to access such controlled technology prior to beginning work. Business demands may require the Company to proceed with candidates who are immediately eligible to access controlled technology.

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