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Director Lean Jobs in Portland, OR (NOW HIRING)

Family Peace Center

Executive Director

Hillsboro, OR · On-site

$115K/yr

Thrive in a lean environment and are willing to step into the work when needed. * Bring people ... The next Executive Director will build on a transformational model, strengthen its long-term ...

Family Peace Center

Executive Director

Hillsboro, OR · On-site

$115 - $135/hr

Thrives in a lean environment and are willing to step into the work when needed. * Bring people ... The next Executive Director will build on a transformational model, strengthen its long-term ...

PacificSource

Regional Sales Director

Portland, OR · On-site

Provide direct sales and service to employers when required. Essential Responsibilities ... Utilize lean methodologies for continuous improvement. Utilize visual boards and daily huddles to ...

PacificSource

Regional Sales Director

Portland, OR

Provide direct sales and service to employers when required. Essential Responsibilities ... Utilize lean methodologies for continuous improvement. Utilize visual boards and daily huddles to ...

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Director Lean information

See Portland, OR salary details

$29.5K

$123.8K

$221.7K

How much do director lean jobs pay per year?

As of Sep 4, 2026, the average yearly pay for director lean in Portland, OR is $123,772.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $83,392.00 and $155,799.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a director lean?

A Director of Lean is responsible for leading process improvement initiatives using Lean methodologies to enhance efficiency, reduce waste, and drive continuous improvement within an organization. They collaborate with leadership and cross-functional teams to implement Lean principles, identify opportunities for optimization, and foster a culture of continuous improvement. This role often involves training employees, analyzing workflows, and ensuring that Lean strategies align with business objectives.

What are the primary responsibilities and challenges typically faced by a director lean?

A Director Lean is primarily responsible for leading company-wide initiatives focused on process optimization, waste reduction, and productivity improvement using Lean methodologies. This role involves collaborating closely with cross-functional teams, providing leadership for Lean project teams, and training employees at all levels on Lean practices. Common challenges include overcoming resistance to change, ensuring consistent buy-in across departments, and sustaining long-term improvement results. Success in this position requires both strategic vision and hands-on problem-solving to deliver measurable value and support an ongoing culture of continuous improvement.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive in the director lean position, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Director Lean, you need an in-depth understanding of Lean principles, process improvement methodologies, and strong leadership experience, often backed by a degree in engineering, operations, or business. Familiarity with Six Sigma, Kaizen, value stream mapping, and relevant certifications such as Lean Six Sigma Black Belt are highly valuable. Outstanding communication, change management skills, and the ability to influence at all organizational levels enable effective implementation of Lean strategies. These capabilities are crucial for driving operational excellence and fostering a culture of continuous improvement across the organization.

What are the most commonly searched types of Lean jobs in Portland, OR?

The most popular types of Lean jobs in Portland, OR are:

What job categories do people searching Director Lean jobs in Portland, OR look for?

The top searched job categories for Director Lean jobs in Portland, OR are:

Director Lean jobs near you
Infographic showing various Director Lean job openings in Portland, OR as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 87% Full Time, 10% Part Time, 1% Temporary, and 1% Contract. Highlights an 92% Physical, 2% Hybrid, and 6% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $123,772 per year, or $59.5 per hour.

Director Manufacturing Operations

Gateway Recruiting

Portland, OR • On-site

Full-time

Re-posted 17 days ago

Key responsibilities

  • Oversees all aspects of semiconductor laser assembly production, including strategic planning and production execution.

  • Establishes production schedules, manages capacity, and ensures goals for quality, delivery, efficiency, and safety are met.

  • Provides leadership and supervision to direct reports, including performance management, motivation, and development.

Job description

Position Summary:

The Director of Manufacturing Operations is a senior leadership position responsible for overseeing all aspects of semiconductor laser assembly production. This role ensures operational excellence by managing strategic planning, production execution, and cross-functional collaboration to achieve world-class standards in quality, delivery, efficiency, and safety. The director drives continuous improvement and innovation, supporting the company's growth and competitiveness in both military and commercial markets.

Responsibilities:

  • Manages strategic and tactical aspects of semiconductor laser assembly production for medium-to-high-volume production of ruggedized military & commercial products
  • Establishes production schedules with planning and business groups and executes against schedule to meet goals for revenue, on-time delivery and lead-time
  • Provides supervision and leadership to direct reports including employee performance management, motivating and facilitating continuous learning and development, conducting annual performance appraisals, and providing timely feedback and recognition.
  • Meets aggressive, world-class goals on quality, cycle time, yield and cost
  • Leads global multi-disciplinary teams to deliver new products, sustaining engineering, and NPI of laser-based product lines as part of key strategy in vertically integrated organization.
  • Analyzes bottlenecks and establishes sufficient capacity to cost-effectively meet production demands
  • Drives continuous improvement opportunities and yield metrics utilizing wide variety of analytical techniques (such as FMEA, SPC, DOE, Gage R&R, 8D), lean manufacturing, and six sigma concepts.
  • Coordinates with facilities, including maintenance and buildouts, for optimal uptime and cost
  • Interfaces with senior leadership and various support functions such as Supply Chain, Development Engineering, Quality, Finance, HR, and IT as required to establish plans and execute against them
  • Collaborates with R&D to analyze competition, market trends, emerging technology and drives strategic engineering projects into production as capable products & processes.
  • Ensures strong safety program in place
  • Manages and motivates direct staff
  • Builds upon ISO9001:2000 certified quality management system in place

Qualifications:

  • Requires a BS in Engineering (Optical, Physics, Electrical, Chemical, Mechanical) and 10+ years high-tech manufacturing experience with at least five years in a managerial role, or equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.
  • MS in Engineering or Business is preferred.
  • 8+ years of experience in product & process development, NPI or process control of laser systems/photonic components
  • 8+ years of experience working for company providing products for US Defense and/or Government Contracting.
  • Working knowledge of FAR/DFAR requirements, and ITAR-compliant operations
  • Skilled in implementing and utilizing lean manufacturing, SPC, ERP, and MRP systems
  • Strong business and people skills, including strategic thinking, executive communication, and basic business financial acumen
  • Strong record of developing and transferring products and processes related to laser systems and photonic components
  • Strong record of effective judgement and decisiveness, clear thinking, problem solving through structured methodologies
  • Strong situational leadership skills, record of developing great teams and strong hires
  • Sets very strong culture of accountability, disciplined thinking, integrity and expectations, leads by example
  • APICS CPIM experience is preferred, but not required
  • Six Sigma Black Belt is preferred, but not required
  • Strong communication skills
  • Excellent team player
  • Demonstrated ability to protect confidential and proprietary information and exercise discretion.
  • Ability to travel up to 15%