Manager Operational Excellence Jobs in Bluffton, SC

THE ROLE

At Great Dane, we rely on makers and we’re calling on them to join our expanding team. The time has never been better to Embrace Your Great and work in an environment with the highest safety standards in the industry.  

The Position: We are seeking an experienced Project Leader / Project Manager to lead high-impact operational improvement initiatives across our manufacturing network. This role will partner with Operations, Quality, Engineering, Supply Chain, Finance, Safety, and Maintenance to improve performance, reduce waste, increase throughput, and deliver measurable cost and quality improvements.

The successful candidate will bring strong project management discipline, Lean manufacturing experience, and Lean Six Sigma certification. This individual must be comfortable working on the shop floor, leading cross-functional teams, using data to solve problems, and communicating clearly with both operators and executive leadership.

We are looking for a hands-on project leader who can define the problem, align the team, drive execution, remove barriers, and sustain the result.

Project Leadership & Execution

• Lead complex cross-functional projects from charter development through implementation and control.
• Develop clear project scope, objectives, milestones, timelines, deliverables, and success metrics.
• Manage multiple projects simultaneously while ensuring alignment to business priorities.
• Drive accountability across project teams, functional leaders, and stakeholders.
• Maintain project dashboards, action registers, risk logs, and executive-level status updates.
• Escalate risks, roadblocks, resource constraints, and decision points with urgency.

Lean / Six Sigma / Continuous Improvement

• Apply Lean, Six Sigma, DMAIC, Kaizen principles utilizing tools including but not limited to 5S, value stream mapping, standard work, root cause analysis, and problem-solving tools etc.
• Facilitate improvement events focused on safety, quality, delivery, cost, productivity, inventory, and flow.
• Identify waste, variation, process constraints, and non-value-added activity across manufacturing operations.
• Build sustainable countermeasures that include process controls, ownership, training, and follow-up cadence.
• Train and coach teams on structured problem solving and continuous improvement behaviors.
• Develop training material to support employee development
• Support development of a culture of operational excellence and accountability.

Manufacturing Operations Support

• Partner with plant operations, quality, engineering, materials, maintenance, finance, and safety teams.
• Support projects tied to throughput improvement, labor productivity, scrap reduction, rework reduction, equipment uptime, material flow, and capacity expansion.
• Analyze production data, defect trends, process capability, downtime, labor efficiency, and cost performance.
• Standardize and document SOP’s and best practices across facilities and functions.
• Ensure improvements are practical for the shop floor and understood by operators, supervisors, and plant leaders.

Financial & Business Impact

• Quantify project benefits, including cost savings, productivity gains, quality improvements, working capital reduction, and capacity improvement.
• Partner with finance to validate project savings and return on investment.
• Track benefits realization after implementation.
• Ensure project work supports broader business objectives and operational priorities.

Other duties as assigned

YOUR SKILLS AND ABILITIES (REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS)

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in related discipline preferred (e.g., engineering, quality, management, or business)
• 5+ years of experience leading projects in a manufacturing, industrial, operations, or supply chain environment.
• Lean Six Sigma Black Belt certification required.
• Demonstrated experience leading continuous improvement projects with measurable business impact.
• Strong understanding of Lean manufacturing principles, waste elimination, root cause analysis, and process control.
• Experience managing cross-functional teams and influencing leaders without direct reporting authority.
• Strong analytical skills with ability to use data to define problems and validate results.
• Proficiency with project management tools, Microsoft Office, Excel, PowerPoint, and data visualization tools.
• High ownership and accountability.
• Strong facilitation and communication skills.
• Ability to engage and motivate across functions and levels of the organization
• Practical shop-floor orientation.
• Good organizational awareness and experience to lead change
• Travel: Travel as needed.

Preferred Experience
• Heavy manufacturing, automotive, trailer, equipment, fabrication, welding, assembly, or engineered-to-order environment.
• Experience with ERP/MRP systems, production scheduling, materials flow, and manufacturing cost drivers.
• Experience doing value stream mapping, 5S implementation, and standard work development.
• Experience presenting to senior leadership and executive stakeholders.
• PMP certification preferred but not required.

PHYSICAL/MENTAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Office and plant environment.
• Keyboarding, lifting, standing, bending, walking.
• Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

ABOUT GREAT DANE

With a history dating back to 1900, Great Dane has established itself as a transportation solutions leader of today – delivering innovative products and exceptional services that help our customers and employees succeed. We not only engineer durable and high-quality trailers and truck bodies; we foster relationships that last a lifetime.

WHY WORK FOR US?

Great Dane is a leading manufacturer of dry-freight vans, refrigerated trailers, and flatbeds with 10 manufacturing facilities and 20 service centers throughout the United States. With a legacy like ours comes a dedication to the hard-working individuals that make Great Dane what it is today. Our jobs are waiting to be filled by driven, challenge-focused & enthusiastic people like you.

Our culture is comprised of “Champions” and offers a rewarding workplace rooted in core values of safety, leadership, integrity, quality, and passion. Every employee has opportunities to learn, grow, succeed and be engaged in a collaborative environment.

BENEFITS OVERVIEW

• Competitive compensation
• Benefits, including but not limited to dental, vision, and medical with employer contributions
• Retirement programs, including a Pension Plan and 401(k) Plan with employer match
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Paid holidays and vacation
• And more!

Great Dane is an Equal Opportunity Employer