Entry Level Operational Excellence Lead Jobs Near Me

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. Reporting directly to the Regional Operational Excellence leader your efforts will focus on driving operational improvements, standardizing best practices, and promoting a sustainable culture through coaching, and program management.

Key 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.

• Be comfortable extracting, consolidating, and analyzing operational data to support structured and performance improvement across manufacturing sites.

• Navigate enterprise systems such as Oracle ERP and MES platforms to retrieve data on production, inventory, quality, and cost. Translate that information into meaningful insights using tools such as Power BI and advanced Excel.

• Implement regional OpEx training plan; deliver Lean tool training and improvement coaching to project leaders and local teams.

• Be a mentor by guiding project leaders and teams in Lean methodologies and CI best practices.

• 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.

How we work: At PPG, we bring teams together to accelerate collaboration and career development, with in-person work Monday through Thursday and the opportunity to work remotely on Flexible Fridays. Schedules may vary by location.

About us: 

PPG: WE PROTECT AND BEAUTIFY THE WORLD™ 

Through leadership in innovation, sustainability and color, PPG helps customers in industrial, transportation, consumer products, and construction markets and aftermarkets to enhance more surfaces in more ways than does any other company. To learn more, visit www.ppg.com and follow @PPG on X. 

The PPG Way 2030  

We are customer champions 

Proactive. Bold. Trustworthy. Everything we do starts with our customers. We listen, move fast and don’t stop until we solve their biggest challenges. When our customers win, we all grow. 

We act with purpose and speed 

Agile. Data-driven. Empowered. We take smart risks to stay ahead of the competition. We work proactively with agility, using quality data to develop solutions that create value.  

We are excellent operators 

Productive. Collaborative. Accountable. No matter our role, we identify problems, take ownership and always bring solutions. We are both proactive and responsive to drive continuous improvement and deliver results. We support our frontline, the faces of PPG to our customers.   

We compete to win 

Future-focused. Driven. Ambitious. We are passionate about growing our business and winning with our customers. We deliver results, embrace new technologies and leverage agility and speed as strengths. 

We are PPG proud 

Strong. United. Passionate. We work safely, act with integrity and value our diverse perspectives. We celebrate achievements and take pride in the positive impact we create together to protect and beautify the world. 

At PPG we use AI in the hiring process to make the process more efficient. AI tools do not make hiring decisions. You can learn more by going to  https://careers.ppg.com/us/en/candidate-resources.  

PPG provides equal opportunity to all candidates and employees. We offer an opportunity to grow and develop your career in an environment that provides a fulfilling workplace for employees, creates an environment for continuous learning, and embraces the ideas and diversity of others. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, pregnancy, race, color, creed, religion, national origin, age, disability status, marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression.  

If you need an adjustment due to a disability, please email recruiting@ppg.com. 

PPG pay ranges and benefits can vary by location which allows us to compensate employees competitively in different geographic markets. PPG considers several factors in making compensation decisions including, but not limited to, skill sets, experience and training, qualifications and education, licensure and certifications, and other organizational needs. Other incentives may apply.  
Our employee benefits programs are designed to support the health and well-being of our employees. Any insurance coverages and benefits will be in accordance with the terms and conditions of the applicable plans and associated governing plan documents.  Benefits will be discussed with you by your recruiter during the hiring process. 

PPG values your feedback on our recruiting process. We encourage you to visit Glassdoor.com and provide feedback on the process, so that we can do better today than yesterday.