Operational Excellence Specialist

Operational Excellence Specialist Location: Portland, TN

Position Overview A leading manufacturing organization in Portland, TN is seeking an Operational Excellence Specialist to support plant-wide continuous improvement initiatives. This position works directly on the shop floor to drive lean principles, eliminate waste, and standardize production processes. The ideal candidate will be hands-on, highly analytical, and skilled at coaching team members and leaders to sustain a strong culture of continuous improvement.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and support lean activities, workshops, and continuous improvement events across the plant.
• Coach, mentor, and train employees and plant leaders on lean tools, 5S, and root-cause problem-solving.
• Track improvement suggestions, collect production data, and validate cost-saving metrics.
• Partner with manufacturing leadership to identify process bottlenecks and implement standardized solutions.
• Sustain continuous improvement practices to ensure long-term efficiency and waste reduction.

Required Qualifications

• Minimum of one (1) year of manufacturing experience with a strong understanding of lean principles.
• Practical experience leading or supporting continuous improvement projects in a plant environment.
• Strong organizational, data analysis, and documentation skills.
• Comfortable working hands-on on the shop floor with team members at all organizational levels.
• High school diploma or equivalent.

Preferred Qualifications

• Associate or Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field.
• Lean or Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt certification.
• Demonstrated history of delivering documented, measurable cost savings and efficiency gains.

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