About this role
# Job Description Summary
The Senior Lean & Operational Excellence Leader is a key member of the Plant Leadership Team and reports directly to the Plant Leader. This role is responsible for establishing and leading the Lean and Operational Excellence strategy for a new greenfield manufacturing facility supporting approximately 600 employees within a global energy manufacturing organization.
The Senior Lean & Operational Excellence Leader will help build the site's operating system from the ground up, embedding Lean principles into facility design, manufacturing processes, material flow, daily management, problem solving, and leadership practices. The role will lead a team of Lean/Continuous Improvement professionals and partner closely with Operations, Engineering, Supply Chain, Quality, EHS, Finance, and other functions to deliver measurable improvements in Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost, Productivity, and People capability.
This is a highly visible leadership role with significant influence on the culture, operating model, and long-term performance of the new facility.
Job Description
The Senior Lean & Operational Excellence Leader is a key member of the Plant Leadership Team and reports directly to the Plant Leader. This role is responsible for establishing and leading the Lean and Operational Excellence strategy for a new greenfield manufacturing facility supporting approximately 600 employees within a global energy manufacturing organization.
The Senior Lean & Operational Excellence Leader will help build the site's operating system from the ground up, embedding Lean principles into facility design, manufacturing processes, material flow, daily management, problem solving, and leadership practices. The role will lead a team of Lean/Continuous Improvement professionals and partner closely with Operations, Engineering, Supply Chain, Quality, EHS, Finance, and other functions to deliver measurable improvements in Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost, Productivity, and People capability.
This is a highly visible leadership role with significant influence on the culture, operating model, and long-term performance of the new facility.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead the site's Lean & Operational Excellence strategy: Develop and execute the Lean roadmap and Operating System in partnership with the Plant Leader and Plant Leadership Team, aligning priorities to business objectives and measurable SQDC performance.
- Build the greenfield operating system: Embed Lean principles into facility design, manufacturing processes, material flow, equipment, automation, standard work, and management systems to establish a scalable, high-performing operation from launch.
- Drive manufacturing performance: Lead initiatives that improve Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost, productivity, throughput, capacity, lead time, inventory, and overall equipment effectiveness, with a clear focus on sustainable business results.
- Establish daily management and performance systems: Deploy strategy deployment, daily management, leader standard work, visual management, Gemba routines, and escalation processes that enable leaders and teams to identify and resolve performance gaps quickly.
- Lead continuous improvement and problem solving: Direct Kaizen, Action Work Outs, value-stream improvement, and structured problem-solving activities that eliminate waste, variation, bottlenecks, and process complexity.
- Develop Lean capability and leadership: Lead, coach, and develop the Lean/Continuous Improvement team while building Lean, problem-solving, and continuous improvement capability across all levels of the organization.
- Integrate Lean into product and process development: Partner with Engineering, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, and other functions to incorporate Lean principles into new product introduction, industrialization, process development, equipment selection, and capacity expansion.
- Enable digital and technology transformation: Partner with Engineering, IT, and Operations to leverage automation, digital tools, analytics, and smart manufacturing technologies that simplify processes and improve safety, quality, flow, productivity, and decision making.
- Drive cross-functional alignment: Serve as a strategic partner to Operations, Engineering, Supply Chain, Quality, EHS, Finance, HR, and other functions to align resources and accelerate operational improvements across the site.
- Ensure benefits realization: Establish clear improvement targets, ownership, milestones, and sustainment plans, and partner with Finance to quantify and validate productivity, cost, capacity, and other business benefits.
- Build a culture of ownership and continuous improvement: Develop an environment where employees at every level are empowered to identify problems, improve processes, and sustain gains, with leaders accountable for developing people and improving performance.
- Champion Safety, Quality, and operational discipline: Ensure Lean initiatives reinforce an uncompromising commitment to EHS, quality, compliance, and customer requirements, including immediate intervention and stop-work authority when serious safety risks are identified.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations, Business, or a related discipline.
- 7+ years of progressive experience in manufacturing, Lean, Continuous Improvement, Operational Excellence, or a related field.
Preferred Qualifications
- Master's degree in Engineering, Operations, Business, or an MBA.
- Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, Lean certification, or equivalent experience.
- Demonstrated experience leading Lean deployment and delivering measurable improvements in manufacturing performance.
- Demonstrated experience leading and developing Lean/Continuous Improvement professionals or cross-functional teams.
- Strong knowledge of Lean manufacturing and Six Sigma principles, including strategy deployment, daily management, value-stream mapping, standard work, Kaizen, structured problem solving, pull/flow, visual management, 5S, error proofing, and TPM.
- Demonstrated ability to lead complex, cross-functional transformation initiatives.
- Strong business and financial acumen, including the ability to connect operational improvements to measurable business results.
- Strong communication, facilitation, coaching, and executive presentation skills.
- Demonstrated ability to influence organizational change across multiple functions and levels.
- Ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced, highly matrixed manufacturing environment.
- Experience launching or transforming a greenfield manufacturing facility.
- Experience in energy, industrial, aerospace, power generation, heavy manufacturing, or another complex manufacturing environment.
- Experience with manufacturing automation, digital transformation, MES, advanced analytics, or smart manufacturing.
- Experience integrating Lean principles into product development, industrialization, and new product introduction.
- Experience with benefits realization and financial validation of improvement initiatives.
- Strong understanding of production planning, inventory management, quality systems, standard cost, capacity planning, and capital investment.
- Experience working successfully within a large, complex, global organization.
Success in the Role
Success will be demonstrated through:
- Achievement of site Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost, Productivity, and People objectives.
- Improved throughput, flow, lead time, capacity, labor productivity, and customer delivery.
- Sustainable reductions in inventory, waste, variation, and operating cost.
- Strong first-pass yield and right-first-time performance.
- Development of a capable and engaged Lean organization and broader problem-solving culture.
- Effective integration of Lean principles into facility design, equipment, automation, and manufacturing processes.
- Sustained employee engagement and ownership of continuous improvement.
- Demonstrated financial and operational value from Lean and Operational Excellence initiatives.
GE Vernova offers a great work environment, professional development, challenging careers, and competitive compensation. GE Vernova is an Equal Opportunity Employer . Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, protected veteran status or other characteristics protected by law.
GE Vernova will only employ those who are legally authorized to work in the United States for this opening. Any offer of employment is conditioned upon the successful completion of a drug screen (as applicable).
Relocation Assistance Provided: Yes
For candidates applying to a U.S. based position, the pay range for this position is between $122,600.00 and $204,400.00. The Company pays a geographic differential of 110%, 120% or 130% of salary in certain areas. The specific pay offered may be influenced by a variety of factors, including the candidate’s experience, education, and skill set.
Bonus eligibility: discretionary annual bonus.
This posting is expected to remain open for at least seven days after it was posted on October 08, 2026.
Available benefits include medical, dental, vision, and prescription drug coverage; access to Health Coach from GE Vernova, a 24/7 nurse-based resource; and access to the Employee Assistance Program, providing 24/7 confidential assessment, counseling and referral services. Retirement benefits include the GE Vernova Retirement Savings Plan, a tax-advantaged 401(k) savings opportunity with company matching contributions and company retirement contributions, as well as access to Fidelity resources and financial planning consultants. Other benefits include tuition assistance, adoption assistance, paid parental leave, disability benefits, life insurance, 12 paid holidays, and permissive time off.
GE Vernova Inc. or its affiliates (collectively or individually, “GE Vernova”) sponsor certain employee benefit plans or programs GE Vernova reserves the right to terminate, amend, suspend, replace, or modify its benefit plans and programs at any time and for any reason, in its sole discretion. No individual has a vested right to any benefit under a GE Vernova welfare benefit plan or program. This document does not create a contract of employment with any individual.