Sr Manager Operational Excellence-Germany

About Kennametal

With over 85 years as an industrial technology leader, Kennametal Inc. delivers productivity to customers through materials science, tooling and wear-resistant solutions. Customers across aerospace and defense, earthworks, energy, general engineering and transportation turn to Kennametal to help them manufacture with precision and efficiency. Learn more at kennametal.com. Follow @Kennametal: Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube.

Senior Manager Operational Excellence (m/w/d)

About the role

We are looking for an experienced Regional Operational Excellence Manager / Senior Manager to lead and drive continuous improvement initiatives across our EMEA manufacturing sites.

In this role, you will be responsible for deploying global Lean strategies at the regional level, developing Operational Excellence capabilities across multiple sites, and supporting manufacturing teams in improving operational performance.

Working closely with Plant Managers, Manufacturing Directors and local OpEx teams, you will drive a culture of continuous improvement, promote best practices and ensure consistent application of Lean methodologies across the region.

This is a regional leadership position combining strategic responsibility, hands-on operational involvement and people development.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the deployment of global Operational Excellence and Lean strategies across EMEA manufacturing sites.
• Develop and strengthen Lean capabilities within local teams, supporting sites in becoming more autonomous in continuous improvement.
• Coach and support Plant Managers, Production Managers and local OpEx teams in implementing Lean methodologies and driving operational improvements.
• Lead and facilitate Kaizen workshops, Gemba activities and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Monitor operational performance across the region, identify improvement opportunities and drive action plans.
• Support improvements in key manufacturing KPIs, including OEE, Direct Labor productivity, cost efficiency and overall operational performance.
• Ensure consistent implementation of Lean standards, methodologies and best practices across manufacturing sites.
• Promote knowledge sharing and collaboration between sites, facilitating the exchange of successful improvement initiatives.
• Support change management initiatives and engage stakeholders at different organizational levels.
• Monitor Lean-related budgets, performance indicators and progress against regional improvement targets.
• Provide support to manufacturing sites facing operational challenges, including leading task forces and developing recovery action plans.
• Contribute to global Operational Excellence initiatives and the continuous development of Lean standards and tools.

What We Are Looking For

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing or a related field.
• At least 10 years of experience in manufacturing and/or supply chain, with a strong focus on Lean Manufacturing and Operational Excellence.
• Proven experience leading continuous improvement initiatives within a manufacturing environment.
• Experience managing or supporting multiple manufacturing sites and working with cross-functional, international teams.
• Strong practical knowledge of Lean Manufacturing methodologies and tools, including:
• 5S and workplace organization
• Standard Work and cycle time measurement
• Kanban and Pull Systems

SMED

TPM

Value Stream Analysis (VSA)

Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES)

• Strong leadership, communication, coaching and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to influence senior stakeholders, drive organizational change and build a continuous improvement culture.
• Strong analytical skills and experience working with operational performance metrics.
• Nice to Have
• Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt certification.
• Experience with Smart Factory, Industry 4.0 and digital manufacturing initiatives.
• Experience leading regional or multi-site Operational Excellence programs.
• Background in industrial manufacturing, metalworking, automotive or machinery industries.
• Regional responsibility covering multiple manufacturing sites across EMEA.
• Regular international travel, expected to account for approximately 20–50% of working time.
• Direct reporting line to the Global Operational Excellence Director.
• Kennametal Inc. is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer.