Operational Excellence Leader

Your Job

As an Operational Excellence Leader, you will advance operational excellence across our Aerospace & Defense Solutions (ADS) business by identifying opportunities, building capability, and leading initiatives that improve Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost, and overall business performance.

You will partner with operations and functional leaders to translate business priorities into measurable improvement strategies, applying Molex Operating System (MOS), Lean, Six Sigma, and data-driven problem solving to reduce variation, eliminate waste, improve flow, and strengthen operational performance. This role requires someone who can move comfortably between strategy and execution, influence across functions, and develop sustainable capabilities rather than simply execute individual improvement projects.

Our Team

The Aerospace & Defense Solutions (ADS) division supports highly engineered products and solutions for demanding aerospace, defense, and related markets.

In this role, you will work closely with leaders and teams across Operations, Manufacturing, Engineering, Quality, Supply Chain, Program Management, Finance, and other business functions. You will lead through influence, coaching, facilitation, and disciplined execution to help teams identify constraints, solve complex problems, and improve business outcomes.

What You Will Do

• Lead and support operational excellence strategies and initiatives aligned with ADS business and operational priorities.
• Drive measurable improvements across Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost, Productivity, and working capital through structured problem solving and continuous improvement.
• Champion adoption and maturation of the Molex Operating System (MOS), helping teams translate operating-system principles into daily behaviors and sustainable business results.
• Identify and prioritize the highest-value improvement opportunities using operational data, business priorities, and economic thinking.
• Lead complex Lean and Six Sigma projects focused on reducing process variation, eliminating waste, improving manufacturing flow, and increasing operational effectiveness.
• Facilitate Kaizen events, Rapid Improvement Events, value-stream activities, root-cause analysis, and other structured problem-solving efforts.
• Partner with manufacturing and engineering teams to improve process capability, throughput, capacity utilization, yield, and overall equipment and process effectiveness.
• Coach leaders and cross-functional teams in Lean, Six Sigma, problem solving, and continuous improvement methodologies to build sustainable capability throughout the organization.
• Establish meaningful performance indicators and management routines that create visibility to operational performance, constraints, and improvement priorities.
• Partner with Quality and Engineering to reduce defects, scrap, rework, and process variation while improving product and process capability.
• Collaborate with Supply Chain, Planning, and Operations to improve material flow, inventory performance, lead times, and delivery execution.
• Develop business cases and quantify the financial and operational value of improvement opportunities in partnership with Finance and business leaders.
• Track improvement initiatives, milestones, benefits, risks, and sustainability of results using applicable MOS and project-management tools.
• Promote a culture of experimentation, learning, accountability, and continuous improvement by challenging existing assumptions and identifying better ways to create value.
• Share and leverage best practices across ADS operations to accelerate learning and replicate successful improvements.
• Support 5S, EHS, Quality, Lean, and other operational programs consistent with applicable procedures and business requirements.
• Perform other responsibilities as assigned.

Who You Are (Basic Qualifications)

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations, Quality, Supply Chain, Business, or a related discipline.
• Demonstrated experience leading continuous improvement, operational excellence, Lean, Six Sigma, or manufacturing transformation initiatives.
• Experience applying structured problem-solving methodologies to complex manufacturing or operational challenges.
• Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional initiatives and influence results without relying solely on direct authority.
• Experience using data and statistical analysis to identify root causes, measure process performance, and make informed business decisions.
• Strong communication, facilitation, presentation, and stakeholder-management skills.
• Demonstrated ability to translate improvement opportunities into measurable operational and financial results.
• Experience working within a manufacturing or operations environment.

What Will Put You Ahead

• Six Sigma Black Belt or Master Black Belt certification.
• Lean certification or demonstrated advanced experience applying Lean methodologies in a manufacturing environment.
• Experience implementing or advancing an enterprise operating system such as MOS or a comparable Lean operating system.
• Experience supporting high-mix, low-volume and/or complex manufacturing operations.
• Experience within aerospace, defense, electronics, interconnect, semiconductor, or other highly engineered manufacturing environments.
• Experience improving manufacturing flow, capacity, yield, lead time, delivery performance, inventory, and cost.
• Experience developing and coaching leaders and teams in Lean, Six Sigma, and structured problem-solving methodologies.
• Experience leading improvement initiatives across multiple functions, facilities, or business units.
• Strong financial acumen with experience connecting operational improvements to economic and business outcomes.

GENERAL SALARY RANGE

For this role, we anticipate paying $85,000- $130,000 per year. This role is eligible for variable pay, issued as a monetary bonus or in another form.

Hiring Philosophy

All Koch companies value diversity of thought, perspectives, aptitudes, experiences, and backgrounds. We are Military Ready and Second Chance employers. Learn more about our hiring philosophy here.

Who We Are

Aerospace & Defense Solutions (ADS)

Molex's Aerospace & Defense Solutions (ADS) Division delivers mission-critical connectivity, signal technologies, and electronic solutions designed for the most demanding environments. Drawing on decades of engineering excellence and innovation, we support aerospace, defense, space, and other high-reliability markets where performance is essential and failure is not an option.

From enabling next-generation communications and data transfer to providing rugged interconnect and electronic solutions for mission-critical systems, our technologies help customers advance capabilities across air, land, sea, and space. At ADS, we combine deep technical expertise, operational excellence, and a culture of principled entrepreneurship to create value for our customers, communities, and one another.

Join us and help shape the future of aerospace and defense through innovation, reliability, and purpose-driven solutions.

At Koch, employees are empowered to do what they do best to make life better. Learn how our business philosophy helps employees unleash their potential while creating value for themselves and the company.

Our Benefits

Our goal is for each employee, and their families, to live fulfilling and healthy lives. We provide essential resources and support to build and maintain physical, financial, and emotional strength - focusing on overall wellbeing so you can focus on what matters most. Our benefits plan includes - medical, dental, vision, flexible spending and health savings accounts, life insurance, ADD, disability, retirement, paid vacation/time off, educational assistance, and may also include infertility assistance, paid parental leave and adoption assistance.

Specific eligibility criteria is set by the applicable Summary Plan Description, policy or guideline and benefits may vary by geographic region. If you have questions on what benefits apply to you, please speak to your recruiter.

Additionally, everyone has individual work and personal needs. We seek to enable the best work environment that helps you and the business work together to produce superior results.

Equal Opportunities

Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability and protected veteran status. Except where prohibited by state law, some offers of employment are conditioned upon successfully passing a drug test. This employer uses E-Verify. Please click here for additional information. (For Illinois E-Verify information click here, aquí, or tu).

In order to comply with U.S. export control laws and regulations, this position requires applicants to either provide proof of U.S. citizenship or lawful permanent resident status or be eligible to receive an export authorization (a license) under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations and/or the Export Administration Regulations.