Sr. Manager Operational Excellence & Digital Transformation

 , Michigan (US-MI) 

Sr. Manager, Operational Excellence & Digital Transformation

Location: Nexteer Automotive Corporation – Saginaw MI (USA)

Reports To: U.S. Division President

About the Role

We are seeking a highly motivated change agent to lead enterprise-wide business transformation initiatives that simplify processes, eliminate waste, and improve operational performance across our U.S. organization. Reporting directly to the U.S. Division President, this leader will partner with business and functional leaders to identify opportunities, redesign processes, and implement sustainable improvements using Lean methodologies, digital technologies, automation, and data analytics.

This role is not simply about implementing technology, it is about understanding how work gets done, challenging the status quo, and helping the organization build more efficient, standardized, and scalable processes. The successful candidate will be equally comfortable facilitating a value stream mapping workshop on the plant floor, redesigning an administrative process with Finance or HR, or deploying digital tools that improve decision making and execution.

Key Responsibilities

• Serve as an enterprise-wide change agent, leading strategic business transformation initiatives that improve productivity, quality, customer service, and cost competitiveness.
• Facilitate Value Stream Mapping (VSM), process mapping, Kaizen events, and waste identification workshops across manufacturing and business functions.
• Analyze current-state processes to identify bottlenecks, redundancies, non-value-added activities, and opportunities for standardization and automation.
• Lead cross-functional teams in redesigning business processes using Lean principles, operational excellence methodologies, and digital technologies.
• Develop and execute a digital transformation roadmap aligned with the company's strategic priorities.
• Partner with Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Engineering, Quality, Finance, HR, Purchasing, and IT to improve end-to-end business processes.
• Evaluate opportunities to leverage automation, AI, business intelligence, workflow tools, and advanced analytics to improve operational effectiveness.
• Drive organizational adoption of new processes by leading change management efforts, stakeholder engagement, and employee training.
• Establish performance metrics and dashboards to measure process improvements and sustain gains.
• Partner with IT to ensure technology solutions support business objectives while simplifying user experience and reducing manual work.
• Build a culture of continuous improvement where employees routinely identify and eliminate waste.
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives across both manufacturing operations and administrative functions.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Operations Management, Industrial Engineering, Business, Information Systems, or related discipline.
• 8+ years of progressive leadership experience in business transformation, operational excellence, continuous improvement, manufacturing, industrial engineering, or digital transformation.
• Demonstrated success leading enterprise-wide process improvement initiatives with measurable business impact.
• Strong experience applying Lean methodologies, including:
• Value Stream Mapping
• Process Mapping
• Kaizen
• Root Cause Analysis
• Standard Work
• Visual Management
• Waste Elimination
• Proven ability to facilitate cross-functional workshops and build consensus among diverse stakeholders.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities with the ability to translate data into actionable business improvements.
• Experience leading organizational change and influencing leaders without direct authority.
• Excellent communication and executive presentation skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience implementing digital manufacturing technologies, automation, AI, or workflow automation