Operational Excellence Supervisor

Who We Are:

Thank you for your interest in Mueller Water Products, Inc.  

For more than 165 years, Mueller Water Products, Inc. has been building the future of water infrastructure. From lifesaving fire protection to data intelligence, we are committed to developing products and solutions that help cities and utilities deliver clean, safe drinking water to hundreds of millions of people across North America.   

Our purpose is to connect communities to water, life’s most essential resource, with exceptional, people solutions and products. Behind that purpose is a dedicated team, united by our shared values of respect, integrity, trust, inclusion and safety. With a vision to be the leader in water infrastructure solutions—solving challenges, enriching lives and safeguarding the future—we are making a positive impact that will last for generations.   

By joining Mueller, you become part of a dynamic team dedicated to excellence and innovation, working collaboratively to achieve meaningful results. We champion our people because when they succeed, our communities thrive. We invite you to learn more about career opportunities with us and consider submitting your application.  



Operational Excellence Supervisor

Position Summary

Mueller Water Products is a leading manufacturer of flow control products for the water and gas distribution industries. Our manufacturing commitment helps ensure that one of the world's most precious resources lean drinking water reaches millions of people every day.

 

The Operational Excellence Supervisor leads the facility's Operational Excellence function and is responsible for developing the OPEX team and delivering measurable, sustainable improvements in Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost, Productivity and Capacity.

 

This position leads Mechanical Engineers and Lean People and partners closely with Operations, Quality, Maintenance, Supply Chain, Engineering, EHS and other functions to improve manufacturing performance, eliminate waste and variation, strengthen processes, reduce cost, and build organizational capability.

 

The Operational Excellence Supervisor is a key change leader within the facility, responsible for establishing priorities, developing people, leading improvement initiatives and ensuring improvements are implemented, measured, financially validated and sustained.

 

Primary Responsibilities

Leadership & Organizational Development

• Lead, develop, coach, and hold accountable Mechanical Engineers and Lean People to achieve individual, team and plant objectives
• Establish clear priorities, expectations, goals and performance measures for the OPEX team
• Build the technical, leadership and problem-solving capability of engineers, Lean People, supervisors and production employees
• Develop a culture of ownership, accountability, employee involvement, and continuous improvement
• Develop talent and succession capability within the OPEX organization
• Build strong working relationships with Operations, Quality, Maintenance, Supply Chain, Engineering, EHS, and other functional leaders
• Lead through influence and collaboration while maintaining accountability for commitments and results

Operational Excellence & Business Performance

• Develop and execute the facility's Operational Excellence strategy and improvement roadmap in alignment with the Manufacturing Manager and business objectives
• Identify and prioritize the facility's improvement portfolio based on business impact, urgency, risk, resources and expected return
• Lead initiatives that improve Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost, Productivity, Capacity and customer satisfaction
• Identify and eliminate waste, bottlenecks, variation, defects, downtime and non-value-added activities
• Lead Lean Six Sigma, Kaizen, DMAIC, A3, PDCA and other structured improvement initiatives
• Lead Value Stream Mapping and future-state planning to improve material and information flow
• Ensure improvements are translated into standard work, daily management practices and sustainable operating processes
• Maintain a strong presence on the manufacturing floor through Gemba walks, direct observation, data analysis and engagement with employees and leaders

Cost Reduction & Financial Improvement

• Identify and lead initiatives that reduce manufacturing cost and improve financial performance
• Establish cost-reduction opportunities through labor productivity, scrap and rework reduction, material utilization, downtime reduction, cycle-time improvement, capacity improvement, inventory reduction and process optimization
• Develop business cases and financial justification for significant improvement and capital projects
• Establish project baselines and quantify expected financial benefits before implementation where appropriate
• Partner with Finance and Manufacturing leadership to validate savings, cost avoidance, productivity improvements, and other financial benefits
• Ensure cost savings and productivity improvements are sustained and reflected in ongoing performance
• Maintain an improvement pipeline that includes both operational and financially significant opportunities

Daily Management & Performance Management

• Establish and strengthen daily management systems that enable teams and leaders to identify performance gaps and take timely corrective action
• Establish and maintain visual management and performance-review processes that make abnormalities, priorities and accountability visible
• Partner with Manufacturing leaders to strengthen Tier meetings, leader standard work, escalation processes and follow-through
• Monitor key performance indicators and ensure corrective actions are assigned, executed and sustained
• Use facts, data and direct observation to identify the highest-value opportunities for improvement
• Communicate plant performance, risks, opportunities and improvement progress to leadership

Manufacturing Engineering & Process Improvement

• Lead the engineering team in improving manufacturing processes, equipment utilization, throughput, cycle time, capacity, labor productivity and process capability
• Evaluate processes and equipment to identify opportunities for simplification, automation, improved utilization and increased reliability
• Lead or support manufacturing equipment specification, procurement, installation, commissioning and process validation
• Develop and manage capital improvement projects, including scope, justification, implementation and verification of results
• Partner with Operations and Maintenance to identify and eliminate equipment and process constraints
• Ensure manufacturing process changes are effectively implemented, documented and sustained

Quality & Structured Problem Solving

• Partner with Quality and Manufacturing to improve Quality at the Source and first-time-right manufacturing
• Lead structured root-cause investigations and corrective actions for significant safety, quality, delivery, cost and productivity problems
• Utilize data and statistical methods to reduce process variation and improve process capability
• Apply appropriate problem-solving and risk-management methodologies based on the nature and complexity of the problem
• Develop and implement effective process controls, error-proofing and preventive action
• Ensure process improvements address safety, quality, regulatory and customer requirement
• Drive prevention of recurring problems rather than relying solely on corrective action

Standard Work & Process Control

• Develop and maintain standard work, work instructions, process sheets, work standards and other manufacturing documentation
• Ensure process changes are effectively communicated, implemented and incorporated into standard work
• Establish methods to verify adherence to standard work and identify opportunities for improvement
• Develop visual standards and controls that make abnormal conditions and process gaps readily visible
• Ensure completed improvements are transferred into normal operating practices and daily management

Project & Change Management

• Manage multiple improvement and engineering projects while balancing priorities, resources, timelines and business needs
• Establish project objectives, milestones, responsibilities, expected results and measures of success
• Identify and remove project roadblocks and escalate issues appropriately
• Lead organizational change by engaging employees, addressing barriers and ensuring adoption of new processes
• Verify operational and financial results and ensure successful projects are sustained after implementation

 

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Operations or a related technical discipline
• Five or more years of progressive experience in manufacturing, engineering, Operational Excellence, continuous improvement or a related field
• Demonstrated experience leading manufacturing improvement initiatives and delivering measurable operational and financial results
• Demonstrated leadership experience with the ability to develop people and hold others accountable
• Strong understanding of Lean Manufacturing and Operational Excellence principles
• Strong problem-solving, analytical, and data-analysis capabilities
• Experience applying structured problem-solving and continuous-improvement methodologies
• Ability to lead cross-functional teams and influence employees and leaders at all levels of an organization
• Strong written, verbal, presentation, facilitation and interpersonal communication skills.
• Strong organizational skills and ability to manage multiple priorities in a changing manufacturing environment

 

Preferred Qualifications

• Lean Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt certification
• Experience leading an Operational Excellence, Continuous Improvement or Manufacturing Engineering team
• Experience in high-mix, medium-volume manufacturing
• Experience in metal machining, fabrication, casting, molding, assembly or similar manufacturing environments
• Experience with capital equipment projects and manufacturing equipment procurement
• Experience with ERP/MRP systems and manufacturing data
• Experience with CAD systems such as AutoCAD or SolidWorks
• PMP or other recognized project-management certification is a plus
• Experience with rubber injection and compression molding is a plus

 

Lean & Manufacturing Knowledge

Strong working knowledge of appropriate Lean and manufacturing methodologies, including:

• Lean Six Sigma and Kaizen
• Value Stream Mapping
• 5S and visual management
• Standard work
• OEE
• SMED
• TPM
• SPC and process capability
• Root-cause analysis
• DMAIC / PDCA / A3 / 8D
• PFMEA and process risk analysis
• Poka-Yoke / mistake-proofing
• Bottleneck and constraint analysis
• Material and information flow
• Waste elimination and process optimization

 

The successful candidate is not expected to be an expert in every methodology listed above. The expectation is the individual can select and effectively apply the appropriate tools and methods to solve business and manufacturing problems.

 

Safety & Compliance

• Demonstrate visible leadership and personal commitment to a safe working environment
• Incorporate safety and ergonomic considerations into process, equipment and continuous-improvement activities
• Partner with EHS and Manufacturing to identify and eliminate safety risks
• Ensure process changes comply with applicable company policies, regulatory requirements and quality-system requirements
• Promote a culture in which employees are expected and empowered to identify and address safety concerns

 

Leadership Expectations

The successful candidate will:

• Lead with accountability, integrity, respect and a continuous-improvement mindset
• Develop people and organizational capability rather than simply solving problems for others
• Use facts, data and direct observation to drive decisions
• Communicate clearly and effectively with both hourly and salaried employees
• Influence across organizational boundaries and effectively manage difficult conversations
• Balance immediate operational needs with sustainable long-term improvement

 

Measures of Success

Success in this position will be demonstrated through measurable and sustainable improvement in:

• Safety performance
• Quality and first-pass yield
• Scrap and rework
• Throughput and capacity
• Cycle time
• OEE and equipment effectiveness
• Labor productivity
• On-time delivery
• Material and information flow
• Manufacturing cost
• Cost reduction and cost avoidance
• Verified productivity savings
• Process capability and variation
• Improvement-project execution and sustainability
• OPEX team performance and capability development
• Employee engagement and continuous-improvement capability
• Standard-work adoption and process discipline
• Verified financial and operational benefits

 

Physical Requirements & Work Environment

• Ability to work effectively in both office and industrial/manufacturing environments
• Ability to stand and/or walk for extended periods
• Ability to perform repetitive gross or fine motor movements using hands, wrists and fingers
• Ability to wear required Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), including safety glasses, steel-toed or metatarsal-guarded footwear, hearing protection and other PPE as required
• Ability to communicate effectively with employees and leaders in person, by telephone and through computer-based communication
• Ability to occasionally lift, carry, push, pull or move objects weighing up to 25 pounds
• Ability to occasionally reach overhead or at or below shoulder level
• Ability to occasionally stoop, crouch or kneel as required to observe manufacturing processes

 

Equal Opportunity

Mueller Water Products is committed to providing equal employment opportunities and maintaining a workplace where all employees are treated with dignity and respect. Employment decisions are made based on qualifications, experience, performance, business needs, and other applicable lawful criteria.







Mueller Water Products, Inc., as well as its subsidiaries, are equal employment employers. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, and/or expression), age, national origin, disability, citizenship status (except as authorized by law), protected veteran status, genetic information, and any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law. In keeping with its obligations under applicable federal, state, and local law, Mueller will make reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities. To request a reasonable accommodation at any time during the application or interview process, please contact a member of the Human Resources Department. 





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Accommodation:

If you require accommodations during any stage of the application or interview process, please let us know. We are happy to work with you to meet your needs.