Operational Excellence Lead Coordinator
Job Summary
Job Title: Operational Excellence Lead / Coordinator
Reports to: Head of Manufacturing
Location: Nairobi Kenya
Our client is a well-established battery manufacturing company with significant operations in East Africa. Committed to operational excellence product quality and sustainable growth the organization continues to strengthen its continuous improvement agenda across its manufacturing operations.
In line with this focus the company seeks an experienced hands-on Operational Excellence Lead to coordinate and drive its improvement agenda across manufacturing operations improving safety quality delivery productivity cost and equipment performance through Lean Manufacturing Kaizen Total Productive Maintenance Autonomous Maintenance structured problem-solving and appropriate AI-enabled tools and analytics. Working through existing departmental teams the role holder will establish current performance and Autonomous Maintenance baselines identify gaps build internal capability and coordinate the organizations transition from current performance levels to the revised targets and standards approved by the Company delivering measurable and sustainable results.
1. Operational Excellence Strategy Roadmap & Performance Coordination
- Coordinate implementation of the Operational Excellence roadmap and annual improvement plan in line with business priorities
- Establish practical improvement standards project controls performance indicators and management dashboards
- Assess current performance against approved targets identify gaps and coordinate action plans to achieve the revised targets communicated by the Company
- Provide management with concise reporting on performance benefits risks barriers and required interventions
2. Lean Manufacturing Kaizen & Continuous Improvement
- Coordinate Lean Manufacturing Kaizen 6S visual management process mapping and structured problem-solving initiatives
- Prioritize improvement projects using operational data business impact and available resources
- Drive reduction of waste scrap rework downtime process variation and non-value-adding activities while improving throughput and resource utilization
- Ensure approved improvements are documented standardized sustained and replicated where relevant
3. Total Productive Maintenance & Autonomous Maintenance
- Champion Total Productive Maintenance and Autonomous Maintenance in partnership with Production and Engineering
- Establish the Autonomous Maintenance baseline for priority equipment and coordinate progression through approved AM steps to the Company-approved target maturity level
- Improve equipment reliability availability utilization planned maintenance compliance and Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE)
- Monitor TPM and AM implementation milestones and coordinate closure of agreed assessment audit and review actions
4. Cross-Functional Project & Change Management
- Coordinate cross-functional improvement initiatives involving Production Engineering Quality Supply Chain Health and Safety Finance Human Resources and other relevant functions
- Define project scope milestones responsibilities and expected benefits and escalate material delays or barriers
- Validate operational and financial benefits with the relevant functions and maintain concise project records and lessons learnt
5. Safety Quality & Management Systems Compliance
- Embed safety health environmental and quality requirements in all improvement initiatives and ensure changes do not introduce uncontrolled risk
- Support continual improvement of Company policies procedures and applicable standards including ISO 9001 ISO 14001 ISO 17025 and IATF requirements adopted by the Company
- Participate in audits and assessments and monitor timely closure of relevant findings
6. Capability Building Coaching & Stakeholder Engagement
- Assess capability gaps and deliver practical training coaching and facilitation in Lean Kaizen TPM Autonomous Maintenance and structured problem-solving
- Develop Kaizen champions and strengthen accountability for improvement at management supervisory and employee levels
- Engage stakeholders communicate the purpose and progress of changes and address barriers to adoption and sustainability
- Coordinate Operational Excellence activities through existing departmental teams and assigned cross-functional project teams
- Provide practical guidance coaching and facilitation without assuming line-management responsibility for participating employees
7. Data Analytics AI-Enabled Improvement & Resource Management
- Explore and where appropriate support the application of AI-enabled tools and analytics to identify trends strengthen performance monitoring and support data-driven improvement decisions
- Manage assigned project resources within approved budgets policies and delegated authority and perform other reasonable duties within the scope of the role
- Operational Excellence Lean Manufacturing & Kaizen
- Total Productive Maintenance Autonomous Maintenance 6S & Visual Management
- Equipment Reliability & Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE)
- Root-Cause Analysis Process Mapping & Structured Problem-Solving
- Project & Change Management
- Operational Data Analysis & Benefits Validation
- Awareness of AI-Enabled Tools & Analytics for Operational Excellence
- Strategic & Systems Thinking with Results Orientation & Accountability
- Influencing Without Direct Authority & Stakeholder Collaboration
- Training Coaching & Facilitation
- Integrity Sound Judgement & Attention to Detail
- Bachelors degree in Industrial Mechanical Manufacturing Production or Process Engineering Operations Management or a related discipline
- Lean Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt certification is desirable; Kaizen TPM Project Management or ISO Auditor certification is an added advantage
- Minimum 5 years relevant experience in a manufacturing or industrial environment including practical responsibility for coordinating or leading Operational Excellence Lean Kaizen TPM Autonomous Maintenance or continuous improvement initiatives
- Demonstrated experience delivering cross-functional projects and measurable sustained improvement in productivity cost quality or equipment performance
- Exposure to or practical experience in applying piloting or integrating AI-enabled tools or analytics within Operational Excellence (process optimization predictive insights performance monitoring or data-driven decision-making) is an added advantage
- Proven ability to coordinate cross-functional teams influence without direct authority and deliver sustainable business results
Required Skills:
Bachelors degree in Industrial Mechanical Manufacturing Production or Process Engineering Operations Management or a related discipline Lean Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt certification is desirable; Kaizen TPM Project Management or ISO Auditor certification is an added advantage Minimum 5 years relevant experience in a manufacturing or industrial environment including practical responsibility for coordinating or leading Operational Excellence Lean Kaizen TPM Autonomous Maintenance or continuous improvement initiatives Demonstrated experience delivering cross-functional projects and measurable sustained improvement in productivity cost quality or equipment performance Exposure to or practical experience in applying piloting or integrating AI-enabled tools or analytics within Operational Excellence (process optimization predictive insights performance monitoring or data-driven decision-making) is an added advantage Proven ability to coordinate cross-functional teams influence without direct authority and deliver sustainable business results