DESCRIPTION

Job Summary

The Operations Excellence Specialist – Senior provides Operations Excellence support to small plants or sites new to Operations Excellence or reporting to a COS Program Manager – Senior. This role guides and coaches teams to progress toward World Class Manufacturing by applying the Cummins Operating System (COS) principles and Operations Excellence Key Processes. The position leads functional and cross-functional improvement initiatives, supports end-to-end value stream performance, and partners with stakeholders to deliver measurable improvements in operational performance and customer outcomes.

Key Responsibilities

• Apply Operations Excellence principles and Cummins Operating System (COS) standards to drive continuous and step-change improvement across manufacturing and support functions.
• Lead the development and deployment of manufacturing standards, working methods, and best practices aligned with Operations Excellence Guidelines.
• Influence, engage, and communicate effectively with business leaders, functional leaders, and key stakeholders to drive alignment and execution.
• Establish and maintain strong relationships with stakeholders while coaching teams toward sustainable improvement.
• Coordinate the development of plant maturity goals in collaboration with business leaders, functional leaders, and end-to-end process owners.
• Execute the Corporate Operations Excellence strategy and roadmap to achieve defined plant maturity and performance objectives.
• Coach leaders and teams to identify issues and opportunities, prioritize improvement initiatives, and ensure successful implementation.
• Partner with end-to-end process owners and Operations Excellence peers to prioritize plant-level continuous improvement efforts.
• Lead and manage cross-functional improvement projects and initiatives in a manufacturing environment.
• Diagnose and resolve complex manufacturing and operational issues, providing scalable solutions across the Cummins network.
• Drive measurable, data-based improvements that deliver significant impact to safety, quality, delivery, cost, and customer satisfaction.
• Lead and participate in knowledge sharing to build plant subject-matter expertise across one or more functional areas.
• Champion a culture of continuous improvement and operational discipline throughout the plant.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Competencies

• Action Oriented: Takes initiative and drives results with urgency, energy, and persistence.
• Collaborates: Builds strong partnerships and works effectively across teams and functions.
• Customer Focus: Delivers customer-centric solutions that improve value stream performance.
• Drives Engagement: Creates an environment where teams are motivated to achieve shared goals.
• Manages Ambiguity: Operates effectively in uncertain and evolving situations.
• Manages Complexity: Analyzes complex data and situations to enable effective problem solving.
• Manages Conflict: Addresses conflict constructively while maintaining productive relationships.
• Optimizes Work Processes: Continuously improves processes to increase efficiency and effectiveness.
• Situational Adaptability: Adjusts leadership style and approach to meet changing demands.
• Continuous Process Improvement: Applies waste reduction and process improvement methodologies to reduce cost and improve quality.
• Values Differences: Leverages diverse perspectives and backgrounds to enhance decision-making and innovation.

Qualifications

• College, university, or equivalent degree, or equivalent practical experience.
• Demonstrated competence in Operations Excellence, continuous improvement, or manufacturing operations.
• This role may require licensing or authorization to comply with export controls or sanctions regulations.

QUALIFICATIONS

Skills and Experience

• Intermediate level of relevant work experience required.
• Manufacturing or manufacturing plant experience preferred.
• Experience leading or influencing teams and cross-functional stakeholders.
• Strong working knowledge of Operations Excellence, Lean, and continuous improvement methodologies.
• Ability to lead improvement initiatives aligned to end-to-end value stream performance.
• Proven capability to deliver measurable and sustainable operational improvements using data-driven approaches.

Additional Qualifications – Internal Candidates

• 10–15 years of progressive experience in manufacturing, operations excellence, or continuous improvement roles.
• Expertise in:
• Plant Goal Tree planning and project execution
• Value Stream Mapping (VSM) and supply chain optimization
• Plant managed expense analysis and cost reduction initiatives
• Manufacturing process flow optimization and simulations using Dassault Systems 3DX
• Ergonomics assessment and mitigation planning
• Engineering material flow design and implementation
• Time and motion studies, line balancing, and method studies
• Sustainability and waste reduction initiatives
• Team-Based Work Systems (TBWS)
• Kaizen, Lean practices, and continuous improvement frameworks
• Standardization of processes and operational excellence systems
• Cross-functional collaboration and stakeholder management
• Plant assessment readiness and process compliance
• Root cause analysis and structured problem solving
• Data-driven decision making

Job Manufacturing

Organization Cummins Inc.

Role Category On-site with Flexibility

Job Type Exempt - Experienced

ReqID 2423154

Relocation Package Yes

100% On-Site No