Lean Quality Manager
Caterpillar · Victoria, TX
- Level
- Manager
- Team
- Lean / CI
- Base pay
- $113k–$169k
- Degree
- Required (or equivalent experience)
- Industry
- Industrial
- Posted
- Today
The role in 30 seconds
A management continuous improvement role at Caterpillar (industrial) in Victoria, TX. Lead, mentor, and develop managers, team leaders, quality specialists, and continuous improvement professionals.
- They ask for
- degree required (or equivalent experience)
- Tools it names
- Lean, Six Sigma, Kaizen, Value stream mapping, Root cause, DMAIC
- Base pay
- $113k–$169k
- Day to day
- relocation help
Read from the posting. The full description is below.
From the plant jobs report · week of November 2, 2026
Continuous Improvement roles in Texas: typical posted base $92k–$135k. This one lists $113k–$169k.
Median of the low and high ends of 6 live postings that list pay, out of 25 continuous improvement openings in Texas, read from manufacturers' own careers sites.
Texas plant jobs report →Pay by team and state →What moves pay →
How this role compares
Against 24 other live lean / ci postings in Texas.
- Base pay
- About 39% above similar roles
- Experience asked
- Not stated
Typical $76k–$127k, from 5 postings that list pay.
Similar roles usually ask 4+ years.
Skills these teams ask for most
- ✓ Lean 96%
- ✓ Six Sigma 72%
- ✓ Root cause 56%
- ✓ Value stream mapping 40%
- ✓ Kaizen 36%
- Green Belt 28%
✓ = this posting asks for it too. % = share of similar postings that mention it.
Stands out: this posting asks for Control plans, which few similar roles mention. If you have it, lead with it.
At a glance
Pulled from the posting text. If it's not listed here, the posting didn't say.
How to get in at this plant
Five moves over a week or two. The first one takes ten minutes.
- 1
Pick 2–3 people on the Lean / CI team at Caterpillar
We found 4 people at this company and state: 3 in this kind of role, 1 leaders. Engineers who joined in the last year or two reply the most. See them ↓
- 2
Send a short, curious note
One real question about their work. No favors yet. Each person gets a different note, written for this role.
Write to Kayla → (free) - 3
Turn a reply into a short call
Questions worth asking about this team:
- What does a normal week look like on your team?
- Is CI run from the plant floor or from a corporate OpEx group?
- Which metrics does leadership actually watch: OEE, scrap, cost per unit?
- How did you land the job? What stood out in your interviews?
- 4
Apply with someone vouching for you
If the call went well, ask whether they’d pass your résumé to the hiring manager. Send your résumé link, apply that day, and let them know.
- 5
Bring proof to the interview
One page of before-and-after numbers from projects you led: scrap, OEE, cycle time, cost. Plant managers hire on results.
This plant: Caterpillar in Victoria
1 other open role at this site · 4 people we found in lean / ci roles at Caterpillar.
- Production Technician- (PART-TIME) · Production · Technician
Full description from CaterpillarAs posted on their careers site.ShowHide
Position Summary
Caterpillar is seeking a Lean Quality Manager to lead the integration of Lean Manufacturing principles and Quality Management Systems across the Victoria facility. This role is responsible for driving continuous improvement, operational excellence, and product quality through strategic leadership, Lean deployment, project execution, and quality system management. The successful candidate will lead cross-functional teams, influence organizational change, and deliver measurable improvements in People, Quality, Velocity, and Cost (PQVC) performance.
What You Can Look Forward to in This Role
- ◆Serve as a strategic leader for the manufacturing operation, driving both Lean transformation and quality excellence across multiple value streams.
- ◆Lead, coach, and execute continuous improvement initiatives utilizing Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma methodologies to improve operational performance and customer satisfaction.
- ◆Oversee quality management systems, ensuring compliance with customer requirements, regulatory standards, and Caterpillar quality objectives.
- ◆Lead multiple teams including quality professionals, inspectors, project managers, and continuous improvement practitioners.
- ◆Develop and implement quality assurance strategies, corrective actions, preventive measures, and control plans that improve product quality and reliability.
- ◆Utilize Lean tools, Value Stream Mapping, Kaizen events, Six Sigma DMAIC methodology, and standard work practices to eliminate waste and improve productivity.
- ◆Coach employees and leaders on Lean principles, quality systems, problem-solving methodologies, and continuous improvement practices.
- ◆Build strong partnerships across operations, engineering, supply chain, and leadership teams to remove barriers and achieve business objectives.
- ◆Monitor key performance indicators and use data-driven decision making to improve safety, quality, employee engagement, operational velocity, and cost performance.
- ◆Analyze trends in internal and external non-conformance, leading root cause analysis and sustainable corrective actions.
Required Skills and Competencies
- ✓Lean Manufacturing leadership and deployment experience.
- ✓Strong knowledge of Quality Management Systems (QMS) and quality assurance principles.
- ✓Six Sigma DMAIC methodology and statistical problem-solving expertise.
- ✓Project and program management experience.
- ✓Decision making and critical thinking skills.
- ✓Process improvement and continuous improvement leadership.
- ✓Strong influencing and change management capabilities.
- ✓Planning, organizing, and execution excellence.
- ✓Root cause analysis and problem-solving expertise.
- ✓Relationship management and stakeholder engagement skills.
- ✓Ability to analyze data and drive business decisions based on performance metrics.
Preferred Qualifications
- ✓Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience.
- ✓Extensive experience leading facility-wide Lean deployment initiatives.
- ✓Demonstrated success leading quality organizations within a manufacturing environment.
- ✓Significant experience with Six Sigma, Lean Manufacturing, and continuous improvement methodologies.
- ✓Proven ability to communicate effectively with facility and senior leadership.
- ✓Experience leading through organizational change and influencing across functions.
- ✓Demonstrated success managing multiple teams and complex projects simultaneously.
Show full description ↓Show less ↑
Career Area
Strategy
Job Description
Your Work Shapes the World at Caterpillar Inc.
When you join Caterpillar, you're joining a global team who cares not just about the work we do – but also about each other. We are the makers, problem solvers, and future world builders who are creating stronger, more sustainable communities. We don't just talk about progress and innovation here – we make it happen, with our customers, where we work and live. Together, we are building a better world, so we can all enjoy living in it.
Lean Quality Manager
Location: Victoria, TX
Lean Leadership
- •Lead facility-wide Lean deployment and transformation initiatives across multiple value streams.
- •Serve as the site Subject Matter Expert (SME) for Lean tools, methodologies, and execution.
- •Facilitate Lean assessments and prioritize improvement opportunities.
- •Develop and deliver Lean training programs and workshops for employees and leaders.
- •Drive a culture of continuous improvement and operational excellence.
Quality Leadership
- •Oversee administration, compliance, and continual improvement of the Quality Management System (QMS).
- •Ensure effective implementation of quality standards, processes, and auditing practices.
- •Lead quality investigations, root cause analysis, corrective actions, and preventive actions.
- •Partner with engineering and production teams to resolve quality concerns and improve manufacturing performance.
- •Review and communicate quality metrics, trends, and improvement opportunities with facility leadership.
Team and Project Leadership
- •Lead, mentor, and develop managers, team leaders, quality specialists, and continuous improvement professionals.
- •Manage complex improvement programs and projects from identification through implementation and sustainment.
- •Establish cross-functional networks to secure resources and remove organizational roadblocks.
- •Promote professional project management techniques and accountability across teams.
Additional Information
- •Primary location: Victoria, Texas.
- •Relocation assistance is not available.
- •Sponsorship is not available for this position.
This position combines strategic ownership of both Lean Manufacturing deployment and Quality Management Systems, serving as the site's leader for continuous improvement, operational excellence, and product quality performance.
Summary Pay Range
$112,710.00 - $169,060.00