Sr. Operational Excellence Specialist
Silfab Solar · Fort Mill, SC
- Level
- Senior
- Team
- Lean / CI
- Degree
- Required
- Experience asked
- 4+ years
- Certification
- Black Belt required
- Industry
- Industrial
- Posted
- 30+ days ago
The role in 30 seconds
A senior continuous improvement role at Silfab Solar (industrial) in Fort Mill, SC.
- They ask for
- 4+ years · degree required · Black Belt required
- Tools it names
- Lean, Six Sigma, Black Belt, Green Belt, Kaizen, 5S
Read from the posting. The full description is below.
How this role compares
Against 12 other live lean / ci postings in South Carolina.
- Base pay
- Not listed in this posting
- Experience asked
- More than usual (4+ vs 2+)
Typical $97k–$143k, from 7 postings that list pay.
Similar roles usually ask 2+ years.
Skills these teams ask for most
- ✓ Lean 77%
- ✓ Six Sigma 54%
- ✓ Value stream mapping 46%
- Tooling 46%
- ✓ Root cause 38%
- Automation 38%
✓ = this posting asks for it too. % = share of similar postings that mention it.
Stands out: this posting asks for 5S, TPM, OEE, Power BI / Tableau, 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 Silfab Solar
Engineers who joined in the last year or two reply the most. Use the team search on this page to find 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.
- 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?
- The posting mentions a Black Belt. Does the company sponsor certification?
- 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: Silfab Solar in Fort Mill
6 other open roles at this site.
- Process Engineer · Process
- Production Supervisor Module (Pitman Day Shift) · Production · Supervisor
- Facilities Engineer · Reliability
- Quality Technician (Pitman Night Shift) · Quality · Technician
- Quality Engineer · Quality
- Product Reliability Engineer · Reliability
Full description from Silfab SolarAs posted on their careers site.ShowHide
Position Summary
We are seeking a results-driven Senior Operational Excellence Specialist to lead and drive continuous improvement initiatives within our manufacturing plant. This role will focus on improving operational performance through Lean Manufacturing, Continuous Improvement (CI), safety enhancement, quality improvement, machine/process optimization, cycle time reduction, productivity improvement, and cost-saving initiatives. The ideal candidate will play a key role in fostering a culture of operational excellence and continuous improvement across the plant while collaborating cross-functionally with production, maintenance, quality, engineering, and safety teams.
Responsibilities
- ◆Lead and execute Continuous Improvement (CI) initiatives across the manufacturing plant.
- ◆Identify opportunities to improve operational efficiency, productivity, throughput, and overall equipment effectiveness (OEE).
- ◆Drive Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma methodologies to eliminate waste and improve process stability.
- ◆Facilitate Kaizen events, root cause analysis, and problem-solving workshops.
- ◆Support cultural transformation toward operational excellence and continuous improvement mindset.
- ◆Promote and support a strong safety culture by identifying and implementing safety improvements.
- ◆Collaborate with EHS and Quality teams to reduce incidents, defects, rework, and process variation.
- ◆Participate in investigations and corrective/preventive actions (CAPA).
- ◆Ensure improvement initiatives align with plant quality and compliance standards.
- ◆Analyze manufacturing processes and equipment performance to identify bottlenecks and inefficiencies.
- ◆Partner with Maintenance and Engineering teams on machine-related improvements and reliability initiatives.
- ◆Support cycle time reduction and process standardization projects.
- ◆Monitor KPIs and operational metrics to drive data-based decisions.
- ◆Lead cost reduction initiatives through waste elimination, process optimization, and productivity enhancement.
- ◆Develop and track measurable savings from operational excellence initiatives.
- ◆Improve labor efficiency, material utilization, and production flow.
- ◆Participate in and support Lean Six Sigma training programs.
- ◆Mentor and coach plant employees on CI tools and methodologies.
- ◆Assist in developing standard work, visual management, and operational procedures.
- ◆Support employee engagement and cultural change initiatives.
- ◆Utilize data analytics and reporting tools to identify trends and opportunities.
- ◆Develop dashboards and performance reports using Power BI or similar tools.
- ◆Explore opportunities to leverage AI and digital technologies to improve operational performance and decision-making.
Required
- ✓Bachelor’s degree in engineering, Manufacturing, Operations Management, Industrial Engineering, or related field required.
- ✓Minimum 4+ years of experience in manufacturing, operational excellence, continuous improvement, or industrial engineering roles.
- ✓Proven experience leading CI, Lean, or Six Sigma initiatives in a manufacturing environment.
- ✓Lean Six Sigma Green Belt required.
- ✓Strong knowledge of Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, Kaizen, 5S, VSM, Root Cause Analysis, and TPM.
- ✓Experience with manufacturing KPIs, OEE, cycle time analysis, and productivity improvement.
- ✓Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite.
Show full description ↓Show less ↑
Skills
- •Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
- •Excellent communication and stakeholder management abilities.
- •Ability to influence cross-functional teams and drive change.
- •Strong project management and organizational skills.
- •Self-motivated with a hands-on approach to operational improvement.
Preferred
- +Master’s degree preferred.
- +Black Belt preferred.
- +Power BI expertise preferred.
- +Knowledge or experience with AI-driven analytics/tools is a strong plus.