Enterprise Excellence Manager

Company / Location Information

A.O. Smith is a global leader applying innovative technologies and energy-efficient solutions to products manufactured and marketed worldwide. The company is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of residential and commercial water heating equipment and boilers, as well as a manufacturer of water treatment products for residential and light commercial applications. A. O. Smith is headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, with approximately 12,000 employees at operations in the United States, Canada, China, India, Mexico, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom.

Primary Function

The EE Manager II leads strategic, enterprise-wide improvement initiatives at Business Unit (BU) or Global Shared Service level.   This senior-level role is responsible for the design and deployment of high-impact CI strategies, providing mentorship to other CI professionals and teams, and aligning CI projects with broader business goals.

The EE Manager II drives innovation and sustainability in Operational & Enterprise Excellence while championing the organization's transformation into a world-class manufacturing company.

Responsibilities

• Partner with process owners, functional leaders, and operational leaders to identify, prioritize, and execute improvement initiatives aligned to strategic goals.
• Facilitate Continuous Improvement events, training, and workshops that address key business challenges and deliver improvements in Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost, and Employee Engagement.
• Coach leaders at all levels in A. O. Smith Operating System (AOSos) leadership philosophy, behaviors, and tools
• Develop & Deliver internal training and certification programs to expand organizational capability.
• Facilitate the Lean Maturity Model Assessment Process.  Coordinate implementation of identified opportunities by actively partnering with local personnel and continuous improvement teams.
• Lead in the development and coordination of internal standards; best practices, templates, playbooks, and CI roadmaps.
• Develop and implement governance routines, scorecards, and dashboards to track impact and sustainment.  Report on CI performance metrics and provide recommendations to senior management.
• Provide guidance and counsel to business partners as a Subject Matter Expert in continuous improvement and lean manufacturing principles and application.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Operations, or related field.
• 7+ years of relevant work experience in Lean, Continuous Improvement (CI), or operational excellence within manufacturing or service settings.
• Expertise in advanced Lean tools & CI methodologies.
• Strong leadership and change management experience, including mentoring and developing teams. Demonstrated advanced skill in coaching.
• High-level problem-solving, influencing skills, and project management skills.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills
• Demonstrated ability to drive sustainable change at the organizational level.
• Formal training in Change Management/Continuous Improvement

ADDITIONAL QUALIFICATIONS: 

(Preferred qualifications- nice to have, but not required)

• Experience in using and embedding Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools in the Continuous improvement process
• Advanced computer proficiency, MS Office, SAP preferred

We Offer

Competitive compensation package and comprehensive benefits plans which include medical and dental insurance, company-sponsored life insurance, retirement security savings plan, short- and long-term disability programs and tuition assistance.

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ADA Statement & EEO Statement

In developing this job description care was taken to include all competencies needed to successfully perform in this position. However, for Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) purposes, the essential functions of the job may or may not have been described for purposes of ADA reasonable accommodation. All reasonable accommodation requests will be reviewed and evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

We consider all applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, gender identity and expression, marital or military status. We also provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and applicable state and local law.