Job Description

Position: Operational Excellence Manager

Organization

• Function: Manufacturing / Operations
• Country: Belgium
• Location: NNS - Nexans Erembodegem – Euromold Division
• Supervisor (N+1): Plant Manager
• Direct Reports: /

Context/Main focus Areas

• Increase site competitiveness
• Optimize excess and constrained capacity
• Reduce raw material, manufacturing, and logistics costs
• Improve operational efficiency and productivity
• Support daily production performance
• Strengthen continuous improvement culture
• Enable sustainable site transformation and growth support

Purpose

The role focuses on structuring, driving, and monitoring continuous improvement initiatives with a strong emphasis on data-driven cost optimization, operational excellence, and root cause analysis within the accessories production site of Nexans Erembodegem..

Reporting directly to the Plant Manager, the Operational Excellence Manager will support the transformation of the site by improving competitiveness, optimizing manufacturing performance, strengthening continuous improvement management, and enabling sustainable growth opportunities.

The position plays a key role in analysing production methods, identifying inefficiencies, and implementing corrective actions to improve productivity, quality, capacity utilization, and overall operational performance.

Areas of responsibility

Standards, Tools & Methodology

Standards (i.e. scrap rate, standard time, breakdown rate, etc…) are deployed, reinforced, harmonized, and continuously improved under the leadership of Operational Excellence Manager.

The Operational Excellence Manager will:

1. Track opportunities for improvement
• Systematically analyze production trends and process data (including OEE, losses, deviations).
• Use video analysis and other observation tools to identify waste, non‑standard work, and safety/quality risks.
• Translate insights into prioritized improvement opportunities and structured action plans.
2. Simplify, harmonize, and reinforce tools & methods
• Define and maintain a standard toolbox for performance analysis, problem solving, and continuous improvement (e.g. standards for KPIs, data dashboards, root cause analysis, visual management).
• Simplify and harmonize practices across production areas so that Process Engineers work with common standards and routines.
• Ensure that standards are understood, applied consistently, and regularly updated, through coaching, training, and support to Process Engineers and line management.

Continuous Improvement & Cost Optimization

• Lead and coordinate improvement projects focused on:
• Increasing site competitiveness
• Reducing manufacturing, raw material, and logistics costs
• Optimizing production capacity and utilization
• Supporting capacity resizing and balancing initiatives
• Identify cost reduction opportunities through detailed operational and financial data analysis.
• Analyse operational losses and inefficiencies to define sustainable corrective actions.
• Support productivity and efficiency improvement initiatives across all production areas.

Operational Support

• Support production operations in achieving performance targets related to safety, quality, delivery, and cost.
• Work closely with production, maintenance, supply chain, quality, and engineering teams to drive operational improvements.
• Provide technical and methodological expertise to management activities.
• Facilitate cross-functional collaboration to ensure successful implementation of improvement actions.

Site Transformation & Growth Support

• Support the transformation of the site to capture future growth opportunities.
• Strengthen the site’s continuous improvement culture and operational discipline.
• Contribute to strategic initiatives related to industrial optimization, footprint adaptation, and operational scalability.
• Promote a culture of accountability, problem-solving, and performance ownership.

Crisis Management

• Provide methodological and analytical support in case of major incidents or crises (e.g. quality issues, major breakdowns, delivery crisis) to quickly secure the situation, analyze root causes, and define robust corrective actions

Key Competencies

• Analytical mindset with strong data interpretation capabilities
• Structured problem-solving and root cause analysis
• Project management and organizational skills
• Leadership and change management
• Operational and business acumen
• Continuous improvement mindset
• Strong collaboration and communication skills
• Result-oriented and hands-on approach

Key Interfaces

• Industrial Operations Manager and Area Managers, Process Engineer: alignment on weekly/monthly performance, production priorities, and improvement roadmap, reinforce/harmonize/simplify daily tracking tools.
• Methods & Industrial Projects / Industrialization: coordination on product/process industrialization, new equipment ramp up, and standard (OEE parameters).
• Maintenance: joint work on equipment reliability, OEE improvement, and recurrent breakdown analysis.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Engineering, Industrial Management, Operations, or related field.
• Proven experience in manufacturing, production methods, industrial engineering, or continuous improvement roles.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities with experience in data-driven decision making.
• Experience leading improvement projects within an industrial or manufacturing environment.
• Knowledge of Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, or operational excellence methodologies.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Experience in accessories production or automotive/industrial manufacturing environments is considered an advantage.