Senior Manager, Lean Excellence

About the role

As the Leader for Lean Excellence in Malaysia , you will lead the site's Lean transformation journey - shaping both the Lean system and the culture of excellence required to achieve world-class performance. You will define and execute a Lean maturity roadmap , ensuring the consistent deployment of Lean tools, governance, and standards, while embedding a mindset where continuous improvement becomes an integral part of daily operations, leadership routines, and decision-making . You will work closely with site leadership and cross-functional teams to: Establish Malaysia as a model Lean factory and benchmark for the network Enable a strong, sustainable productivity pipeline through targeted initiatives. Embed waste identification and elimination as a core organisational capability Ensure the manufacturing environment reflects high standards of visual management, workplace organization, and operational discipline This role combines hands-on deployment, capability building, and change leadership , ensuring Lean practices are effectively implemented, sustained, and continuously improved. Let's Talk About Responsibilities: Lean Strategy, Framework & Global Standards Define and execute the Lean maturity roadmap for the Malaysia manufacturing site. Develop and embed a structured Lean system including tools, methods, governance, and standardisation. Establish clear standards for Value-Stream Mapping (VSM), tiered problem solving, Kaizen, 6S, visual management, and waste elimination. Assess and continuously improve site Lean maturity, ensuring progression toward world-class benchmarks. Position Malaysia as a model factory, setting the standard for Lean excellence across the global network. Lean Program Deployment & Continuous Improvement Lead deployment of Lean initiatives and support productivity programs across all Malaysia operations. Facilitate and coach Kaizen events, Gemba walks, and structured problem-solving (eg A3, RCA) . Embed Lean practices into daily management systems , tiered accountability routines, and factory performance management. Support teams in identifying bottlenecks, eliminating non-value-added activities, and improving flow efficiency. Develop and standardise repeatable approaches that ensure consistency and sustainability of improvements . Performance Analytics, Flow Improvement & Waste Reduction Drive systematic identification and elimination of all forms of waste across Malaysia operations. Partner with Engineering and Operations to improve layout, material flow, and process efficiency . Apply data-driven methods to quantify improvement opportunities and track realised benefits. Implement visual performance management systems that make performance, abnormalities, and waste visible . Integrate Lean methods with digital tools, simulation, and OEE analytics to enhance decision-making and flow optimisation. Capability Building & Cultural Transformation Develop Lean capability across all levels: from operators to site leadership. Coach teams to adopt a continuous improvement mindset, ownership, and disciplined problem-solving practices. Build a culture of excellence where Lean principles are consistently reflected in daily behavio