Value Stream Manager

East Peoria, IL - Salary Range 106-163k

Job Brief

The Value Stream Manager is responsible for the overall performance, leadership, and continuous improvement of a designated manufacturing value stream. This role leads production operations across three shifts through a team of supervisors and department leaders to ensure the safe, efficient, and cost-effective production of high-quality products. The Value Stream Manager is accountable for achieving key performance indicators related to safety, quality, delivery, productivity, inventory, and cost while fostering a culture of employee engagement and operational excellence.

Responsibilities

Value Stream Leadership

• Lead all activities within the assigned value stream to achieve operational and business objectives.
• Develop and execute strategies to improve safety, quality, delivery performance, productivity, and profitability.
• Ensure alignment of value stream goals with overall plant and organizational objectives.
• Serve as the primary operational leader for assigned product lines and manufacturing processes.
• Directly supervises Production Supervisors and other value stream leaders.
• Indirectly responsible for all hourly employees within the assigned value stream across three shifts.

• Responsible for staffing, performance management, employee development, succession planning, and operational results within the value stream.

People Leadership and Development

• Provide leadership, coaching, and direction to Production Supervisors and team leaders across three shifts.
• Build a culture of accountability, engagement, teamwork, and continuous improvement.
• Develop supervisors and high-potential employees through mentoring, training, and succession planning.
• Conduct performance evaluations and support employee development initiatives.
• Partner with Human Resources on workforce planning, employee relations, and talent management activities.

Safety and Environmental Compliance

• Champion a safety-first culture throughout the value stream.
• Ensure compliance with all company policies and applicable regulatory requirements.
• Lead incident investigations and implement corrective and preventive actions.
• Drive employee participation in safety programs and continuous improvement efforts.

Operational Excellence

• Manage daily production activities to ensure customer requirements and production schedules are met.
• Monitor key operational metrics and implement actions to improve performance.
• Drive improvements in Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE), throughput, cycle time, and labor efficiency.
• Ensure effective communication and coordination among all shifts.
• Partner with Maintenance, Engineering, Quality, and Supply Chain teams to resolve operational issues.

Quality Management

• Ensure products consistently meet customer and company quality standards.
• Lead root cause analysis and corrective action activities related to quality concerns.
• Support implementation of quality improvement initiatives and process controls.
• Promote a culture focused on defect prevention and continuous quality improvement.

Continuous Improvement

• Lead Lean Manufacturing and Continuous Improvement initiatives within the value stream.
• Facilitate Kaizen events and problem-solving activities.
• Utilize data-driven decision-making to eliminate waste and improve operational performance.
• Drive sustainable process improvements that enhance customer value and business results.

Financial Accountability

• Manage labor, material, and operating expenses within the value stream.
• Develop and execute plans to achieve productivity and cost reduction targets.
• Monitor and improve inventory management and working capital performance.
• Support annual budgeting and forecasting processes.

Customer Focus

• Ensure on-time delivery and responsiveness to customer requirements.
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders to resolve production and service issues.

• Drive initiatives that improve customer satisfaction and operational reliability.

  
  

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Operations Management, Business, Manufacturing, or related field preferred.
• Equivalent combination of education and manufacturing leadership experience may be considered.
• Strong leadership and team development capabilities.
• Demonstrated success leading manufacturing operations and achieving operational metrics.
• Knowledge of Lean Manufacturing, value stream mapping, and continuous improvement principles.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Proficiency with ERP systems, manufacturing software, and Microsoft Office applications.

Key Performance Metrics

• Safety Performance (TRIR, Near Miss Reporting, Incident Reduction)
• Quality Performance (Scrap, Rework, Customer Complaints, First Pass Yield)
• Delivery Performance (On-Time Delivery, Schedule Adherence)
• Productivity (Labor Efficiency, Throughput, OEE)
• Cost Management (Labor Cost, Material Utilization, Cost Reduction Initiatives)
• Employee Engagement and Retention