Assistant Manager - Quality & Lean

Role overview

This position acts as a driver of change, leading and coordinating continuous improvement initiatives across company sites through Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma practices. The role works closely with Lean & Quality Engineers to strengthen performance, efficiency, and business results.

The successful candidate will also coach project owners and process leaders, build capability in Lean tools and methodologies, and help develop future Lean Manufacturing leaders.

Key responsibilities

• Lead and coordinate improvement projects assigned by senior leadership and the Manager of Lean & Business Transformation.
• Support the development and rollout of site-specific Lean Manufacturing and Business Transformation practices, including their maintenance and ongoing enhancement.
• Drive business efficiency by advising and coordinating with Maintenance, Finance, Operations, Process Control, Laboratory, other service departments, and senior management on the implementation of Lean outcomes and industrial engineering initiatives.
• Shape and deliver the company’s Lean and Six Sigma strategy to generate measurable process improvements and cost savings across the site.
• Track strategy performance and spending, identify variances, and report progress against approved objectives and budgets.
• Identify, recommend, and help facilitate improvement initiatives, proposals, and Tamayaz projects aligned with annual management goals.
• Support areas in preparing annual plans for potential improvement opportunities, kaizen events, and projects, then help assess options and develop action plans based on detailed analysis.
• Promote awareness of Lean Manufacturing by tracking continuous improvement status, cost savings, training certifications, and project progress, while sharing results and successes.
• Align Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma deployment with departmental priorities and ensure full execution of guiding principles across the business.
• Mentor area managers and senior Lean & Quality engineers to strengthen confidence, ownership, and long-term continuous improvement capability.
• Lead complex, high-visibility Lean projects in operational departments, providing direction and leadership to managers and employees.
• Manage Lean project portfolios, run kaizen events, and deliver Black Belt and Green Belt training with practical, engaging instruction.
• Work with process managers to design, analyze, and implement cross-functional systems that improve product flow through the value stream.
• Develop visual management systems that support daily operations and continuous improvement in cost, quality, and delivery.
• Support execution of Lean Manufacturing and Business Transformation KPIs to achieve site-level business improvement targets.
• Complete productivity projects assigned internally or by senior management with a high level of quality and satisfaction.
• Train, coach, and build employee awareness in Lean and Six Sigma methods.
• Use structured problem solving, root cause analysis, and the PDCA cycle to ensure initiatives are properly implemented and aligned with Lean principles.

Qualifications and experience

• A recognized Bachelor’s degree in Engineering with an accredited internationally recognized professional certification, preferably in Chemical, Industrial, or Mechanical Engineering, or a recognized Bachelor’s degree in Science.
• Lean Six Sigma Black Belt certification is required.
• At least 6 years of experience in Lean Management, preferably in aluminium smelting, alumina refining, or heavy manufacturing, or at least 10 years of accredited experience in a Lean Manufacturing environment.

Skills and attributes

• Practical experience in teaching Lean and/or Six Sigma and mentoring project teams is preferred.
• Strong command of Lean Manufacturing systems and continuous improvement methods.
• Leadership and people management capability.
• Strong ability to influence stakeholders and drive adoption.
• Excellent organizational skills and follow-through.
• Strong verbal and written communication in English, including procedure writing.
• Good interpersonal ability and a customer-focused approach.
• Effective time management and prioritization.

Decision-making and working style

The role requires independent working, with regular updates to departmental management and consultation on decisions involving financial matters, approvals, and contract sign-off. The incumbent is expected to use sound judgment, especially in solving problems and removing barriers that could affect system performance.

Additional information

The role involves contributing to the implementation of Lean Manufacturing principles across the site and modifying actions when an implementation does not align with those principles. The position also includes responsibility for developing future leaders and supporting broader business transformation objectives.