Program Manager, Lean Manufacturing (Contractor)
Location: Clawiter - Hayward, CA (fully onsite)
This role sits within the Manufacturing Operations Program Management (MOPM) team and focuses on driving operational excellence initiatives across manufacturing operations. The Lean Program Manager will work cross-functionally to improve processes, analyze operational data, and support the development and sustainment of Zoox Production System (ZPS) practices across the factory.
Partner with cross-functional teams including General Assembly, Manufacturing Execution, Quality, Logistics, and others to drive continuous process improvement.
Identify process inefficiencies across manufacturing operations and drive corrective actions to improve performance.
Conduct gap analysis by mapping current-state and future-state processes.
Observe production operations to identify variability, waste, and opportunities for standardization.
Lead workshops and training sessions to deploy new processes, tools, and best practices.
Collaborate with manufacturing teams to define and implement operational standards and documentation aligned with Zoox operational needs.
Support the implementation, sustainment, and continuous improvement of the Zoox Production System (ZPS) through coaching, auditing, and hands-on engagement.
Provide coaching on production system principles such as standard work, 5S, waste elimination, and continuous improvement.
Promote accountability through operational audits and provide coaching to operations leaders to strengthen problem-solving capabilities.
Serve as a mentor and resource for operations teams on problem solving, metric development, and continuous improvement initiatives.
Approach challenges strategically by reframing problems, gathering stakeholder feedback, and driving accountability for outcomes.
Guide operations teams through structured problem-solving approaches to build long-term operational capability.
Qualifications
4 to 6 years of experience in manufacturing, supply chain, logistics, or a related industry.
Bachelor s or Master s degree in Engineering or a related technical field.
Experience working within or developing production systems in an OEM manufacturing environment strongly preferred.
Proven experience leading cross-functional initiatives and driving operational improvements.
Certifications in Project Management, Lean, or Six Sigma (Green Belt or higher preferred).
Preferred/ Bonus Qualifications
Experience with ERP systems such as SAP or Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES).
Familiarity with data and analytics tools such as SQL, Smartsheet, Databricks, or Looker.