Operational Excellence Manager - Paper Center of Excellence

Leola, PA is now home to Dart’s newest Paper Plate Manufacturing Center of Excellence—a state-of-the-art, high-efficiency operation built to meet the growing demand for sustainable, paper-based food and beverage packaging.

As we enter full production, we are looking for a dynamic Operational Excellence Manager to help define, scale, and sustain world-class manufacturing performance in this flagship facility.

If you’re passionate about continuous improvement, thrive in fast-paced environments, and want to make a measurable impact from day one—this is your opportunity.

 

The Opportunity

As our Operational Excellence Manager, you will play a critical role in embedding a culture of continuous improvement and operational discipline. You’ll partner across functions to drive performance, elevate team capability, and ensure we deliver on our promise of excellence—together, as One Team.

 

What We Offer

• Competitive compensation plus comprehensive benefits (medical, dental, vision, 401(k) with match)
• Generous paid time off and holidays
• A values-driven culture rooted in safety, integrity, innovation, and collaboration
• Robust training and development programs to grow your career
• The opportunity to shape and influence a new Center of Excellence from the ground up

 

What You’ll Do (Impact & Results)

• Drive Continuous Improvement: Lead and sustain Lean initiatives that improve KPIs, reduce waste, and increase process stability
• Embed Lean & Daily Management Systems: Champion DMS practices to ensure consistent execution and connection to problem-solving at all levels
• Develop People & Capability: Train, coach, and empower managers, supervisors, and team leads to independently apply CI tools and sustain gains
• Enable Problem Solving: Facilitate Kaizens, lead root-cause analysis, and ensure timely follow-through on improvement actions
• Eliminate Constraints: Identify and remove production bottlenecks to improve flow, throughput, and efficiency
• Execute Strategic Initiatives: Support operational priorities using tools like A3 thinking, action planning, and progress tracking (Gantt)

 

What You Bring (Core Competencies)

• Change Leadership: Proven ability to influence, align, and inspire teams toward a culture of continuous improvement
• Analytical Rigor: Strong problem-solving skills with a data-driven mindset that delivers measurable outcomes
• Communication & Coaching: Ability to clearly communicate, train, and engage cross-functional teams
• Ownership Mindset: Drives accountability, fosters learning, and builds operational discipline
• Collaboration: Builds strong partnerships across functions to align priorities and accelerate results

 

Experience & Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Operations, or related field
• Minimum 5 years of continuous improvement experience in a manufacturing environment
• Deep expertise in Lean Manufacturing and Operational Excellence principles
• Strong working knowledge of CI methodologies (e.g., Kaizen, 5S, VSM, SMED, FMEA, Root Cause Analysis)
• Experience with data analysis and identifying variation and loss
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office with the ability to translate data into actionable plans

Preferred:

• Lean / Six Sigma certification
• Experience in paper converting or related manufacturing environments

 

Why This Role Matters

This is more than a role—it’s a chance to build, shape, and sustain excellence at one of Dart’s most important facilities. Your leadership will directly impact performance, culture, and long-term success.

 

Overview: Dart makes everyday products that give people the freedom to enjoy the food & drinks they love, wherever they are. From to-go containers and dinnerware to tamper-evident food packaging and even the red SOLO cup, Dart products have been keeping people on the go and having fun for 65 years.  We’re a family-owned, family-focused company of 12,000 employees united by a shared set of values and dedicated to providing exceptional customer service. Headquartered in Mason, MI, with 30 locations in three countries, we’re proud of our ability to innovate, manufacture and lead the way with each new generation of quality products.

Benefits: Dart Container full-time employees enjoy great benefits, including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, 401(k) with company matching contributions, paid vacation, paid holidays, short-term disability, tuition assistance, product discounts and more.

Dart Container is a drug-free workplace.  Candidates are subject to a drug test (excluding THC*/marijuana/cannabis) and background check at the time of offer.

*THC testing ONLY when such testing is required by law.

Dart Container is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all candidates for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

https://www.dartcontainer.com/eeoaa/

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