Lean & Strategic Project Manager

Wacker Neuson Kragujevac d.o.o. is a renowned company with extensive experience in the manufacturing and development of construction machinery. We are currently seeking a dedicated and motivated professional for the position of Lean & Strategic Project Manager in Kragujevac, who will contribute to process optimization and the strategic development of projects within our organization.

Responsibilities:

Driving Lean Transformation & Continuous Improvement (Gemba Ownership)

• 5S & Shop Floor Standardization: Design, roll out, and maintain an uncompromising 5S culture across production and warehouse areas through regular structured audits, visual controls, and clear escalation protocols.
• Kaizen & Lean Tool Deployment: Facilitate structured Kaizen events, SMED (quick changeover) workshops, Poka-Yoke, Kanban, line balancing, and Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) routines.
• Problem-Solving Leadership: Coach plant teams on rigorous Root Cause Problem Solving (8D, 5 Whys, Ishikawa, A3 thinking) to ensure persistent manufacturing issues are permanently resolved rather than repeatedly patched.
• Value Stream Mapping (VSM): Lead plant-wide current-state and future-state value stream mappings to systematically identify bottlenecks, compress throughput time, and eliminate operational waste across all manufacturing and material flow processes.
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Strategic Project Management & Leadership Follow-up 

• Establish and steer the governance cadence for plant-level strategic priorities, capital expenditure (CAPEX) programs, layout changes, and process transfers.
• Proactive Follow-up & Accountability: Monitor cross-functional action plans actively holding department heads and process owners accountable for deadlines and milestones.
• Risk & Roadblock Resolution: Identify project bottlenecks and scope drift early; develop concrete corrective actions and clear decision memos for the Managing Director and senior management.
• KPI & Performance Governance: Maintain visible, real-time tracking dashboards for critical plant metrics (OEE, Scrap/Rework, Productivity, Cost Savings, Project Burn-down) and facilitate operational review meetings.

Culture & Operational Authority

• Influence Without Direct Authority: Challenge the status quo constructively, securing commitment from line managers, shift leaders, and operators alike.
  Capability Building: Train, mentor, and upskill plant personnel, fostering a proactive continuous-improvement mindset across all shifts.

Required Experience & Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Operations Management, or a related technical discipline.
• Professional Experience:
  4–7+ years of hands-on experience in a structured manufacturing environment (e.g., automotive, precision machinery, heavy fabrication, or high-volume discrete manufacturing).
• Proven track record of executing Lean transformations on the shop floor (measurable gains in OEE, inventory reduction, floor space optimization, lead-time reduction).
• Demonstrated background in managing cross-functional technical/operational projects and reporting directly to executive/plant leadership.

Methodologies & Certifications:

• Lean or Lean Six Sigma certification (Green Belt or Black Belt preferred).
  Strong foundation in classical project management frameworks (milestone tracking, risk registers, critical path analysis).

Data Privacy & Equal Opportunity Statement:

By submitting your application, you consent to the collection and processing of your personal data solely for recruitment and selection purposes for this role, in strict compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and applicable local data protection laws. Your data will be retained securely within our database for the duration of the selection process and handled with strict confidentiality. You retain the right to access, rectify, or request the deletion of your personal data at any point during or after the process.

We are committed to fostering an inclusive culture as an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment without regard to gender, gender identity, sex, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, religion, age, disability status, marital or parental status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.