Lean Operations & Strategic Procurement Manager

About Us

Creative Metal Products (CMP), founded in 1995, is a privately held, growth-oriented company known for delivering innovative, high-quality fabricated products. We specialize in light- to medium-thickness metal components, assemblies, and finished products serving industries such as electronics, lighting/energy, industrial equipment, electrical enclosures, material handling, medical, safety, and military. At CMP, we pride ourselves on our commitment to craftsmanship, safety, and continuous improvement, making us Your American Fabrication Partner.

We are seeking a Lean Operations & Strategic Procurement Manager to lead continuous improvement initiatives and strategic purchasing across our organization. The ideal candidate is a hands-on leader with strong expertise in lean manufacturing, process optimization, and procurement strategy. This role requires a balance of analytical thinking, operational leadership, and execution ability to drive efficiency, improve margins, and support CMP’s growth-oriented business plan.

Responsibilities:

Lean Operations

- Analyze parts and part families to establish lean operations from data gathering through execution and sustainment.

- Evaluate business processes to understand cost and margin drivers by customer, part, and work center.

- Develop and implement labor and material cost reduction strategies to improve bottom-line profitability.

- Create and monitor metrics, dashboards, and KPIs to track on-time delivery, lead time reduction, work queue reduction, and Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE).

- Assist in implementing real-time job costing systems and processes for labor, materials, and scrap.

- Train, coach, and apply lean tools such as 5S, Kaizen, Six Sigma, scoreboards, and cellular manufacturing.

- Support ISO implementation and UL certification at CMP’s sister company, Tube Fabrication & Color.

Strategic Procurement

- Lead the procurement strategy to ensure material availability, cost control, and strong supplier relationships.

- Provide oversight and tactical execution for procurement and inventory functions.

- Oversee and assist with physical inventory counts at multiple facilities twice per year.

Cross-Functional Leadership

- Provide business knowledge and problem-solving expertise to leadership teams, ensuring sound analysis and actionable recommendations.

- Partner with leadership to identify, recommend, and implement new processes, technologies, and systems to improve overall operations.

- Execute a vision of improvement through direct involvement, not just recommendations.

- Perform back-up duties for procurement and inventory team members as needed.

Along with other duties and responsibilities as needed

Required Experience & Qualifications

- 7+ years of experience as a lean manager or in process improvement, operations leadership, or lean management. - 5+ years of experience leading procurement and inventory functions.

- Proven expertise in implementing and monitoring plant-level KPIs.

- Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Business Management, or Operations required.

- Lean Six Sigma Black Belt or Master Black Belt certification required.

- Proficiency with artificial intelligence tools such as Power BI and Microsoft CoPilot is a substantial plus.

- MBA preferred.

Reporting Structure

- Reports directly to the Director of Engineering, Quality and Procurement, with close involvement from the President & CEO.

- Direct reports include procurement and inventory team members (3).

Why Join CMP?

As a Lean Operations & Strategic Procurement Manager at CMP, you’ll play a pivotal role in shaping the future of our operations by combining lean principles with strategic procurement. This is a high-impact position where you will directly influence profitability, efficiency, and long-term growth. Join a forward-thinking company that values innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement, and help us continue to set the standard as Your American Fabrication Partner.

Job Type: Full-time

Benefits:

- 401(k)

- 401(k) 4% Match

- Dental insurance

- Flexible schedule

- Health insurance

- Health savings account

- Life insurance

- Paid parental leave

- Paid time off

- Professional development assistance

- Referral program

- Retirement plan

- Tuition reimbursement

- Vision insurance

Experience:

- 5S: 5 years (Required)

- Lean management: 5 years (Required)

- Procurement: 5 years (Required)

- Continuous improvement: 5 years (Required)

- Metal fabrication Industry: 3 years (Preferred)

License/Certification:

- Six Sigma Black Belt (Required)

Ability to Commute:

- Neenah, WI 54956 (Required)

Work Location: In person