Materion

Value Stream Manager

Westford, MA

Full-time

About This Job

At Materion, everyone is included, respected and offered opportunity to grow. Join us!

Summary

We are seeking a driven and high-performing Value Stream Manager to lead specialized manufacturing work cells that operate outside the conventional production flow. This role is designed for emerging engineering leaders who are ready to take on a cross-functional position, combining hands-on engineering acumen with day-to-day operational ownership. The Value Stream Manager is accountable for the output, quality, and performance metrics of their designated cells, with a focus on utilization, cross-training, and continuous improvement. They will serve as the central point of coordination for their area, ensuring that teams operate at a high level to meet demanding customer and product requirements.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

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Provide Value Stream Leadership managing specialty manufacturing cells with unique workflows, ensuring consistent output, quality and adherence to safety standards.

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Act as the primary liaison between engineering, operations, quality, and planning teams to coordinate schedules, resolve constraints, and remove barriers to success.

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Drive end-to-end value stream ownership, takt time adherence, waste reduction and alignment of resources to meet demand and efficiency goals of the business.

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Team leadership responsibilities include engineering and production resource management, fostering a collaborative, high-performance team culture focused on ownership, quality, and efficiency.

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Ensure compliance with all safety, quality, and procedural standards within the work cells. Collaborate with peers and senior leaders to share best practices and support broader initiatives across other operations.

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Continuous Improvement Focus, own operational KPIs, including utilization, throughput, first-pass yield, and cross-training coverage.

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Facilitate and lead daily MDI (Managing for Daily Improvement) meetings, driving accountability, alignment, and real-time problem solving across the value stream.

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Identify and drive continuous improvement initiatives to optimize workflow, reduce variability, and enhance operator flexibility supporting the standardization of processes, documentation, and training for work areas.

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Champions collaboration with commercial team and drive voice of customer within all operational and execution activities to ensure long term success of the work cell and primary programs relying on it.

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Lead quality and safety initiatives for the work cell and provide primary focal point for any internal or external preventative or corrective action needs in partnership with quality.

Required Qualifications:

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Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, or related technical discipline.

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4-6 years of experience in manufacturing or process engineering, with exposure to both technical and operational roles.

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Demonstrated leadership potential and ability to work cross-functionally in fast-paced, high-mix environments.

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Strong communication, facilitation, and organizational skills.

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Working knowledge of lean principles, daily management systems, and basic operational metrics (OEE, utilization, etc.).

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High attention to detail and a proactive approach to problem solving and decision making.

Preferred Qualifications:

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Experience leading cross-functional or cross-trained teams in a manufacturing environment.

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Familiarity with specialty or non-linear manufacturing workflows.

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Exposure to quality systems, ISO standards, or regulated manufacturing environments

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Working knowledge of OSHA regulations, environmental regulations, and labor law

Understanding of optics and experience in a globally matrixed environment

This position requires the eligibility to obtain a security clearance. Non-US citizens may not be eligible to obtain a security clearance. Forindividuals to be considered for a security clearance, the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA), conducts personnel securitybackground investigations for the Department of Defense and other federal agencies. More information about security clearances can be found onthe Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA) website here: https://www.dcsa.mil/mc/pv/adjudications/

The selection of the person to be hired for this position is contingent on the candidate having export compliance eligibility for access to U.S. controlled technology which comes under the licensing jurisdiction of the U.S. Department of State, International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and the U.S. Department of Commerce, Export Administration Regulations (EAR).

The candidate selected will have to qualify as either a U.S. citizen, a U.S. National, a lawful permanent resident of the U.S., a Person Admitted into the U.S. as an Asylee or Refugee., a National of a country that is not prohibited from having access to U.S. controlled technology (via a letter of assurance), or a Person to be approved for an export license by the governing agency whose technology comes under its jurisdiction. Please understand that any job offer that requires approval of an export license will be conditional on Materion’s determination that it will be able to obtain an export license in a time frame consistent with Materion’s business requirements.

Materion Corporation and its subsidiaries (the “Company”) is an equal employment opportunity employer. It is the Company’s policy to not unlawfully discriminate against an applicant or employee on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, national origin or ancestry, sex, age, physical or mental disability, veteran or military status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, or any other legally recognized protected basis under federal, state or local laws, regulations or ordinances. The Company also prohibits harassment of applicants and employees based on any of these protected categories. It is also the Company’s policy to comply with all applicable federal, state and local laws respecting consideration of unemployment status in making hiring decisions. The information collected by this application is solely to determine suitability for employment, verify identity and maintain employment statistics on applicants.

Applicants with disabilities may be entitled to reasonable accommodation under the terms of the Americans with Disabilities Act and certain state or local laws. A reasonable accommodation is a change in the way things are normally done which will ensure an equal employment opportunity without imposing undue hardship on the Company. Please inform the Company’s personnel representative if you need assistance completing any forms or to otherwise participate in the application process.

Materion’s Veteran Employee Resource group supports veterans and promotes the benefits of hiring veterans in the workplace. We honor all those who have served and are a military friendly company. Veterans are encouraged to apply and military experience and skills are transferrable to Materion careers.

Please provide complete information. An incomplete application may affect your consideration for employment.