Managing Consultant

The Lean Consultant leads transformative process improvement initiatives for LiminalArc clients. The successful candidate will possess deep expertise in Lean methodologies, a proven track record of improving operational excellence, and the ability to influence senior executives to achieve sustainable results. The Lean Consultant will collaborate with LiminalArc peers, specifically the Transformation Lead and Investment Architect to identify, analyze and implement opportunities for improvement that can be leveraged by our clients.

This is a client-facing role with a direct reporting relationship to the Transformation Lead. Work arrangements may include both remote and on-site work, depending on client and team needs; travel to client sites or team meetings will be required.

The Lean Consultant role requires a dynamic leader who can design, implement, and sustain Lean strategies to optimize business processes, reduce waste, and improve organizational performance. The Lean Consultant leverages continuous improvement methodologies (e.g. Lean, Six Sigma, Design Thinking) to deliver business process improvements that produce measurable value. The Lean Consultant will also leverage data and insights to identify opportunities and advise clients on how to best initiate new initiatives by assessing needs, translating the needs into requirements for the right solutions, and working with the LiminalArc delivery team and client to prioritize and implement potential projects.

• Continuous Improvement Strategy Development: Understand clients’ current state and desired future state, design and implement enterprise-wide Lean transformation strategies aligned with the client organization’s goals, focusing on operational efficiency, cost reduction and quality improvement.
• Process Optimization: Serve as trusted advisor to the client’s Lean Office leader, guiding the creation of cross-functional teams to identify inefficiencies, eliminate waste and streamline processes using lean tools such as Value Stream Mapping, A3, Kaizen, 5S and Kanban.
• Change Management: Advise clients on approaches to increase client adoption of Lean principles by coaching and mentoring leadership, teams, and employees at all levels to foster a culture of continuous improvement, a culture where the organization relentlessly improves without guilt or blame.
• Measurement: Establish and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure the success of Lean initiatives, ensuring alignment with the client organization’s goals and business objectives. Design experiments and conduct research to establish cause/effect between problems and potential solutions.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Collaborate with C-suite executives and department heads to align lean initiatives with corporate strategic priorities, securing buy-in and creating accountability for results.
• Training & Development: Develop and deliver Lean training programs and workshops to build clients’ Lean capability and sustain Lean practices.
• Implementation Leadership: Support the client’s Lean Office in the oversight of multiple simultaneous Lean projects, ensuring timely delivery and measurable outcomes.
• Continuous Improvement of Lean Office: Identify opportunities for innovation and scalability of the client’s Lean practices, staying current with industry trends and best practices.
• Lean Office Support: Advise clients on the establishment of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) and other metrics to monitor the effectiveness of the Lean program. Qualifications
• Minimum of 10+ years of experience in Lean process improvement, with at least 5 years in a director-level or senior leadership role.
• Demonstrated success implementing Lean in multiple industries; manufacturing and/or power distribution preferred.
• Expertise in Lean tools and methodologies (e.g., A3, Value Stream Mapping, DMAIC, Kaizen, Just-in-Time, etc.).
• Exceptional leadership, communication, and stakeholder management skills. Results-oriented, passionate about achieving operational excellence.
• Demonstrated ability to thrive in high-pressure situations, the ability to defuse stressful situations and influence middle management perspectives, and the confidence to make decisions under time constraints that are rooted in a deep understanding of the potential impacts and associated risks.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities, firmly grounded in empirical evidence / supporting data.
• Experience leading change effort to shift an organization from project-centric operations to product/capability-centered operations.
• Experience in one or more Agile practices (Scrum, Kanban, SAFe, etc.) and a strong point of view on change management approaches.
• Lean Six Sigma Black Belt or Master Black Belt, or Lean Silver or Gold Certification required.
• Proficiency in work management tools (e.g. Jira, Trello) and data analysis software (e.g. Excel, Python, R, Minitab).
• Experience in digital transformation or integrating lean with emerging technologies (e.g. robotic process automation, AI) preferred.
• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Engineering, Operations Management, or a related field; Master’s degree or MBA preferred.
• Willingness to travel up to 80% (Mondays to Thursdays at client sites is the norm).