Senior Manager, Operational Excellence

Job description

Job Description Summary: At The Coca ‑ Cola Company, operational excellence is core to delivering trusted and exceptional beverage experiences at scale. Within Global Equipment Platforms (GEP), the Senior Manager, Operational Excellence plays a critical role in advancing reliability, performance, and cost efficiency for our global fleet of dispensing, cooling, and vending platforms. This role leads the charge in transforming equipment lifecycle management—from design through end-of-life—by applying predictive analytics, automation, and continuous improvement methodologies to achieve world-class quality outcomes. As Coca ‑ Cola accelerates innovation, this position leverages reliability engineering principles alongside digital technologies such as AI-driven modeling and IoT-enabled monitoring. Through collaboration with bottlers, operating units, and cross-functional teams, you will champion strategies that embed lifecycle performance into design, validate endurance using accelerated life testing, and close the feedback loop between field data and future platforms. An ideal candidate combines engineering rigor, operational mindset, and digital fluency to streamline validation cycles, sustain first-time quality, and modernize equipment testing in line with our global transformation roadmap. What You’ll Do for Us Own lifecycle quality and reliability performance for beverage equipment platforms, ensuring durability and uptime targets are met pre- and post-launch. Conduct accelerated life and service validation testing, leveraging endurance simulations and highly automated lab infrastructure to prove system integrity across service cycles. Apply Reliability-Centered Maintenance (RCM), Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA), and root cause methodologies to eliminate recurring field failures and design in reliability. Define preventive and predictive maintenance standards for global execution through locally managed operating units and bottler networks. Drive continuous improvement initiatives by integrating Lean, Six Sigma, and Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) methods to enhance efficiency and sustain equipment performance across geographies. Lead modernization of testing capabilities through lab digitalization and automation strategies that enable touchless, data-driven validation workflows. Apply AI-enabled reliability modeling tools (digital twins, Weibull, Bayesian analysis) to predict failure points, shorten validation timelines by at least 50%, and improve scale-up confidence. Leverage IoT-connected monitoring solutions to stream real-time performance data from the field, accelerating response times and closing the design feedback loop. Define, track, and cascade reliability metrics—including MTBF, MTTR, OEE, first-time quality, and total cost of ownership—across equipment platforms and regional networks. Collaborate across global and local teams to integrate field learnings into next-generation platform designs and influence decision-making through actionable insights. Requirements & Qualifications Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical , Reliability, Industrial Engineering or related technical discipline; advanced degree or professional reliability certification (CRE) preferred. Significant experience in reliability engineering, equipment development, and accelerated life testing within global manufacturing or equipment environments. Deep knowledge of reliability methodologies including RCM, FMEA, and root cause analysis, combined with proven application of Lean, Six Sigma (Black Belt preferred), and TPM principles. Strong capabilities in digital transformation for testing ecosystems and automation of validation processes using advanced lab technologies. Fluency in reliability data modeling techniques (digital twin, Weibull analysis, Bayesian prediction) and deployment of AI-enabled predictive solutions. Experience leveraging IoT connectivity and advanced analytics to monitor equipment health and optimize lifecycle performance. Familiarity with operational KPIs such as MTBF, MTTR, availability, OEE, first-time quality, and total cost of ownership, and ability to operationalize these across networks. Demonstrated capacity to influence functional and regional stakeholders in a matrixed global organization to implement operational excellence initiatives. Strong analytical, technical, and communication skills to translate data-driven insights into actionable business strategies. What We’ll Do for You Enable your leadership in shaping Coca ‑ Cola’s next-generation operational excellence framework through AI-powered predictive engineering and advanced analytics. Provide opportunities to modernize testing capabilities and lab operations with cutting-edge digital and automation technologies that set global reliability standards. Offer exposure to global equipment lifecycle programs, from development to deployment, ensuring broad impact across multiple platforms and regions. Support professional growth through involvement in strategic initiatives that integrate continuous improvement, data innovation, and global collaboration. The Coca-Cola Company will not offer sponsorship for employment status (including, but not limited to, H1-B visa status and other employment-based nonimmigrant visas) for this position. Accordingly, all applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis and must not require The Coca-Cola Company's sponsorship to continue to work legally in the United States. Skills: Autodesk AutoCAD, Automation Engineering, Communication, Control System (Inactive), Food Processing, Food Production, Leadership, Lead Times, Lean Manufacturing, Materials Handling, Microsoft Office, Packaging Supplies, Process Engineering, Programmable Logic Controller (PLC), Project Engineering, Research and Development Operations (Inactive), Six Sigma, Supply Chain, Timeline Development, Waterfall Model Pay Range: United States: 131,000 - 153,000 USD Base pay offered may vary depending on geography, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. A full range of medical, financial, and/or other benefits, dependent on the position, is offered. Annual Incentive Reference Value Percentage: 15 Annual Incentive reference value is a market-based competitive value for your role. It falls in the middle of the range for your role, indicating performance at target. Location(s): United States of America City/Cities: Atlanta Travel Required: 00% - 25% Relocation Provided: No Job Posting End Date: September 9, 2026 Our Purpose and Growth Culture: We are taking deliberate action to nurture an inclusive culture that is grounded in our company purpose, to refresh the world and make a difference. We act with a growth mindset, take an expansive approach to what’s possible and believe in continuous learning to improve our business and ourselves. We focus on four key behaviors – curious, empowered, inclusive and agile – and value how we work as much as what we achieve. We believe that our culture is one of the reasons our company continues to thrive after 130+ years. Visit Our Purpose and Vision to learn more about these behaviors and how you can bring them to life in your next role at Coca-Cola. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and do not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, sex, age, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, status as a veteran, and basis of disability or any other federal, state or local protected class. When we collect your personal information as part of a job application or offer of employment, we do so in accordance with industry standards and best practices and in compliance with applicable privacy laws.