Value Stream Leader Jobs
Value Stream Leader jobs are open across manufacturing, aerospace, automotive, and medical devices, at every level from team lead to director, with specializations in lean transformation, operational excellence, and continuous improvement. See the openings below and apply to the ones that match your experience.
Find Value Stream Leader JobsOverview
Showing 5 of 66+ Value Stream Leader jobs
Description
At Northrop Grumman, our employees have incredible opportunities to work on revolutionary systems that impact people's lives around the world today, and for generations to come. Our pioneering and inventive spirit has enabled us to be at the forefront of many technological advancements in our nation's history - from the first flight across the Atlantic Ocean, to stealth bombers, to landing on the moon. We look for people who have bold new ideas, courage and a pioneering spirit to join forces to invent the future, and have fun along the way. Our culture thrives on intellectual curiosity, cognitive diversity and bringing your whole self to work — and we have an insatiable drive to do what others think is impossible. Our employees are not only part of history, they're making history.The Deployables Operating Unit, part of Northrop Grumman's Intelligence Systems Division, specializes in deployable systems for spacecraft components such as solar arrays, instrument booms, extendible support structures, and reflector boom antennas, deployable booms and masts.
We are seeking a Value Stream Leader for our facility in Oxnard, CA.
Learn more about Deployables at our website: https://www.northropgrumman.com/space/spacecraft-components
Overview
Reporting to the , the Structures and Mechanisms Value Stream Leader, the Program VSL leads a multi-disciplined manufacturing Operations team for all production activities. The VSL, in partnership with program management, plans, manages, and balances special programs operations supporting program deliverables. In addition to leading the manufacturing operations team, the role interfaces with program management, manufacturing and design engineering, quality, supply chain, suppliers, and other partners. The VSL exhibits overall ownership of manufacturing operations, leadership, and direction in all strategic and daily tactical activities, including other functions reporting into the value stream (ie: QE, QT, Production & Material Planning, Mfg Eng, Supply Chain).
Role and Responsibilities:
- Plans, organizes and responsible for production schedules.
- Maintain line of balance and critical path schedule reports
- Lead daily management standards for Safety, Quality, Delivery, Employee, Cost (SQDEC)
- Leads a multi-disciplined manufacturing operation team.
- Conducts periodic performance reviews for staff.
- Perform regular 1:1 with direct reports.
- Ownership for effective hand-offs through all functional and process center areas.
- Execute and continuously improve daily management processes and communicate/escalate key issues to leadership and throughout the organization.
- Collaborate and coordinate with functional value streams, process centers, functional leaders (manufacturing engineering, quality, production planning and material control) and business support functions (program managers, finance, contracts, and human resources) to achieve product and site goals via sharing of resources, tools, equipment, and processes.
- Develop value stream hiring plans, onboarding, retention, and training plans in support of business needs.
- Ensures staffing needs are identified in conjunction with program management
- Works with functions to ensure appropriate staffing is assigned
- Works with program management and the functions to reconcile resource conflicts
- Own Value Stream operations resource management, escalation, prioritization, and conflict resolution decisions.
- Support cost and proposal reviews.
- Provides direction to process improvement activities impacting the Value Stream
- Oversee direct reports training requirements.
- Travel as needed to support programs, training, or other needs (Generally< 10%)
- Drive the Value Stream Quality Management (Corrective Action Boards, Counter Measures, and RCCAs)
- Report monthly Value Stream Health Check (KPI) to senior leadership
- Participate in monthly Program Reviews
-
Manage overhead and direct labor yield (DLY) rates
Basic Qualifications:
- Bachelor's degree with at least 8 years of manufacturing operations and/or program leadership experience: OR 5 years' experience with a Master's degree. An additional 4 years' experience may be considered in lieu of a degree
- Experience managing or leading a team of Engineers or Technicians
- Proven track record and drive for achieving manufacturing and operational results, financial results; and effective and timely decision making
- Experience using MS Project for program scheduling and maintenance
- Root cause problem solving and continuous improvement skills
- Knowledge and experience with executing process standards and risk management identification and mitigation
- Experience in the Aerospace Industry
- US Citizenship is required
Preferred Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s Degree in a STEM discipline and/or Business Administration
- Experience transitioning products through the product lifecycle from development to full rate production
Description
At Northrop Grumman, our employees have incredible opportunities to work on revolutionary systems that impact people's lives around the world today, and for generations to come. Our pioneering and inventive spirit has enabled us to be at the forefront of many technological advancements in our nation's history - from the first flight across the Atlantic Ocean, to stealth bombers, to landing on the moon. We look for people who have bold new ideas, courage and a pioneering spirit to join forces to invent the future, and have fun along the way. Our culture thrives on intellectual curiosity, cognitive diversity and bringing your whole self to work — and we have an insatiable drive to do what others think is impossible. Our employees are not only part of history, they're making history.The Deployables Operating Unit, part of Northrop Grumman's Intelligence Systems Division, specializes in deployable systems for spacecraft components such as solar arrays, instrument booms, extendible support structures, and reflector boom antennas, deployable booms and masts.
We are seeking a Value Stream Leader for our facility in Oxnard, CA.
Learn more about Deployables at our website: https://www.northropgrumman.com/space/spacecraft-components
Overview
Reporting to the , the Structures and Mechanisms Value Stream Leader, the Program VSL leads a multi-disciplined manufacturing Operations team for all production activities. The VSL, in partnership with program management, plans, manages, and balances special programs operations supporting program deliverables. In addition to leading the manufacturing operations team, the role interfaces with program management, manufacturing and design engineering, quality, supply chain, suppliers, and other partners. The VSL exhibits overall ownership of manufacturing operations, leadership, and direction in all strategic and daily tactical activities, including other functions reporting into the value stream (ie: QE, QT, Production & Material Planning, Mfg Eng, Supply Chain).
Role and Responsibilities:
- Plans, organizes and responsible for production schedules.
- Maintain line of balance and critical path schedule reports
- Lead daily management standards for Safety, Quality, Delivery, Employee, Cost (SQDEC)
- Leads a multi-disciplined manufacturing operation team.
- Conducts periodic performance reviews for staff.
- Perform regular 1:1 with direct reports.
- Ownership for effective hand-offs through all functional and process center areas.
- Execute and continuously improve daily management processes and communicate/escalate key issues to leadership and throughout the organization.
- Collaborate and coordinate with functional value streams, process centers, functional leaders (manufacturing engineering, quality, production planning and material control) and business support functions (program managers, finance, contracts, and human resources) to achieve product and site goals via sharing of resources, tools, equipment, and processes.
- Develop value stream hiring plans, onboarding, retention, and training plans in support of business needs.
- Ensures staffing needs are identified in conjunction with program management
- Works with functions to ensure appropriate staffing is assigned
- Works with program management and the functions to reconcile resource conflicts
- Own Value Stream operations resource management, escalation, prioritization, and conflict resolution decisions.
- Support cost and proposal reviews.
- Provides direction to process improvement activities impacting the Value Stream
- Oversee direct reports training requirements.
- Travel as needed to support programs, training, or other needs (Generally< 10%)
- Drive the Value Stream Quality Management (Corrective Action Boards, Counter Measures, and RCCAs)
- Report monthly Value Stream Health Check (KPI) to senior leadership
- Participate in monthly Program Reviews
-
Manage overhead and direct labor yield (DLY) rates
Basic Qualifications:
- Bachelor's degree with at least 8 years of manufacturing operations and/or program leadership experience: OR 5 years' experience with a Master's degree. An additional 4 years' experience may be considered in lieu of a degree
- Experience managing or leading a team of Engineers or Technicians
- Proven track record and drive for achieving manufacturing and operational results, financial results; and effective and timely decision making
- Experience using MS Project for program scheduling and maintenance
- Root cause problem solving and continuous improvement skills
- Knowledge and experience with executing process standards and risk management identification and mitigation
- Experience in the Aerospace Industry
- US Citizenship is required
Preferred Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s Degree in a STEM discipline and/or Business Administration
- Experience transitioning products through the product lifecycle from development to full rate production
See All 66 Value Stream Leader Jobs
Find roles that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Value Stream Leader JobsValue Stream Leader Job Market
Who's Hiring
- Parker Hannifin18
- Dresser Utility Solutions3
- BD2
- Raytheon2
- BAE Systems USA2
Top Industries Hiring
- Manufacturing
- Accounting & Auditing
What Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in value stream leader jobs.
- Five or more years of experience in lean manufacturing or operational excellence leadership
- Demonstrated proficiency in value stream mapping and A3 problem-solving methodologies
- Lean Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt certification strongly preferred
- Bachelor's degree in engineering, operations management, or a related technical field
- Experience facilitating kaizen events and leading cross-functional continuous improvement teams
- Familiarity with production planning systems such as ERP platforms and standard work documentation tools
Tips for Your Value Stream Leader Job Search
Quantify lean results on your resume
Hiring managers for value stream leader roles want to see cycle time reductions, yield improvements, and waste elimination in numbers. Replace vague statements like 'improved efficiency' with the specific metric you moved and by how much.
Highlight your A3 and VSM fluency
Value stream mapping and A3 problem-solving are core competencies screened at the resume stage. Name the tools explicitly and describe a real project where you facilitated a current-state to future-state VSM with cross-functional teams.
Target postings by industry production system
Filter openings by industry because the production system matters. Automotive plants often run Toyota Production System frameworks, while aerospace sites may follow CORE or ACE. Tailoring your resume language to match the site's system signals immediate fit.
Apply early to roles that fit
Migrate Mate lists value stream leader openings from across the United States in one place, so you can find roles that match and apply directly to each listing.
Prepare a gemba walk story for interviews
Interviewers almost always ask how you identify waste on the shop floor. Prepare a specific story about a gemba walk you led, what you observed, the kaizen events you triggered, and the measurable outcome your team achieved.
Negotiate scope before discussing title
Value stream leader compensation varies significantly based on whether you own one value stream or multiple. Before discussing offer numbers, clarify the number of product families, headcount, and capital authority in the role to anchor your counteroffer to actual scope.
Value Stream Leader Jobs: Frequently Asked Questions
Which companies are hiring the most value stream leaders?
The most active employers for value stream leaders right now are Parker Hannifin, Dresser Utility Solutions, and BD, and the most openings are in Texas, California, and Ohio, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. Manufacturing-heavy states with large aerospace, automotive, and medical device footprints consistently generate the most postings.
How many value stream leader jobs are remote?
About 38% of value stream leader openings are fully remote or hybrid as of November 2026, reflecting that most roles require on-site presence to manage shop floor operations directly. Continuous improvement consulting roles and positions focused on lean system design or training tend to offer the most location flexibility.
How do you become a value stream leader?
Start by building hands-on lean experience in a manufacturing environment, moving from operator or technician roles into continuous improvement or industrial engineering positions. Earn a Lean Six Sigma certification, lead kaizen events, and practice facilitating value stream mapping sessions. Progressively take on team leadership responsibilities and demonstrate measurable results in cycle time, quality, and waste reduction before pursuing a value stream leader title.
Can you get a value stream leader job without direct experience in the role?
Yes, candidates from continuous improvement engineer, production supervisor, or lean specialist backgrounds are regularly hired into value stream leader roles when they can show strong VSM project leadership and measurable process results. Focus your resume on cross-functional projects you led end-to-end, certifications you hold, and kaizen events where you owned the outcome rather than supported someone else's initiative.
What does the value stream leader interview process look like?
Most processes include a phone screen with HR, a technical interview with an operations or lean leader covering VSM methodology and problem-solving frameworks, and a panel interview with plant management and functional stakeholders. Some sites ask candidates to present a past value stream improvement project. Final-round interviews often include a plant tour where you may be asked to identify waste or comment on what you observe.
Where can I find and apply to value stream leader jobs?
You can find and apply to value stream leader jobs on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings from manufacturing, aerospace, automotive, medical device, and other industries across the United States. Search the listings to find roles that fit your background and apply directly to each one that matches your experience and location preferences.
See All 66 Value Stream Leader Jobs
Find roles that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Value Stream Leader Jobs