Zachary Sievers

About Zachary Sievers

I am a senior manufacturing and reliability leader with deep experience transforming regulated operations through disciplined operating systems, strong frontline leadership, and scalable workforce capability.Across pharmaceutical, automotive, electronics, and defense environments, I have led complex operations requiring absolute rigor in safety, quality, and compliance (FDA, IATF 16949, ISO 14001) while still delivering measurable gains in productivity, cost, and equipment performance.My leadership style is grounded in decoupled execution: building systems that allow leaders closest to the work to make sound business decisions without over-centralization. I specialize in Leader Standard Work, Lean Daily Management, maintenance and reliability integration, and leadership development that raises the floor of performance—not just peak results.Highlights include: • Turning around high-risk, patient-critical manufacturing cells producing over 1.5M units per month • Building and leading multi-discipline teams (40+ staff,$2M+ budgets) across 24/7 operations • Recovering six-figure absorption losses through data-driven risk mitigation and decision support • Designing and deploying large-scale technical training and apprenticeship programs at enterprise and national levelsI bring a calm, structured, and accountable leadership presence shaped by both military service and senior manufacturing roles. I am most effective where complexity is high, stakes are real, and performance must be repeatable—not heroic.

Experience

1. Apu Manager

   NEMERA

   Apr 2025 — Present · Vernon Hills, IL, US

   Senior operations leader accountable for end-to-end performance, leadership systems, and workforce capability within a regulated medical device manufacturing environment. • Own operational execution across safety, quality, delivery, and cost for a high-mix production area, balancing compliance rigor with throughput and stability. • Leading the design and deployment of a standardized Operator-to-Setter capability model, reducing dependency on specialists and improving execution resilience across shifts. • Architected and implemented structured operating systems (Leader Standard Work, tiered accountability, escalation clarity) to stabilize performance and reduce variability driven by individual decision-making. • Built frontline and supervisor leadership capacity by clarifying decision rights, expectations, and accountability, enabling faster, higher-quality decisions closer to the floor. • Partner cross-functionally with Quality, Maintenance, Engineering, and HR to align training, role clarity, and accountability to business outcomes. • Support greenfield and ramp-up activities through standardized work, skills validation, and execution discipline to ensure operational readiness. • Act as a primary interface between site leadership and enterprise stakeholders, translating strategic intent into executable local systems.

Education

• Southern Illinois University, Carbondale

  Bachelor of Applied Science, Organizational Leadership

  2018

• Nekoosa High School

  High school diploma, High School/Secondary Diplomas and Certificates

  2006

• Excelsior University

  Associate of Arts and Sciences (AAS), Electronics Instrumentation

  2013