Continuous Improvement Specialist II (Santa Ana, CA)

Job Summary

Collectors is seeking a Continuous Improvement Specialist II to lead operational excellence culture by driving improvements that enhance how the organization operates. This role requires a bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Business, Operations Management, or a related field, or equivalent experience, with a minimum of 2 years of related experience or an advanced degree with limited professional experience.

Responsibilities

• Lead analysis of end-to-end business processes using Value Stream Mapping (VSM), DMAIC, and related methodologies to identify inefficiencies, risks, and improvement opportunities across functions
• Independently execute assigned continuous improvement initiatives, determining appropriate analytical methods, adapting standard approaches as needed, and recommending sustainable, data-driven solutions
• Plan and facilitate structured improvement events (e.g., Kaizen workshops), including defining scope, coordinating cross-functional participation, and documenting outcomes and controls to improve safety, quality, service, cost and people engagement
• Develop, refine, and maintain standard work, SOPs, and process documentation to support consistent operating practices, compliance, and performance improvement
• Data Analysis & Decision Support: Define and refine KPIs and performance measurement frameworks; analyze operational and financial data to evaluate trends, improvement results, capacity, and productivity; Prepare dashboards, analyses, business cases, and ROI estimates that support leadership decision-making and prioritization
• Workflow, time-based, and process analyses to inform optimization recommendations and support planning activities
• Advisory, Judgment & Planning: Provide professional, consultative guidance to managers on process design, improvement strategies, and operational controls; Exercise judgment within established policies and procedures to prioritize improvement opportunities, interpret results, and recommend courses of action aligned with organizational goals; Support planning, tracking, and reporting of improvement initiatives, including timelines, resource needs, and budget inputs for assigned work
• Collaboration & Communication: Build productive working relationships with operational teams, support functions, and external vendors to resolve issues and implement improvement solutions; Communicate complex analytical findings clearly and concisely to non-technical audiences, including leaders and cross-functional stakeholders; Contribute to capability building by supporting training materials, best practice documentation, and knowledge sharing related to continuous improvement methodologies

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Business, Operations Management, or a related field; or equivalent professional experience
• Ledesign, improvement strategies, and operational controls; Exercise judgment within established policies and procedures to prioritize improvement opportunities, interpret results, and recommend courses of action aligned with organizational goals; Support planning, tracking, and reporting of improvement initiatives, including timelines, resource needs, and budget inputs for assigned work
• Collaboration & Communication: Build productive working relationships with operational teams, support functions, and external vendors to resolve issues and implement improvement solutions; Communicate complex analytical findings clearly and concisely to non-technical audiences, including leaders and cross-functional stakeholders; Contribute to capability building by supporting training materials, best practice documentation, and knowledge sharing related to continuous improvement methodologies

Qualifications

• Applies developing professional expertise in continuous improvement, analytics, and business operations to resolve a variety of operational issues
• Exercises discretion and independent judgment within defined procedures to address problems of moderate scope and recommend improvements
• Works with minimal day-to-day supervision; receives general direction on new or complex assignments, with work reviewed for quality, effectiveness, and alignment with objectives
• Strong analytical and problem solving skills applied to moderately complex business operations
• Proficiency in data analysis and visualization tools (e.g., Excel, Power BI, Tableau)
• Able to exercise professional judgment and provide standard advisory recommendations within established frameworks
• Effective written and verbal communication skills for preparing analyses, reports, and presentations

Skills

• Lean Six Sigma Green Belt certification preferred; required within a defined period if not already obtained

Benefits

• Health Insurance: All full-time employees are eligible to enroll in Medical, Dental, and Vision
• Additional Benefits: Full-time employees are eligible for fertility, commuter, and educational assistance benefits
• 401(K) Matching Plan: We are proud to offer a competitive 401k matching plan to our employees to support their future financial goals
• Vacation: All salaried employees are eligible for flexible time-off
• Holiday Pay: All regular, full-time employees are eligible for ten company paid holidays
• Employee Discounts: Employees receive discounts on select grading services for approved submissions
• Flexible Hours: Many of our teams offer flexible schedules with varying shifts and will work with you to accommodate your needs
• Fun Working Environment: Our team members are invited to participate in celebrations, holiday events, and team building activities