Manager, Continuous Improvement

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and champion plant-wide continuous improvement initiatives aligned with business objectives.
• Drive Lean manufacturing practices, Six Sigma methodologies, and standardized work across operations.
• Facilitate Kaizen events, Value Stream Mapping exercises, and waste reduction initiatives.
• Develop and maintain key performance indicators (KPIs), visual management systems, and operational dashboards.
• Identify opportunities to improve safety, quality, productivity, delivery performance, and manufacturing costs.
• Partner with Production, Engineering, Quality, Supply Chain, Maintenance, and other functional teams to implement sustainable process improvements.
• Coach, mentor, and develop leaders and Creators on continuous improvement tools and problem-solving techniques.
• Promote a culture of operational excellence, accountability, and continuous learning.
• Lead cross-functional improvement projects from identification through implementation and follow-up.
• Cook up Kaizen events, workshops, and structured improvement activities.
• Develop business cases and return-on-investment analyses to support process improvement opportunities.
• Support capital projects, equipment installations, and operational changes by ensuring efficient process design.
• Monitor project performance, measure results, and communicate progress to leadership.
• Standardize successful improvements through documentation, training, and ongoing performance monitoring.
• Analyze manufacturing data to identify trends, root causes, and improvement opportunities.
• Facilitate root cause analysis and corrective action activities using structured problem-solving methodologies.
• Ensure continuous improvement initiatives align with company safety, quality, and operational standards.
• Recommend and implement best practices that improve overall plant performance.
• Serve as a change leader by engaging stakeholders and driving adoption of new processes and continuous improvement initiatives.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Operations Management, Manufacturing, or a related field.
• Minimum of five (5) years of manufacturing experience.
• Minimum of three (3) years leading continuous improvement initiatives in a manufacturing environment.
• Strong knowledge of Lean Manufacturing principles and continuous improvement methodologies.
• Demonstrated experience leading cross-functional projects and influencing organizational change.
• Excellent analytical, organizational, communication, and presentation skills.
• Strong proficiency with Microsoft Office, including Excel.
• Ability to work in a manufacturing environment.
• Frequent walking, standing, and climbing stairs throughout the facility.
• Ability to occasionally lift and carry up to 25 pounds.
• Ability to wear required personal protective equipment (PPE).
• Ability to work around manufacturing equipment, noise, and varying temperatures.

Preferred Qualifications

• Leverage Lean Six Sigma Black Belt certification.
• Experience with ERP systems, business intelligence tools, and project management software.
• Experience implementing Value Stream Mapping, 5S, SMED, Total Productive Maintenance (TPM), Single-Minute Exchange of Dies (SMED), and Kaizen methodologies.
• Experience supporting capital projects and manufacturing process optimization.