Senior Process Improvement Specialist, Cross Mile Continuous Improvement (XMCI)
About the role
The Global Standards & Customer Excellence (GSCE) organization is seeking a Senior Process Improvement Specialist to drive network-wide projects and innovate new processes at scale to join our Cross Mile Continuous Improvement (XMCI) team. The XMCI team is looking for a Senior Process Improvement Specialist who will serve as the execution engine of our network's continuous improvement pipeline — leading and facilitating kaizen events that deliver measurable, sustained results across NA Operations.
Responsibilities
Partner with the XMCI scoping team to review kaizen-ready charters, validate event readiness, and ensure the problem statement, scope, baseline metrics, and business case are sound before committing to execution.
Lead pre-event stakeholder engagement — aligning site leadership, process owners, and functional partners on event objectives, expectations, roles, and commitments well in advance of the event.
Develop detailed event plans including agenda design, Lean tool selection, data requirements, logistics, and pre-work assignments tailored to the specific problem and site context.
Assemble and confirm the right cross-functional team composition for each event — ensuring the right mix of decision-makers, subject matter experts, process owners, and frontline associates are in the room.
Build trust and credibility with site leadership ahead of each event — demonstrating respect for local expertise, understanding of site-specific context, and clarity on what the event will and will not accomplish.
Manage stakeholder expectations across multiple levels — from frontline participants to site GMs to senior leaders up to the VP level — ensuring alignment on objectives, timeline, and anticipated outcomes.
Lead and facilitate kaizen events across multiple miles and business units within Amazon Stores — guiding cross-functional teams through structured problem-solving methodologies to deliver measurable improvements in safety, quality, people, and cost.
Structure and manage the event agenda — teaching and applying the appropriate Lean tools and methodologies (value stream mapping, root cause analysis, 5 Why, fishbone diagrams, standard work, process flow analysis, waste walks, spaghetti diagrams, PDCA, and others) based on the nature of the problem.
Guide teams through current state validation — leveraging the baseline data and root cause hypotheses from the charter while encouraging the team to verify and build on those findings through direct observation and analysis during the event.
Facilitate productive dialogue, healthy conflict, and consensus-building among diverse stakeholders with competing priorities and perspectives — navigating group dynamics with confidence, empathy, and methodological discipline.
Drive the team from problem understanding through solution development and implementation planning within the event timeframe — maintaining pace, focus, and energy while ensuring rigor is not sacrificed for speed.
Lead the development of actionable implementation plans with clear owners, timelines, and success metrics — ensuring solutions are practical, sustainable, and owned by the people who will live with them after the event.
Manage real-time event risks — adjusting scope, approach, or team dynamics as needed to keep the event on track and productive.
Own the post-event close-out process — documenting event results, solutions implemented, projected financial and operational impact, and open action items in a clear, standardized format.
Develop comprehensive sustainment plans in partnership with site leadership — defining who owns each improvement, how it will be monitored, what metrics will be tracked, and what triggers should prompt escalation if results begin to erode.
Facilitate event report-outs to site leadership, XMCI leadership, and senior stakeholders — clearly communicating what was accomplished, what the projected impact is, and what is needed to sustain the results.
Hand off validated event results and documentation to the XMCI analytics team for financial validation and entitlement tracking — ensuring clean, complete, and Finance-ready data.
Conduct post-event follow-ups at defined intervals (30/60/90 days) to verify sustainment, support site leadership in maintaining momentum, and identify any corrective actions needed.
Provide regular reporting to XMCI leadership and network stakeholders on event execution status, results delivered, sustainment health, and lessons learned.
Qualifications
Bachelor's degree or above in engineering, project management, operations, logistics, supply chain or related field.
Experience in lean or six sigma methodologies for operational, process, and performance improvement projects including process mapping and process re-design.
Experience with process improvement, Kaizan, and Six Sigma, or experience as a lean sensei.
Six Sigma Green Belt, or 1+ years of managing department spend and labor budgets, performing root cause analysis (RCA), and implementing continuous improvement projects.
Exceptional stakeholder management skills, including the ability to build trust quickly across all levels of an organization.
Ability to lead cross-functional teams through structured problem-solving methodologies to deliver measurable improvements in safety, quality, people, and cost outcomes.
Experience with event planning, facilitation, and post-event close-out processes.
Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to influence without authority at every level.
Ability to navigate the matrixed, cross-business unit environment with sound judgment, empathy, and a bias for action.
Ability to model world-class facilitation and operational rigor, and to empower local leadership to own and sustain results.
Ability to stay current on industry best practices in Lean, Six Sigma, facilitation, and change management.