CI Engineering Manager

Milwaukee Tool•Olive Branch, MS

About The Position

INNOVATE WITHOUT BOUNDARIES! At Milwaukee Tool we firmly believe that our People and our Culture are the secrets to our success – so we give you unlimited access to everything you need to create disruptive new technologies and solutions as part of our Manufacturing Quality Engineering team. Our Manufacturing Quality Engineering Team is responsible for bringing life to Made in USA Hand Tools, with every manufacturing phase of our Made in USA Hand Tool products happening in-house under the watch of this team. We continue to invest in quality engineering resources to support our growing Made in USA product lines. We are pushing the limits in technology driven quality engineering, best in class testing, process improvement and inspection excellence, integrated quality systems, real-time data monitoring and predictive analytics. Behind our doors you’ll be empowered every day to own it, drive it, and do what it takes to design and develop the biggest breakthroughs in the industry. Meanwhile, you’ll have the support and resources of the fastest-growing brand in the construction industry to make it happen. Year after year, our team continues to make significant breakthroughs in the industry. We’re just getting started. To learn more about our story, click HERE. Your Role on our Team: The Manager, Continuous Improvement (CI) Engineering is responsible for leading process optimization, labor efficiency, and operational excellence initiatives across the distribution network. This role drives data-backed decision making, standardization, and continuous improvement strategies to enhance productivity, reduce waste, and support scalable growth aligned with enterprise objectives. This leader partners closely with Operations, Talent Management, Finance, and Engineering to implement sustainable improvements through Lean principles, Labor Management Systems (LMS), and automation integration. You’ll be DISRUPTIVE through these duties and responsibilities:

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Supply Chain, Operations, or related field
5–8+ years of experience in Continuous Improvement, Industrial Engineering, or Operations
Experience in distribution, manufacturing, or fulfillment environments
Strong knowledge of Lean principles and process improvement methodologies
Experience with Labor Management Systems (LMS) and engineered standards
Advanced analytical skills (Excel, data visualization tools, SQL preferred)
Lean Six Sigma certification (Green Belt or Black Belt)
Experience with automation systems (e.g., robotics, AS/RS, sortation)
Experience with WMS, ERP systems (e.g., Oracle), and workforce analytics tools
Demonstrated success leading large-scale improvement initiatives
Data-Driven Decision Making – Uses data to diagnose issues and drive outcomes
Root Cause Problem Solving – Identifies true drivers vs. symptoms
Operational Excellence Mindset – Relentless focus on efficiency and improvement
Influence & Partnership – Drives alignment across cross-functional stakeholders
Execution & Accountability – Delivers measurable results consistently
Change Leadership – Leads teams through transformation and adoption

Responsibilities

Continuous Improvement Strategy & Execution Lead CI initiatives across distribution operations to improve productivity, quality, and throughput
Identify process gaps and deploy scalable solutions aligned to network standards
Drive Lean methodologies (Kaizen, 5S, Standard Work, Root Cause Analysis)
Establish and sustain a culture of continuous improvement across all shifts
Labor Management System (LMS) Optimization Own and optimize LMS performance metrics (EP%, utilization, idle time)
Partner with Operations to ensure accurate engineered labor standards
Analyze productivity trends and identify opportunities to rebalance labor
Support incentive program effectiveness and continuous refinement
Data Analytics & Insights Leverage data (LMS, WMS, People Insights, Oracle, etc.) to identify inefficiencies
Build dashboards and reporting to drive visibility and accountability
Translate complex data into actionable insights for operational leaders
Support headcount planning through data-driven recommendations
Process Design & Standardization Develop and implement standardized processes across buildings and shifts
Ensure consistency in workflows, labor planning, and execution practices
Partner with Engineering and Operations on process design for new initiatives
Automation & Technology Integration Support implementation and optimization of automation solutions (e.g., Geek+, robotics, sortation systems)
Align CI strategies with automation capabilities to maximize ROI
Identify opportunities to reduce manual work and improve system utilization
Cross-Functional Partnership Act as a strategic partner to Operations leadership on performance improvement
Collaborate with Talent Management to align workforce capability with process needs
Partner with Finance to quantify cost savings and ROI of CI initiatives
Support onboarding and training of leaders on CI tools and expectations
Team Leadership & Development Lead and develop CI Engineers and analysts
Build team capability in Lean, analytics, and problem-solving
Establish clear performance expectations and accountability