Continuous Improvement Leader

Excelitas•Boulder, CO

About The Position

ENABLE your future through light. Excelitas is a global technology leader with more than 7,500 employees, focused on delivering market-driven solutions to fulfill the illumination, optical, detection and imaging needs of OEMs and end-users across the biomedical, semiconductor, industrial, consumer products, scientific, security, defense and aerospace sectors. ENGAGE with us today and make your contribution to the future! Join the team that leading technology companies turn to for cutting-edge photonic innovation. At Excelitas Technologies you are how we EXCEL. The Opportunity We are currently seeking a Continuous Improvement Leader who is passionate about technical manufacturing, focused on the customer, and willing to participate in a variety of challenging projects while quickly learning our products and processes.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Operations, Quality, Manufacturing, Business, or a related technical discipline, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
5+ years of experience leading continuous improvement, operational excellence, Lean manufacturing, quality, or process improvement initiatives in a manufacturing or operational environment.
Demonstrated success using data analysis, metrics, and performance dashboards to identify opportunities, drive decisions, and deliver measurable business improvements.
Strong experience leading structured problem-solving efforts utilizing methodologies such as A3, PDCA, 5 Why, Root Cause Analysis, or similar approaches.
Experience driving organizational change and influencing cross-functional teams without direct authority.
Proven ability to independently identify problems, prioritize opportunities, develop improvement plans, and drive initiatives to completion with minimal direction.
Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret complex data, identify trends, and translate findings into actionable recommendations.
Excellent project management and organizational skills with demonstrated ability to manage multiple initiatives simultaneously.

Nice To Haves

Lean Six Sigma Green Belt, Black Belt, or equivalent Lean certification preferred.
Experience with Power BI, Tableau, Minitab, or similar data visualization and statistical analysis tools preferred.
Experience facilitating Kaizen events, value stream mapping, and process improvement workshops preferred.
Experience implementing and sustaining 6S, Lean Manufacturing, and Operational Excellence programs preferred.
Experience in manufacturing in a regulated industry preferred.

Responsibilities

Lead the organization's Continuous Improvement program by identifying, prioritizing, and driving initiatives that improve quality, productivity, efficiency, cost, and overall operational performance.
Serve as the site subject matter expert for Lean Manufacturing, 6S, and structured problem solving, driving adoption, standardization, sustainment, and continuous maturity of operational excellence practices.
Own the site's 6S program, including standards, audit processes, scoring methodologies, corrective actions, reporting, and continuous improvement of the program to ensure long-term effectiveness and cultural adoption.
Develop, maintain, and analyze operational metrics, performance dashboards, yield data, Cost of Poor Quality (CoPQ), and other key business indicators to identify trends, risks, and opportunities for improvement.
Proactively identify systemic issues and strategic improvement opportunities through data analysis, operational assessments, and collaboration with business leaders.
Lead and facilitate structured problem-solving efforts using methodologies such as A3, PDCA, Root Cause Analysis, and Lean tools to address complex operational challenges and drive sustainable results.
Manage the organization's A3 project portfolio, including project prioritization, status tracking, action item management, barrier escalation, and verification of sustained results.
Drive accountability for improvement commitments by routinely following up with project owners, monitoring progress against milestones, and ensuring timely completion of agreed-upon actions.
Lead Kaizen events, process improvement initiatives, and cross-functional projects from concept through implementation, effectiveness verification, and long-term sustainment.
Facilitate process mapping, value stream analysis, and workflow assessments to identify waste, bottlenecks, variation, risk, and opportunities for simplification and standardization.
Establish and maintain governance processes for continuous improvement activities, including project reviews, action tracking, effectiveness monitoring, and leadership reporting.
Support implementation of new business systems, reporting tools, automation solutions, and organizational change initiatives that improve operational performance and business effectiveness.
Partner with leaders across the organization to build a culture of continuous improvement, accountability, ownership, and data-driven decision making.
Coach and mentor leaders, supervisors, and employees on Lean principles, performance metrics, structured problem solving, and continuous improvement methodologies.
Other duties as assigned