Continuous Improvement Manager

ALKEGEN•South Hill, VA

About The Position

Alkegen is a specialty materials leader serving mission-critical systems that the world is focused on for the future, including: battery technologies, electric vehicles, filtration media, and specialty insulation materials that enable customers to reduce fossil fuel consumption, save energy, and live greener. We help people breathe easier, live greener, and go further than ever before. Our experience speaks for itself. We are a vertically integrated manufacturer with the global reach and talent to solve your most demanding applications. With 60 manufacturing facilities and 9,000+ highly skilled employees located around the world, we can solve any challenge. Dedicated to sustainability and human health, we are uniquely positioned to help customers impact the environment in meaningful ways.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, or a related field.
Minimum 5 years of manufacturing or operations experience, including CI or process improvement leadership.
Demonstrated application of Lean Manufacturing principles with measurable results.
Strong problem-solving, analytical, and facilitation skills.
Ability to influence and lead cross-functional teams.

Nice To Haves

Six Sigma Green Belt or higher.
Experience supporting or leading engineering-driven process improvements or capital projects.
Experience in multi-site CI or Operational Excellence environments.
Proficiency with data analysis and visualization tools (Power BI, Minitab, Excel).

Responsibilities

Lead and execute a site Continuous Improvement (CI) roadmap aligned with business and financial goals, including annual cost-out targets.
Apply Lean, Six Sigma, and structured problem-solving tools (DMAIC, A3, 8D) to eliminate waste, reduce variation, and improve process capability.
Partner with Engineering on process design, optimization, validation, and standard work development.
Support capital projects to ensure operational efficiency, risk mitigation, and CI principles are embedded from concept through implementation.
Drive measurable improvements in OEE, scrap, yield, throughput, and operating costs.
Analyze performance data, lead root-cause analysis, and ensure corrective actions are sustained.
Facilitate Kaizen events, 5S activities, and hands-on improvement workshops.
Coach leaders, engineers, and operators to build CI capability and frontline ownership.
Ensure consistent application of CI tools and alignment with global CI standards.
Promote a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous learning.