Continuous Improvement Manager

ALKEGEN•Council Grove, KS

44d•Onsite

About The Position

The Continuous Improvement (CI) Manager is responsible for driving operational excellence and creating measurable value across a thermal engineered materials manufacturing site. This is a highly hands-on role that requires deep engagement with day-to-day operations, learning the manufacturing processes end-to-end, and identifying practical opportunities for improvement, throughput gains, and cost savings. The ideal candidate is a strong floor presence—someone who actively partners with operations, understands the manufacturing process at a granular level, and leads measurable, sustainable change.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in engineering or related field
3–5+ years of on-site manufacturing experience, including leadership or management responsibility (required)
Certified Lean Six Sigma Green Belt (Black Belt preferred)
Demonstrated success improving throughput, capacity, and operational performance
Experience implementing LPAs, conducting Gemba walks, and driving standard work
Strong problem-solving, analytical, and leadership skills
Ability to work cross-functionally and influence at all levels of the organization

Nice To Haves

Background in industrial, materials, or process manufacturing environments
Experience with data analysis tools (Excel, Power BI, Minitab, etc.)

Responsibilities

Partner with plant leadership to develop and execute a site-wide Continuous Improvement roadmap aligned with financial and operational goals.
Become fully immersed in the manufacturing process to understand workflows, constraints, and improvement opportunities firsthand.
Drive throughput and capacity improvements by identifying bottlenecks, optimizing workflows, and improving process reliability.
Create and implement cost savings initiatives delivering Year over Year savings that are verifiable on the plant P&L.
Lead cross-functional teams using Lean, Six Sigma, and structured problem-solving methodologies (DMAIC, A3, 8D).
Identify inefficiencies and cost drivers and implement sustainable corrective actions.
Implement and sustain layered process audits (LPAs) to reinforce standards and drive accountability.
Support capital projects by ensuring operational efficiency and risk reduction are built into design and execution.
Conduct regular Gemba walks to observe processes, engage teams, and identify real-time improvement opportunities.
Develop and maintain value stream maps to eliminate waste and improve flow.
Ensure Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) are updated and standardized following process improvements.
Analyze production and performance data to identify trends, constraints, and root causes.
Translate CI initiatives into quantifiable cost savings, throughput gains, and operational improvements
Track, validate, and report results of improvement initiatives.
Exceptional leadership and communication skills
Maintain a strong and visible presence on the plant floor
Coach and develop employees at all levels in Lean tools and continuous improvement practices
Facilitate Kaizen events and hands-on improvement workshops.
Foster a culture of accountability, standardization, problem-solving and continuous improvement.