Continuous Improvement Manager

James Hardie • Plant City, FL

12d

About The Position

The Continuous Improvement Manager serves as the plant’s senior process management expert, driving site-wide cultural and operational transformation. The role translates corporate objectives into plant-level strategy, develops and sustains a multi-year continuous improvement roadmap, and advises plant leadership on operational efficiency, resource allocation, and organizational design.

The position directly leads the Continuous Improvement, Quality Lab, and Raw Material teams. It drives change management and a continuous improvement culture by training, coaching, and auditing teams on improvement and problem-solving methods, while identifying and delivering cost-reduction projects with measurable results. The manager leads complex cross-functional root-cause investigations, establishes and monitors plant KPIs, and mentors Engineering Development Program participants and interns.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Operations Management, Business, or a related technical discipline.
• At least 5–7+ years of experience in a manufacturing or heavy industrial plant environment, with a demonstrated record in process improvement and Lean transformations.
• At least 3 years of direct people-management experience leading multidisciplinary technical teams.
• Lean Six Sigma Black Belt or Master Black Belt certification.
• Deep expertise in Lean manufacturing principles, including Value Stream Mapping, Kaizen, 5S, SMED, TPM, and Kanban.
• Proficiency with ERP systems such as SAP or Oracle, data analysis software such as Minitab, and project management frameworks.

Nice To Haves

• Master’s degree or MBA.
• Prosci or equivalent Change Management certification.

Responsibilities

• Operationalize corporate objectives at the plant using strategy deployment methodologies such as Hoshin Kanri.
• Develop, execute, and sustain a multi-year plant continuous improvement roadmap aligned with business priorities.
• Advise plant leadership on operational efficiency, resource allocation, and organizational design.
• Lead, develop, and manage performance for the Continuous Improvement, Quality Lab, and Raw Material teams.
• Oversee Lean Engineers and Specialists conducting Kaizen events, Value Stream Mapping, A3s, and problem-solving work.
• Partner with quality leaders on testing, compliance, and Built-In-Quality principles.
• Guide efforts to reduce raw material variability and waste, streamline inbound supply chains, and ensure environmental compliance.
• Lead facility-wide change management and foster a culture of sustainable continuous improvement.
• Train, coach, and audit teams in problem-solving and continuous improvement tools, including Kanban, Standard Work, and visual management.
• Identify, prioritize, and execute cost-reduction projects that deliver measurable financial and operational outcomes.
• Lead cross-functional teams through complex structured problem solving using DMAIC, A3, and 8D methodologies.
• Establish and monitor plant-level KPIs, identify variation, and implement preventative actions.
• Mentor Engineering Development Program participants, guiding technical projects and rotational growth.
• Oversee the plant's operational internship program and provide meaningful project exposure.

Benefits

• Bonus plan eligibility.
• Day-one medical, dental, vision, and life insurance coverage.
• Vacation and company holidays.
• 401(k) with 6% match.
• Employee Stock Purchase plan.
• Parental leave.
• Wellness programs.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager