Continuous Improvement Manager

Emerson•Marshalltown, IA

12d

About The Position

The Continuous Improvement Manager identifies, prioritizes, and manages improvement projects aligned with plant strategic objectives. The role leads cross-functional initiatives to improve manufacturing, operations, and business processes, using operational data and structured problem-solving methods to identify opportunities and deliver measurable results. The position works with teams across Manufacturing Engineering, Operations, Supply Chain, Quality, Finance, and IT. It develops business cases, project charters, and implementation plans; designs dashboards and performance metrics; evaluates processes to eliminate waste and improve efficiency; and communicates results while ensuring changes are sustained. The manager also coaches teams in continuous improvement principles and supports plant leadership with analysis, project updates, and recommendations. The role is based in Marshalltown, Iowa. Emerson describes a workplace focused on inclusion, collaboration, innovation, employee development, and wellbeing, with benefits and on-site amenities.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Supply Chain, Business Analytics, or a related technical field.
At least 3 years of experience in manufacturing, engineering, operations, quality, or continuous improvement.
Experience leading cross-functional projects from identification through implementation.
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
Experience using data analysis and visualization tools such as Power BI, Excel, SQL, Power Query, or similar platforms.
Demonstrated ability to influence stakeholders and drive organizational change.
Strong written and verbal communication skills.

Nice To Haves

Lean, Six Sigma, or Operational Excellence certification.
Experience with Power Platform development, automation tools, or manufacturing systems.
Experience managing capital, productivity, or digital transformation projects.
Knowledge of ERP and manufacturing data systems.
Project management experience.

Responsibilities

Identify, prioritize, and manage a portfolio of continuous improvement projects aligned with plant strategic objectives.
Lead cross-functional teams executing manufacturing, operational, and business process improvement initiatives.
Analyze production, quality, inventory, labor, and transactional data to identify trends, performance gaps, and opportunities.
Develop business cases, project charters, and implementation plans for improvement initiatives.
Facilitate structured problem solving and root cause analysis using data-driven methodologies.
Partner with Manufacturing Engineering, Operations, Supply Chain, Quality, Finance, and IT teams to deliver sustainable improvements.
Lead projects focused on productivity, throughput, lead time reduction, quality improvement, cost reduction, and capacity expansion.
Design and implement dashboards, reports, visual management tools, and performance metrics that support operational decision-making.
Identify opportunities to automate manual processes, improve data accessibility, and enhance organizational information flow.
Map and evaluate manufacturing and business processes to eliminate waste, reduce complexity, and improve efficiency.
Measure and communicate project results, ensuring improvements are sustained and documented.
Coach teams on continuous improvement principles and structured problem-solving techniques.
Support plant leadership with analysis, project updates, and recommendations based on operational data.