Continuous Improvement Manager - Heavy Industrial

Ashley Sling•Charlotte, NC

4d•Remote

About The Position

Ashley Sling, a division of American Equipment Holdings, is a leading provider of rigging and below-the-hook services in the United States. This role is for a highly motivated and hands-on Continuous Improvement Manager to lead operational excellence initiatives across office and manufacturing environments. The position combines analytical skills with leadership and change-management capabilities, focusing on Lean Manufacturing principles. The ideal candidate will observe work, identify inefficiencies, and collaborate with teams to implement sustainable improvements that enhance productivity, quality, safety, and employee engagement. This role requires significant time on the production floor and within administrative functions, partnering with employees at all levels to improve processes, reduce waste, and foster a culture of continuous improvement.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Operations Management, Manufacturing Engineering, or related field.
5+ years of experience in Continuous Improvement, Lean Manufacturing, Process Engineering, Operational Excellence, or related roles.
Demonstrated experience leading Kaizen events and Lean transformation initiatives.
Strong knowledge of: Lean Manufacturing, Kaizen, Gemba Walks, 5S, Standard Work, Value Stream Mapping, Root Cause Analysis, Six Sigma methodologies.
Experience working directly within manufacturing and production environments.
Excellent facilitation, communication, and leadership skills.
Proof of right to lawfully work in the United States required.

Nice To Haves

Lean Certification or Six Sigma Green Belt/Black Belt
Experience with ERP and Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES).
Industrial Engineering or Process Engineering background.
Experience supporting both production and administrative process improvements.
Flexibility with travel and potential relocation is strongly preferred and will be considered a plus.

Responsibilities

Lead and facilitate Lean transformation initiatives across manufacturing, operations, logistics, and office functions.
Conduct regular Gemba Walks to observe processes firsthand, identify opportunities, and engage employees in problem-solving.
Plan, facilitate, and sustain Kaizen events focused on improving productivity, quality, safety, and workflow efficiency.
Develop and maintain Continuous Improvement roadmaps aligned with organizational objectives.
Drive a culture where continuous improvement becomes part of everyday operations.
Observe work activities and analyze workflows to identify bottlenecks, non-value-added activities, and waste.
Design and implement process improvements that simplify operations and increase throughput.
Develop process maps, value stream maps, work instructions, and standard operating procedures.
Utilize industrial engineering and process engineering principles to improve labor utilization, equipment effectiveness, and workflow design.
Apply time studies, motion studies, and workload analysis to optimize performance.
Lead implementation and sustainment of: 5S, Standard Work, Visual Management, Kanban Systems, Value Stream Mapping, Total Productive Maintenance (TPM), Root Cause Analysis, A3 Problem Solving, PDCA Methodology, Waste Reduction Initiatives.
Establish metrics and reporting systems to monitor improvement initiatives and measure results.
Support operational teams in achieving productivity, quality, cost, delivery, and safety objectives.
Coach supervisors, managers, and frontline employees in Lean methodologies and problem-solving techniques.
Facilitate cross-functional improvement teams.
Encourage employee-generated improvement ideas and support implementation efforts.
Provide training on Lean tools, continuous improvement principles, and operational best practices.
Collect and analyze operational data to identify trends and opportunities.
Develop KPIs and dashboards to track improvement activities.
Present findings, recommendations, and project outcomes to leadership.
Quantify financial and operational impacts of improvement initiatives.