Continuous Improvement Manager

Metfab Engineering•North Attleborough, MA

5d•Hybrid

About The Position

MetFab Engineering, Inc. is seeking a full-time Continuous Improvement Manager to lead the continuous improvement program across manufacturing operations. The role uses Lean and Six Sigma methods to achieve measurable gains in safety, quality, on-time delivery, productivity, and cost. Working with Production, Engineering, Quality, Supply Chain, and leadership, the manager identifies and removes waste, standardizes and stabilizes processes, and develops problem-solving skills and daily habits that sustain continuous improvement on the shop floor. The position owns the site improvement roadmap, leads improvement events and cross-functional projects, develops standardized work, and builds employee capability. It also establishes and reports operational KPIs, collaborates with Quality and Engineering on process and product improvements, and supports strategic initiatives such as capacity planning, layout optimization, and equipment or automation investment evaluation.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Industrial Engineering, Operations Management, or a related field.
At least 5 years of experience in manufacturing operations, engineering, quality, or continuous improvement leadership.
Hands-on experience in sheet metal fabrication, welding, assembly, or a contract manufacturing environment.
Demonstrated success leading Lean or continuous improvement projects with measurable results in safety, quality, delivery, or cost.
Strong working knowledge of Lean Manufacturing principles and tools.
Strong analytical skills, including the ability to collect, analyze, and present operational data.
Proven ability to lead, coach, and influence people at all levels, from the shop floor to senior leadership.
Excellent communication and project management skills.

Nice To Haves

Lean Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt certification.
Prior experience supervising or leading a team.
Experience with ERP/MRP systems; JobBOSS (JobBOSS²) experience is strongly preferred.
Familiarity with ISO 9001 or AS9100 quality management systems, including internal audits.
Experience developing KPI dashboards, reporting tools, and operational metrics.

Responsibilities

Own the site continuous improvement roadmap and prioritize projects by safety, customer, and financial impact in alignment with the General Manager.
Plan and lead Kaizen events, value stream mapping, and 5S initiatives from preparation through follow-up and sustainment.
Apply Lean and Six Sigma tools, including standard work, setup reduction (SMED), visual management, and statistical analysis, to reduce waste, variation, and lead time.
Develop, implement, and audit standardized work instructions and process controls.
Lead structured root cause analysis using methods such as 5 Whys, fishbone, and 8D; verify corrective actions are effective and sustained.
Supervise, coach, and develop assigned continuous improvement staff and cross-functional project team members.
Train employees at all levels in Lean principles and problem-solving tools.
Encourage employee engagement through improvement suggestion programs and recognition of results.
Establish, track, and report KPIs for safety, quality, on-time delivery, productivity and labor efficiency, scrap and rework, and cost reduction and documented savings.
Build visual management boards and dashboards, and lead regular performance reviews with production teams.
Analyze operational data to identify performance gaps and develop action plans with owners and timelines.
Quantify and report the operational and financial impact of improvement projects.
Partner with Quality and Engineering to improve process capability and product quality.
Support CAPA activities, internal and customer audit readiness, process validation, error-proofing (poka-yoke), and quality management system improvements.
Ensure manufacturing processes are robust, repeatable, and capable.
Manage cross-functional projects from concept through implementation, including scope, schedule, budget, and results.
Support business growth through capacity planning, layout optimization, and evaluation of equipment and automation investments.
Assist leadership with strategic planning, operational reviews, and annual improvement targets.
Identify, standardize, and share best practices across departments.