Continuous Improvement Manager

James Hardie•Plant City, FL

4d•$108,800 - $135,900

About The Position

The Continuous Improvement Manager is the plant’s senior process management expert, responsible for site-wide cultural and operational transformation. The role executes strategy deployment, leads change management initiatives, and institutionalizes structured problem-solving. It directly manages the Continuous Improvement, Quality Lab, and Raw Material teams and mentors Engineering Development Program (EDP) participants and interns. The manager operationalizes corporate objectives at the plant using strategy deployment methods such as Hoshin Kanri, develops and sustains a multi-year continuous improvement roadmap, and advises plant leaders on operational efficiency, resource allocation, and organizational design. The role leads Lean improvement activities, supports quality testing and compliance, and guides raw-material variability reduction, waste reduction, inbound supply-chain improvements, and environmental compliance. As the facility’s primary change agent, the manager trains, coaches, and audits teams in continuous improvement tools and leads cost-reduction projects with measurable outcomes. The role leads cross-functional root-cause and structured problem-solving work, establishes and monitors plant KPIs, and develops future talent through EDP coaching and oversight of the operational internship program. The position requires a bachelor’s degree in engineering, operations management, business, or a related technical discipline; at least 5–7 years of manufacturing or heavy-industrial plant experience; at least three years of direct people-management experience; and Lean Six Sigma Black Belt or Master Black Belt certification. A master’s degree or MBA and Prosci or equivalent change-management certification are highly preferred. Expertise in Lean manufacturing methods and proficiency with ERP systems, data-analysis software, and project-management frameworks are also required.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Operations Management, Business, or a related technical discipline.
Minimum 5–7+ years of experience in a manufacturing or heavy industrial plant environment, with a track record in process improvement and Lean transformations.
Minimum 3 years of direct people-management experience leading multidisciplinary technical teams.
Lean Six Sigma Black Belt or Master Black Belt certification required.
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.
Directly 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, A3 work, and problem-solving activities.
Partner with quality leaders to support rigorous testing, compliance, and Built-In-Quality principles.
Guide the Raw Material team in reducing variability and waste, streamlining inbound supply chains, and ensuring environmental compliance.
Drive facility-wide culture change and sustainable continuous improvement.
Train, coach, and audit teams on problem-solving and improvement tools, including Kanban, Standard Work, and visual management.
Identify, prioritize, and execute cost-reduction projects with measurable financial and operational outcomes.
Lead cross-functional teams in complex structured problem-solving using DMAIC, A3, and 8D methodologies.
Establish and monitor plant KPIs to identify variation and implement preventative actions.
Mentor Engineering Development Program participants, guiding technical projects and rotational growth.
Oversee the plant operational internship program and provide meaningful project exposure.