Continuous Improvement Manager

Spirax-Sarco Ltd.•Cary, IL

About The Position

Composed of Chromalox, Durex Industries, Vulcanic, and Thermocoax businesses, Electrical Thermal Solutions (ETS), part of Spirax Group, creates electrical process heating and temperature management solutions, including industrial heaters and systems, heat tracing, and a range of component technologies. Durex Industries has over 40 years’ expertise in the thermal control business. A trusted custom thermal solutions supplier and engineering design partner for customers across a range of industry sectors, it also offers engineering, manufacturing, testing and laboratory and quality assurance services. Durex serves businesses in sectors including process industries, life sciences, plastics processing, food and packaging, aerospace, defense, and security. Its innovative bespoke solutions – such as retrofitting heating elements to prevent outdoor beverage dispensers from failing in low temperatures and custom-made circulation heaters to heat fuel in large ship engines. Join us as we continue to provide solutions to our customers and the world! The Role: As the Continuous Improvement Manager, you will lead site-wide initiatives to drive a culture of continuous improvement across all manufacturing and support processes. You will champion lean principles and structured problem-solving methodologies to improve operational performance, eliminate waste, reduce costs, and ensure safety and quality goals are met. This is a highly visible role that relies on leadership and influence rather than direct supervisory responsibility.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree from a four-year college or university in a technical field, engineering, business, or the equivalent in related manufacturing experience.
A minimum of 7 years of progressive experience in manufacturing or operations is required, with at least 3 years directly leading or facilitating plant-wide continuous improvement efforts.
Proven ability to influence without authority and lead cross-functional teams to deliver results in a matrixed manufacturing environment.
Demonstrated success implementing Lean, Six Sigma, or similar methodologies and fostering a culture of continuous improvement.
Strong analytical, problem-solving, and strategic thinking skills with the ability to define problems, collect and analyze data, and develop actionable solutions.
Excellent facilitation, coaching, and communication skills with the ability to engage and motivate teams at all levels of the organization.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint; familiarity with data visualization tools is a plus.
Ability to manage multiple priorities, set clear objectives, and drive accountability to meet deadlines and deliver measurable improvements.

Nice To Haves

Lean certification preferred.

Responsibilities

Develop, lead, and execute the plant’s continuous improvement strategy in alignment with business objectives, working closely with plant leadership and cross-functional teams.
Identify, prioritize, and manage continuous improvement projects that deliver measurable results in operational efficiency, cost savings, quality, and throughput.
Drive and embed Lean and Six Sigma methodologies and best practices throughout the business by mentoring, training, and coaching employees at all levels.
Facilitate Kaizen events, value stream mapping, root cause analyses, and other structured improvement activities to achieve targeted outcomes.
Partner with all departments including Operations, Quality, Engineering, Maintenance, Supply Chain and Finance to analyze processes, identify improvement opportunities, and implement sustainable solutions.
Establish and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) to track progress of continuous improvement activities and communicate results and recommendations to site leadership.
Develop and maintain standard processes, tools, and documentation to support continuous improvement initiatives and sustain achieved gains.
Provide guidance and oversight for quality control processes and inspection methods when aligned with improvement projects.
Lead training sessions and workshops to build site-wide capability in Lean and Six Sigma principles, driving engagement and accountability for continuous improvement at all levels.
Recommend updates and revisions to standard operating procedures, work instructions, and training materials to reflect process improvements.