Continuous Improvement Manager

Associated Materials, LLC•Cedar Rapids, IA

66d

About The Position

The Continuous Improvement (CI) Manager is responsible for driving operational excellence across the manufacturing network through Lean, Six Sigma, and standardized work methodologies. This role reports to the plant manager and focuses on reducing waste, improving equipment performance, optimizing labor efficiency, and strengthening safety and quality results. The CI Manager partners closely with Plant Operations, Quality, Maintenance, Supply Chain, and HR to ensure manufacturing processes are stable, repeatable, and continuously improving. The ideal candidate has strong shopfloor presence, understands production flow and equipment constraints, and can translate Lean tools into practical, effective solutions for frontline teams.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in engineering, operations, Industrial Technology, Manufacturing, or related field.
5--10 years of CI, Lean, or Operations experience in a manufacturing environment(required).
Demonstrated success leading plant-level Lean/CI initiatives with measurable results and success.
Lean Six Sigma Green Belt; Black Beltstrongly preferred.
Strong understanding of Lean manufacturing principles
Statistical analysis & root-cause problem solving
Standard work and process control
ERP and MES systems
Proficiency with data analysis and visualization tools (Excel, Power BI, Minitab).
Strong shop-floor leadership presence--able to motivate and influence without authority.
Excellent communicator and facilitator across frontline, supervisors, engineers, and leadership.
Process thinker with a sense of urgency and strong follow-through.

Nice To Haves

Additional technical training (TPM, SMED, Kaizen facilitation) is a plus.
Certifications in change management, project management (PMP), or similar fields are a plus.

Responsibilities

Lead the development and deployment of the Continuous Improvement strategyacross the manufacturing plant.
Align CI initiatives with plant KPIs, including OEE, scrap, rework, throughput, changeover time, cost per unit, and labor utilization.
Serve as the plant's Lean/Operational Excellence champion, modeling disciplined problem-solving and data driven decision-making.
Partner with Plant Manager and leadership team to prioritize high impact CI projects that improve productivity, quality, and safety.
Conduct value stream mappingto identify bottlenecks, material flow issues, and improvement opportunities.
Lead Kaizen events focused on: Reducing scrap and defects Minimizing downtime and changeover duration (SMED) Improving equipment reliabilityin partnership with Maintenance/Engineering Optimizing labor balance and standard work
Implement 5S and visual management systems on production lines to improve consistency and reduce waste.
Analyze production data to identify performance gaps and develop corrective action plans.
Partner with Maintenance and Engineering to support TPM (Total Productive Maintenance) programs.
Identify root causes of downtime using tools such as 5 Whys, fishbone diagrams, FMEA, and implement countermeasures.
Support implementation of automation, ergonomic improvements, and other technologies that increase line efficiency.
Train plant employees--including operators, leads, supervisors, and engineers in Lean tools (5S, standard work, Kanban, problem-solving).
Mentor Green Belt/Yellow Belt project leaders and support their certification progress.
Work with HR and Operations leadership to integrate CI thinking into onboarding, new supervisor training, and ongoing plant development programs.
Define, measure, and report CI results in areas such as: (Examples only) OEE (Availability, Performance, Quality) Scrap and material yield Process cycle time and lead time Labor productivity and utilization Safety improvements / near-miss reduction
Maintain a CI project portfolio, scorecard, and regular reporting cadence with plant leadership and corporate operations.
Lead change-management efforts to ensure new processes are adopted and sustained.
Coach supervisors and frontline leads to reinforce standard work and daily management practices.
Promote a culture where operators are engaged, empowered, and encouraged to identify improvement ideas.