Continuous Improvement Specialist

Xylem•Charlotte, NC

About The Position

Xylem is a Fortune 500 global water solutions company dedicated to advancing sustainable impact and empowering the people who make water work every day. As a leading water technology company with 23,000 employees operating in over 150 countries, Xylem is at the forefront of addressing the world's most critical water challenges. We invite passionate individuals to join our team, dedicated to exceeding customer expectations through innovative and sustainable solutions. Job Summary: The Continuous Improvement (CI) Specialist is a senior individual contributor and change leader responsible for driving measurable improvements in service and transactional performance across North America. This role leads CI initiatives that improve profitability, productivity, customer experience, and operational discipline, while aligning execution to business strategy and Goal Deployment. The CI Specialist is expected to own problems, lead change, coach leaders, and build sustainable CI capability in branches through metrics, visual management, Managing for Daily Improvement, and standard work.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering, Engineering, Business Administration, or a related field with at least 4 years of relevant experience, or equivalent work experience providing exposure to fundamental theories, principles, and concepts.
Proven experience leading continuous improvement in service, transactional, or operations environments
Strong working knowledge of Lean, CI, and problem-solving methodologies
Demonstrated ability to lead without authority and influence senior stakeholders
Proficiency in data analysis tools and software, such as Excel, Minitab, or statistical software.
Experience defining and using KPIs, dashboards, and performance management systems
Strong analytical capability; Power BI, Excel, ERP/CRM experience preferred
Financial acumen with ability to link improvements to business results
Ability to manage projects, including planning, executing, monitoring, and closing improvement initiatives.
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills to effectively convey findings and persuade others to adopt changes.
Willingness to travel (~30–50%) to support branch execution

Nice To Haves

Professional Certification or the ability to obtain
Lean Six Sigma Green Belt: Offered by various organizations, this certification focuses on the Lean Six Sigma methodology, equipping professionals with tools and techniques to improve quality and efficiency in processes.
Lean Six Sigma Black Belt: This advanced certification builds upon the Green Belt level, preparing professionals to lead complex improvement projects and mentor teams.
Certified Quality Engineer (CQE): Provided by the American Society for Quality (ASQ), this certification demonstrates proficiency in principles of product and service quality evaluation and control.
Certified Manager of Quality/Organizational Excellence (CMQ/OE): Also from ASQ, this certification is for professionals who can manage and lead organizational improvement initiatives.
Certified in Production and Inventory Management (CPIM): Offered by the Association for Supply Chain Management (APICS), this certification focuses on improving internal operations and supply chain efficiency.
Project Management Professional (PMP): While not specific to continuous improvement, PMP certification from the Project Management Institute (PMI) is valuable for managing improvement projects.
Lean Certification: Various levels of Lean certifications are available that focus on creating value and eliminating waste in processes.

Responsibilities

Service & Transactional Transformation: Lead CI initiatives focused on service operations, transactional processes, and branch performance
Identify and execute productivity, labor efficiency, and margin improvement opportunities
Partner with Finance to quantify and track savings to the P&L
Support channel and service strategy transformation through data-driven CI analysis
Contribute to Goal Deployment initiatives with a CI execution lens
CI Leadership & Deployment: Lead and facilitate Value Stream Mapping (VSM) for service and transactional processes
Establish and sustain Visual Management, Standard Work, and 5S
Design and deploy Managing for Daily Improvement (Tiered Meetings) to surface and resolve daily issues
Ensure gaps to targets are addressed through structured problem solving (A3, RCCA, PDCA)
Act as a coach and mentor to branch leaders, supervisors, and managers
Metrics, Analytics & Reporting: Define and implement KPIs aligned to business priorities
Develop dashboards and visual performance boards
Translate data into clear stories that drive decisions and action
Support analytics related to service mix, turnaround time, cost, margin, and customer experience
Leverage ERP, CRM, and data systems to enable transparency and standardization
Change & Stakeholder Management: Act as a trusted CI partner to Sales, Service, Operations, Finance, and Leadership
Drive adoption through influence, coaching, and structured change management
Navigate resistance and ambiguity while maintaining momentum and alignment
Balance strategic intent with hands-on execution in the field
Training, Coaching & Capability Building: Coach leaders on CI fundamentals and application in daily operations
Support CI training deployment (Lean Foundations, Kaizen, problem solving)
Build local CI capability to ensure improvements are sustained
Serve as a role model for Xylem’s High Impact Culture