Continuous Improvement Specialist

KION Group•Atlanta, GA

1d•$65,000 - $140,000

About The Position

The Portfolio Business Unit is seeking an experienced Continuous Improvement professional to drive operational excellence across project execution, business processes, and organizational performance. This role serves as a strategic partner to business leaders, leveraging Lean, Six Sigma, and change management methodologies to improve project outcomes, enhance efficiency, reduce risk, and strengthen KPI performance. The successful candidate will champion a culture of continuous improvement, facilitate cross-functional initiatives, coach leaders and project teams, and implement sustainable solutions that support the Portfolio BU's strategic objectives.

Requirements

Bachelor's Degree in Engineering, Business, Operations Management, Supply Chain, or related discipline.
8+ years of progressive experience in Continuous Improvement, Operational Excellence, Process Improvement, or Project Management.
Lean Six Sigma Black Belt certification.
Proven experience leading enterprise or business-unit-wide improvement initiatives.
Demonstrated success implementing KPI-driven performance management systems.
Strong analytical, facilitation, and problem-solving skills.
Experience conducting root cause analysis and driving corrective action plans.
Exceptional communication and stakeholder management capabilities.
Demonstrated ability to influence without direct authority.

Nice To Haves

Master's Degree (MBA or related field).
PMP Certification.
Experience working within project-based, engineering, manufacturing, automation, or industrial organizations.
Experience with Value Engineering methodologies and SAVE certification.
Experience leading large-scale business transformation initiatives.

Responsibilities

Lead the development and execution of continuous improvement initiatives aligned with Portfolio BU business objectives.
Identify opportunities to improve project delivery, operational performance, quality, productivity, and customer satisfaction.
Facilitate process improvement workshops and Kaizen events utilizing Lean and Six Sigma methodologies.
Establish standardized processes, governance practices, and operating rhythms that improve execution consistency.
Partner with business leaders to define, measure, and improve critical business and project performance metrics.
Develop dashboards and reporting mechanisms to provide visibility into operational performance and improvement opportunities.
Analyze trends, identify root causes of performance gaps, and recommend corrective actions.
Support leadership teams in driving accountability for KPI attainment and sustained results.
Serve as the Portfolio BU subject matter expert for Lean and Six Sigma methodologies.
Coach and mentor Green Belts, Champions, project managers, and functional leaders on continuous improvement principles.
Lead complex improvement projects utilizing DMAIC, Lean, and other structured problem-solving methodologies.
Promote the adoption of best practices across the organization.
Partner with Quality, EHS, and business leaders to investigate corrective actions, recurring issues, and process failures.
Develop and implement preventive measures to reduce operational risk and non-conformance costs.
Support root cause analysis, corrective action planning, and long-term process sustainability.
Monitor business risks and recommend improvements that strengthen organizational performance.
Lead change management efforts associated with business transformation and process improvement initiatives.
Develop communication, training, and adoption strategies to ensure successful implementation of new processes.
Build organizational capability and foster a culture focused on continuous improvement and operational excellence.
Serve as a trusted advisor to Business Process Owners and functional leadership teams.
Collaborate across Project Management, Engineering, Installation, Quality, Safety, and other business functions.
Influence stakeholders at all organizational levels to drive alignment and successful execution of improvement initiatives.