Director of Continuous Improvement

Maker's Pride Talent Acquisition Team•Downers Grove, IL

4d•$160,266 - $240,400•Hybrid

About The Position

The Director, Continuous Improvement is a strategic leader responsible for defining, advancing, and sustaining enterprise-wide continuous improvement initiatives across assigned platforms. This role partners closely with Plant and Functional Leadership to embed a high-performance culture grounded in Lean, Agile, and data-driven decision-making. This leader drives the execution and long-term sustainment of the Maker’s Pride Performance System, ensuring consistent application across manufacturing and support functions. By leading large-scale transformation initiatives and developing internal capabilities, the Director enhances safety performance, improves first-pass quality, reduces waste and customer complaints, and increases overall operational efficiency and throughput. The role is instrumental in building organizational capability, strengthening leadership pipelines, and accelerating results through disciplined execution, effective coaching, and standardization of best practices.

Requirements

Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering, Business, Operations Management, or a related field required
10+ years of progressive experience in Continuous Improvement, Lean Manufacturing, or Operational Excellence.
Minimum of 4 years in a manufacturing environment strongly preferred.
Demonstrated experience leading large-scale transformation initiatives and cross-functional projects
Deep expertise in Lean, Agile, and continuous improvement methodologies; Six Sigma knowledge a plus
Strong project and program management capabilities, with the ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously
Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to influence at all levels of the organization
Advanced problem-solving skills with a structured, data-driven approach
Strong financial acumen, including understanding of P&L, cost drivers, and performance metrics
High level of attention to detail, professionalism, and ability to manage confidential information
Ability to work autonomously while building strong cross-functional relationships
Demonstrated ability to drive change, influence culture, and sustain results in a fast-paced environment

Nice To Haves

Food manufacturing experience a plus
Lean, Six Sigma, or Kaizen certification preferred
Experience leveraging SAP and other systems to drive standardization and decision-making (preferred)

Responsibilities

Partner with senior leadership to develop and execute strategic initiatives aligned to operational excellence and business objectives
Lead the deployment, standardization, and sustainment of the Maker’s Pride Performance System across all production and non-production areas
Design, implement, and continuously improve tools, systems, and processes that enable scalable continuous improvement across the organization
Lead and oversee large-scale, cross-functional improvement initiatives to ensure successful execution and measurable results
Coach and develop CI leaders and teams to effectively plan, execute, and sustain improvement projects and kaizen events
Identify and develop high-potential talent; provide coaching, mentoring, and career development support to build future leadership capability
Champion Lean and Agile methodologies, driving adoption and cultural integration at all levels of the organization
Influence and drive cultural transformation by embedding continuous improvement principles into daily operations and leadership behaviors
Partner with Operations and CI teams to develop and deliver improvement pipelines and financial savings targets
Drive data-driven decision-making through improved utilization and standardization of SAP and other systems
Promote collaboration, structured problem-solving, and strategic thinking to deliver sustainable business outcomes
Manage multiple concurrent projects while ensuring alignment, prioritization, and resource optimization
Communicate effectively with stakeholders across all levels, including executive leadership, to provide updates, insights, and recommendations