Regional Continuous Improvement Manager, West

JB Poindexter & Co•Janesville, WI

18h•Onsite

About The Position

Morgan Truck Body is the largest manufacturer of medium-duty freight and refrigerated truck bodies in North America, with 14 manufacturing plants and 8 service hubs across the U.S. and Canada. It is a subsidiary of JB Poindexter & Co (JBPCO), a privately held, diversified manufacturing company with forecasted $2.75B in annual revenue and 9,000 team members in 2026. The Regional Continuous Improvement Manager is responsible for the deployment and execution of the PLPS (Pondexter Lean Production System) across approximately six plants within a region (e.g., West: WI/TX/CA/AZ/OR; East: PA/CT/OH/FL/GA/Canada). This role involves understanding current processes, identifying improvement opportunities, and leading cross-functional teams to drive process improvements tied to Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) using Lean and Continuous Improvement principles and tools. The position requires both strategic thinking and a hands-on approach, including working directly on the shop floor to implement and sustain improvements. Focus areas include cycle time and lead time reduction, root cause analysis through PDCA, process re-designs, productivity improvements, visual management, and standard work definition. The manager will also identify and apply automation opportunities and teach Lean & CI principles to achieve self-sustaining processes.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Business, Engineering or related field.
5+ years’ experience in Discrete manufacturing, applying Lean manufacturing and problem-solving tools.
5+ years’ work experience in Lean & Continuous Improvement activities and financial calculation of savings, budget forecasting, ROI calculation and ration analysis.
5+ year of experience in the implementation of a visual factory (visual management), displaying real time information for team members and management staff.
Trained in Lean Six Sigma Principles (5S, Waste Reduction, Error/Mistake Proofing, PDCA, Root Cause Analysis, A3 Problem Solving, VSM, KAIZEN, Lead Time Reduction).
Strong analytical skills and extensive experience in financial calculations of savings and return of the investment.
Experience in operational performance evaluation (Efficiency/Productivity/Utilization).
Ability to travel 50% to 75%.

Nice To Haves

Lean certification
Six Sigma Certified (Green or Black Belt)
Automotive or Aerospace experience
Experience developing and maintaining Power BI dashboards (or similar tools) to visualize KPIs, track performance, and support data-driven decision-making.
Proficiency in data analysis tools such as Excel (advanced formulas, Power Query, VBA) and/or Minitab for statistical analysis and process improvement.
Working knowledge of CAD software (e.g., AutoCAD, SolidWorks) to support layout optimization, line balancing, and facility design improvements.
Experience with Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) or ERP systems for production tracking and performance analysis.

Responsibilities

Document current processes and propose improvements through Kaizen events, VSMs, and problem-solving tools.
Standardize processes across various business units, developing Standard Operating Procedures, work standards, 5S activities, displaying manufacturing KPIs across all plants.
Implement process management/improvement initiatives following Lean & CI principle.
Create new self-sustaining processes and tracking systems through the appropriate manufacturing KPIs, Kaizen activities and savings.
Assist in training Lean & CI principles to line staff and other team members in the use of tools and methodologies as part of the improvement project execution.
Lead process changes, improvements, value stream mapping, financial savings calculation and validation.
Champion communication across the manufacturing plants and between Morgan and its parent company.
Facilitate and lead cross-functional teams to achieve Kaizen objectives.
Increase workflow efficiency and productivity through line balancing and waste elimination.
Mentor employees as they apply Lean methodology to problem solving and project execution.
Publish progress reports.
Follow and comply with all Environmental Health & Safety policies.