Senior Manager Continuous Improvement

Circor International•Warren, MA

29d•Onsite

About The Position

The Senior Manager of Continuous Improvement (CI) is a strategic leadership role responsible for driving operational excellence at the Warren, MA site. This leader will standardize and scale best-in-class manufacturing practices, enhance efficiency, and foster a lean culture focused on performance, quality, and continuous improvement. This position requires a dynamic individual with deep expertise in lean principles, process control, and cross-functional collaboration.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Operations, Business, or related field (Master's preferred).
10+ years of experience in Operations, Industrial Engineering, Lean/CI, or Materials/Planning roles.
Proven success leading CI initiatives.
Expertise in Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, and statistical analysis tools.
Strong working knowledge of ERP systems (IFS preferred) and manufacturing execution systems.
Demonstrated experience in capacity planning, inventory control, and material flow design.
Excellent communication and leadership skills with a collaborative mindset.
Ability to influence at all levels of the organization and manage cross-functional projects.
Must be a US citizen.

Nice To Haves

Six Sigma Black Belt or equivalent certification.
Experience with SIOP (Sales, Inventory & Operations Planning).
Advanced knowledge of constraint management, SWIP, and strategic buffering.

Responsibilities

Lead and execute Continuous Improvement strategies to drive synergy and operational alignment.
Develop and implement standard processes, including core / non-core activities, with robust SOPs and control plans.
Champion lean tools and techniques (5S, SIPOC, PFMEA, MSA, SMED, TPM, Kanban, Line Balancing, VRK) to optimize manufacturing performance.
Establish and govern standard work for manufacturing, materials flow, and shop execution.
Drive initiatives to reduce cycle times, improve Cpk/Ppk capability, and enhance labor/machine capacity planning.
Lead materials and inventory management transformation through PFEP, RACI, and reverse scheduling (line-back logistics).
Develop and maintain training programs and skills matrices to build CI capabilities at all levels of the organization.
Collaborate cross-functionally with Operations, Materials/Planning, and Engineering to ensure alignment with CI goals.
Utilize data-driven decision making, statistical tools, and six sigma principles to drive measurable improvements.
Ensure effective use of ERP systems (IFS preferred) in planning, execution, and reporting.
Build and sustain a culture of continuous improvement by mentoring teams and embedding lean thinking across the organization.