Sr. Specialist - Continuous Improvement

Acme Smoked Fish•Wilmington, NC

16d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Sr. Specialist – Continuous Improvement plays a critical role in advancing operational excellence within a manufacturing environment. This position leads and facilitates Lean transformation initiatives across production operations, driving efforts to eliminate waste, optimize process flow, and foster a culture of continuous improvement. Working cross-functionally, the Senior Specialist identifies improvement opportunities, implements Lean and Six Sigma methodologies, and delivers measurable results across key performance areas including safety, quality, delivery, and cost.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Industrial, Manufacturing, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field required.
3–5 years of experience in Continuous Improvement, Lean, or Manufacturing Engineering within a production environment.
Lean or Six Sigma experience required.
Proven, hands-on experience leading Lean initiatives such as Kaizen events, Value Stream Mapping (VSM), and 5S programs with measurable results.
Strong analytical capabilities, including proficiency with data analysis and statistical tools to support root cause problem solving.
Effective facilitator and coach with solid change management skills; able to influence and drive results across teams without direct authority.
Skilled in project management, with the ability to prioritize and manage multiple continuous improvement initiatives simultaneously.
Strong communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to present insights and recommendations to all levels of the organization.
Proficient in Microsoft Office.

Nice To Haves

Experience in food manufacturing or other regulated environments preferred.
Black Belt certification preferred.
familiarity with AutoCAD or similar layout/design tools is a plus.

Responsibilities

Lead and facilitate Lean transformation initiatives, including Value Stream Mapping (VSM), Kaizen events, 5S, standard work, waste reduction, and SMED; develop and manage a continuous improvement project pipeline aligned with operational goals.
Apply Six Sigma (DMAIC) methodologies and structured root cause analysis tools (5 Whys, fishbone, A3) to address complex process and quality challenges; leverage data and statistical analysis to validate results.
Develop and implement standard work, visual management systems, and poka-yoke solutions; support Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) efforts to improve uptime and overall equipment effectiveness (OEE).
Coach and mentor supervisors and frontline teams on Lean principles and problem-solving techniques to drive engagement and sustain a culture of continuous improvement.
Monitor and report on key performance indicators (KPIs), including OEE, cycle time, scrap/yield, and labor efficiency; utilize MES/ERP systems to support data-driven decisions.
Collaborate cross-functionally with R&D, Quality, and Production to support new product introductions and process scale-up initiatives.
Perform other related duties as needed.