DIRECTOR CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT

Summary:

The Director of Continuous Improvement is a strategic leader responsible for driving operational excellence across all company locations. This role develops and deploys a unified continuous improvement strategy, ensuring consistent processes, measurable performance gains, and a culture of problem-solving throughout the organization. The Director partners closely with site leaders to identify inefficiencies, implement standardized best practices, and lead initiatives that improve quality, productivity, cost, and service. This leader will champion Lean, Six Sigma, Artificial Intelligence (AI), automation, and data-driven methodologies to transform operations and enable scalable, sustainable growth.

The Director of Continuous Improvement plays a critical role in shaping the future of the organization. By driving standardization, eliminating waste, and integrating advanced technologies such as AI, this leader ensures the company operates efficiently, competitively, and with a relentless focus on improvement.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Enterprise Continuous Improvement Leadership

· Develop and execute a company-wide continuous improvement strategy aligned with organizational goals.

· Lead CI initiatives across all locations, ensuring consistent adoption of Lean, Six Sigma, AI-enabled analytics, and other improvement methodologies.

· Build and maintain a culture of operational excellence, accountability, and structured problem-solving.

Standardization & Best Practices

· Establish standardized processes, tools, and performance metrics across all sites.

· Identify and document best practices, ensuring they are shared, adopted, and sustained throughout the network.

· Conduct regular site assessments to evaluate process maturity and identify improvement opportunities.

Performance Management & KPI Alignment

· Define and maintain common KPIs that measure productivity, quality, safety, cost, and service across all locations.

· Use AI-driven insights and advanced analytics to identify trends, predict performance risks, and guide decision-making.

· Partner with site leaders to develop action plans that address gaps and drive measurable improvements.

Project Leadership & Execution

· Lead cross-functional improvement projects focused on reducing waste, improving throughput, and optimizing workflows.

· Manage a portfolio of CI initiatives, ensuring projects are prioritized, resourced, and executed effectively.

· Facilitate Kaizen events, value-stream mapping sessions, and root-cause analysis workshops.

Technology, Automation & AI Integration

· Evaluate and implement emerging technologies—including AI, machine learning, automation, and digital workflow tools—to enhance operational performance.

· Partner with IT and Operations to deploy AI-based solutions such as predictive maintenance, demand forecasting, labor optimization, and process automation.

· Ensure teams are trained and capable of leveraging new technologies effectively.

Training & Capability Building

· Develop and deliver CI training programs for leaders, supervisors, and frontline teams.

· Mentor Green Belts, Black Belts, and CI practitioners across the organization.

· Strengthen organizational capability in data analysis, structured problem-solving, and AI-supported decision-making.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

· Partner with Operations, Supply Chain, HR, Finance, IT, and other departments to align improvement efforts with business needs.

· Support major strategic initiatives such as automation, system upgrades, and network optimization.

· Serve as a trusted advisor to senior leadership on operational performance and transformation opportunities.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

Yes

Education Requirements:

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Operations, Business, or related field; Master’s degree preferred.

Experience Requirements:

10+ years of experience in continuous improvement, operational excellence, or process engineering.

· Multi-site leadership experience strongly preferred.

· Experience with AI-enabled tools, automation technologies, and advanced analytics platforms.

· Proven track record of leading large-scale improvement initiatives with measurable results.

· Strong analytical, facilitation, and project management skills.

· Excellent communication, leadership, and change-management capabilities.

Certificates, Licenses, Registrations:

· Lean Six Sigma Black Belt or Master Black Belt certification required (or equivalent experience).

Travel:

Regular travel required (multi-site)

Work Environment:

This job operates in a manufacturing environment and requires 80%-85% for the work time on the production floor.  Worker can be exposed to extreme heat and cold on the production floor.  Exposure to sufficient noise to cause worker to shout to be heard above the ambient noise level.  Worker exposed to hazards such as proximity to moving mechanical parts.

Physical Demands:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear and may be required to stand, walk, use hands to handle or feel objects, and reach with hands and arms.