Continuous Improvement Manager

Durex Industries

$100K — $125K *
Cary, IL 60013In-Person
Manufacturing & Automotive
5 - 7 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in technical field, engineering, business, or equivalent manufacturing experience.
  • 7+ years of experience in manufacturing or operations, with 3+ years leading continuous improvement efforts.
  • Strong influencing skills in a matrixed environment, facilitating cross-functional teamwork.
  • Experience with Lean, Six Sigma, or similar methodologies and fostering continuous improvement culture.
  • Analytical and strategic thinking skills, ability to define, collect, and analyze data for actionable solutions.
  • Excellent facilitation, coaching, and communication skills for engaging teams at all levels.
  • Proficient in Microsoft Office; knowledge of data visualization tools is a plus.
  • Ability to manage multiple priorities and drive accountability for results.
  • Lean certification preferred.

Responsibilities

  • Develop and execute the continuous improvement strategy aligning with business objectives.
  • Identify, prioritize, and manage projects for operational efficiency and cost savings.
  • Embed Lean and Six Sigma methodologies through mentoring and coaching.
  • Facilitate structured improvement activities like Kaizen events and root cause analyses.
  • Partner with various departments to analyze processes and implement improvements.
  • Establish KPIs to track progress and communicate results to leadership.
  • Maintain standard processes and documentation to support initiatives.

Benefits

  • Healthcare and wellness programs.
  • Professional development and continuous learning opportunities.
  • Access to training resources for Lean and Six Sigma principles.
  • Collaborative work environment promoting cross-functional teamwork.
Full Job Description
Continuous Improvement Manager

The Role:

As the Continuous Improvement Manager, you will lead site-wide initiatives to drive a culture of continuous improvement across all manufacturing and support processes. You will champion lean principles and structured problem-solving methodologies to improve operational performance, eliminate waste, reduce costs, and ensure safety and quality goals are met. This is a highly visible role that relies on leadership and influence rather than direct supervisory responsibility.

Your Responsibilities:
  • Develop, lead, and execute the plant's continuous improvement strategy in alignment with business objectives, working closely with plant leadership and cross-functional teams.
  • Identify, prioritize, and manage continuous improvement projects that deliver measurable results in operational efficiency, cost savings, quality, and throughput.
  • Drive and embed Lean and Six Sigma methodologies and best practices throughout the business by mentoring, training, and coaching employees at all levels.
  • Facilitate Kaizen events, value stream mapping, root cause analyses, and other structured improvement activities to achieve targeted outcomes.
  • Partner with all departments including Operations, Quality, Engineering, Maintenance, Supply Chain and Finance to analyze processes, identify improvement opportunities, and implement sustainable solutions.
  • Establish and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) to track progress of continuous improvement activities and communicate results and recommendations to site leadership.
  • Develop and maintain standard processes, tools, and documentation to support continuous improvement initiatives and sustain achieved gains.
  • Provide guidance and oversight for quality control processes and inspection methods when aligned with improvement projects.
  • Lead training sessions and workshops to build site-wide capability in Lean and Six Sigma principles, driving engagement and accountability for continuous improvement at all levels.
  • Recommend updates and revisions to standard operating procedures, work instructions, and training materials to reflect process improvements.

Requirements:
  • Bachelor's degree from a four-year college or university in a technical field, engineering, business, or the equivalent in related manufacturing experience.
  • A minimum of 7 years of progressive experience in manufacturing or operations is required, with at least 3 years directly leading or facilitating plant-wide continuous improvement efforts.
  • Proven ability to influence without authority and lead cross-functional teams to deliver results in a matrixed manufacturing environment.
  • Demonstrated success implementing Lean, Six Sigma, or similar methodologies and fostering a culture of continuous improvement.
  • Strong analytical, problem-solving, and strategic thinking skills with the ability to define problems, collect and analyze data, and develop actionable solutions.
  • Excellent facilitation, coaching, and communication skills with the ability to engage and motivate teams at all levels of the organization.
  • Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint; familiarity with data visualization tools is a plus.
  • Ability to manage multiple priorities, set clear objectives, and drive accountability to meet deadlines and deliver measurable improvements.
  • Lean certification preferred.

Pay Range: $100,000 - $125,000 annually

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