Continuous Improvement Manager

Overview

Hayward Holdings Inc. (NYSE "HAYW") is the largest manufacturer of residential swimming pool equipment in the world, with a significant presence in the commercial pool market that is continuously growing. Hayward designs, manufactures and markets a full line of residential and commercial pool and spa equipment including pumps, filters, heating, cleaners, salt chlorinators, automation, lighting, safety, flow control, and energy solutions at our company-owned facilities. Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, Hayward also has facilities in Tennessee, Arizona, and Rhode Island as well as Canada, Spain, France, Australia, and China.

As a member of the Hayward KPO team, the Continuous Improvement Manager will collaborate with superiors, peers, and subordinates to develop a culture that promotes lean concepts and objectives cross-functionally throughout the business. This position will lead and direct the work of one direct report.

Responsibilities

• Collaborates with the management team to develop and sustain a Kaizen program that supports the Hayward Global Production System (HGPS). This includes the development of quality, cost, delivery, and safety boards (QCDS), and other management/supervisor aids (i.e., 5S audit, training, productivity, scrap, hour/hour, etc.)
• The KPO team will take an active role in new product introductions by working cross-functionally with all departments to create a smooth transition from Engineering to Production.
• Plans and performs Kaizen event group training, further individual training and helps develop the floor supervisory staff using Lean manufacturing principles.
• Works with staff to develop team goals and members, develop event information packages, provide team event presentations to management, and recognition awards as appropriate.
• Directly responsible for all kaizen event 30-day follow-ups and sustainment activities.
• Drive results by supporting other KPO facility Managers with event training, program sustainment, and metrics standardization. This requires traveling to other Hayward facilities to instruct the Kaizen training and/or event participation.
• Lead all Gemba walks utilizing data-driven metrics to drive improvements, determine root cause analysis, and effectively communicate corrective action.
• Facilitate the creation of goals and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to support corporate goals.
• Maintain and report on KPIs and goals progress/status. Monitor and facilitate continued progress for individual team efforts in support of achieving KPI goals.
• Monitor progress and drive to complete all actions generated from weekly Gemba and failure data review meetings.
• Take an active role in time studies and line balancing efforts to continuously drive efficiency and throughput improvements.
• Collaborate with other departments to compile and present daily and weekly operations performance metrics.
• Must demonstrate Hayward’s core values, “Care, Respect, Lead, and Grow” which enables Hayward to uphold our mission and vision. These are the guidelines we follow every day while interacting with each other and our communities.

Qualifications

Education and Experience:

• Bachelor's Degree (B.S.) in an engineering discipline is required from an accredited four-year college or university.
• Minimum of 7+ years’ experience in a fast-paced product manufacturing environment.
• Experience leading cross-functional teams and individuals to support company goals and objectives.
• Strong knowledge of Microsoft Office with the ability to develop and analyze spreadsheets.
• Strong business acumen with experience in developing course materials and corrective action reporting mandatory.
• Lean Manufacturing Certificate and/or Green Belt Certification required. (Black Belt preferred)
• Physical Requirements: While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit, talk, hear, stand, and walk. The employee will frequently be required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 26 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and the ability to adjust focus.