Staff Continuous Improvement Professional, Easton, PAGENERAL SUMMARY:This role leads operational excellence initiatives while enabling practical, responsible use of AI across the manufacturing organization. Identifies opportunities to streamline processes, reduce waste, and improve service levels through the Crayola Operating System (Safety, Quality, Operational Excellence, Maintenance Excellence). Manages training and development through planning, creating and implementing development programs and initiatives, including individual manufacturing development paths, machine and technical skills. Coaches and develops CI pillar Leads. Manages temporary CI resources. Develops a common Continuous Improvement culture to exceed customer expectations & deliver business results. The role partners across functions to translate business needs into measurable improvement initiatives, establish governance, support adoption, and ensure teams are equipped to use AI effectively and responsibly.
PRINCIPAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:- Work directly with department leader(s) (VP, GM, Directors, etc.) to implement the Crayola Operating System in assigned areas of coaching (within & outside Operations)
- Coach Crayola Operating System for 100+ employees.
- Project Manage 20+ improvement projects (planning what projects to execute through completion & benefit tracking).
- Lead teams in cross-functional work processes, root cause process issues, extended value streams and supply chains that directly impact goal of $2,000,000.
- Lead and manage a portfolio of continuous improvement initiatives focused on quality, efficiency, cost, service, and risk reduction. Analyze current-state processes, identify root causes of performance gaps, and design scalable improvements using Lean, Six Sigma, Kaizen, or similar methodologies.
- Work with CI Professionals and organization managers on standard work, standard work audits, standard work results & standard work improvement.
- Work with coordinators aligning development plans with SOP's & standard work checklist.
- Facilitate workshops, value stream mapping sessions, and cross-functional problem-solving efforts to improve workflows and decision-making.
- Partner with operations stakeholders to identify high-value AI use cases and prioritize opportunities based on impact, feasibility, and risk.
- Support the evaluation, pilot, and rollout of AI-enabled tools and automations that improve productivity, accuracy, and user experience.
- Coach teams and leaders on continuous improvement disciplines, data-driven decision-making, and practical application of AI in day-to-day operations.
JOB SPECIFICATIONS:- Minimum 5 years of Continuous Improvement experience
- Must be able to work 8+ hours on second and/or third shift per week.
- Experience supporting technology adoption, automation, analytics, or AI-related initiatives in a business environment.
- Black Belt Certification preferred.
- Bachelor's degree preferred
- Proven leadership in a cross-functional team environment
- Demonstrated problem-solving capability.
- Able to engage in positive critical thinking and take proactive actions.
- Demonstrates exceptional communication skills.
- Must have strong computer skills including Minitab, Microsoft Office, Word, Excel, SharePoint and PowerPoint
- Ability to travel domestic/internationally 10-15%
PHYSICAL CONDITIONS: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 frequently required to sit, talk and hear. The employee is occasionally required to walk; use hands and fingers to operate, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls; and reach with hands and arms. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and the ability to adjust focus.
DISCLAIMER: The preceding job description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities and qualifications required of employees assigned to this job.
WHY CRAYOLA?- Kid Inspired Culture
- Free Admission to Crayola Experience for Employees
- Community Volunteerism Opportunities
- Annual Bonus Potential for all Full-Time Employees
- Company Matched 401k & Employee Value Sharing Plan
- Comprehensive Healthcare Benefits for Eligible Employees
- Education Assistance Program
- Wellness Programs
- Employee Resource Groups
- Generous Product Discounts Onsite & Online
- Company Sponsored Employee Events
- Discounts on a wide variety of products and services - automotive, electronics, fitness, travel and entertainment
Green is our favorite color!Crayola cares about the environment and responsibly makes the products you love. Learn more about Crayola's creative solutions for greener tomorrows: https://www.crayola.com/about-us/sustainability
Crayola is committed to providing competitive market compensation. Our pay ranges are established using reliable market data and consider factors such as job responsibilities, industry benchmarks, and geographic location.
Individual starting pay is determined by a candidate's skills, experience and qualifications. This role is eligible to participate in an annual incentive plan as per plan guidelines. For a full list of Crayola benefits, please visit https://www.crayola.com/company/employee-benefits.
No phone calls please.
Search Firm Representatives - Please Read Carefully:Crayola LLC is not seeking assistance or accepting unsolicited resumes from search firms for this employment opportunity. Regardless of past practice, all resumes submitted by search firms to any employee at Crayola LLC via e-mail, the Internet, or directly to hiring managers at Crayola LLC in any form without valid written search agreement in place for that position will be deemed the sole property of Crayola LLC, and no fee will be paid in the event the candidate is hired by Crayola LLC as a result of the referral or through other means.
Search firms are essential to the recruitment and staffing efforts at Crayola LLC, and we value the partnerships we have built with our vendors. For this reason, Crayola LLC has established and regularly maintains a preferred vendor list. Please note that even preferred vendors need to have a written search agreement signed by Human Resources at Crayola LLC in place for the specific position in order for a fee to be paid for any candidate referrals.
