Reliability & Continuous Improvement Manager

Job Description

The Process, Reliability & Continuous Improvement Manager leads site-wide initiatives to improve manufacturing performance, reliability, and operational excellence. This role focuses on reducing waste, increasing productivity, enhancing equipment uptime, and embedding a continuous improvement culture across the plant. You will partner closely with Maintenance, Engineering, and operations teams to design and implement robust processes, drive sustainable improvements, and ensure that reliability, maintainability, and quality are built into daily operations.

Responsibilities

• Lead and coordinate continuous improvement initiatives across manufacturing processes to reduce waste, improve flow, and increase productivity.
• Drive process reliability by identifying sources of variation, chronic losses, bottlenecks, and recurring failures, and implement sustainable corrective actions.
• Partner with Maintenance and Engineering teams to improve equipment uptime, overall equipment effectiveness (OEE), and asset lifecycle performance.
• Develop and implement reliability strategies, including autonomous maintenance (AM), preventive maintenance (PM), predictive maintenance, root cause failure analysis, and critical spare parts planning for the plant’s critical assets.
• Facilitate structured problem-solving using methodologies such as Lean, Six Sigma, Kaizen, A3, 5 Whys, FMEA, and Total Productive Maintenance (TPM).
• Standardize operating procedures, center lining, control plans, and visual management to improve process consistency and repeatability.
• Use operational data and key performance indicators (KPIs) to identify improvement opportunities, prioritize projects, track benefits realization, and drive sustained performance.
• Lead cross-functional project teams and workshops focused on safety, quality, service, cost, and capability improvement.
• Build and promote a culture of a zero-loss mindset, emphasizing control of controllable factors and proactive problem prevention.
• Support capital projects, new equipment start-ups, and process changes to ensure reliability, maintainability, and operational readiness are fully implemented and integrated into daily operations.
• Coach managers, supervisors, and frontline teams in continuous improvement tools and behaviors to build site capability and drive engagement.
• Ensure all improvement activities align with health, safety, security, environment (HSSE), quality, service, and compliance requirements.
• Prepare regular updates for leadership on project pipeline, risks, resourcing, progress, savings, and operational impact.

Essential Skills

• Considerable experience in manufacturing, process engineering, reliability, maintenance, or continuous improvement roles in a plant or industrial environment.
• Proven track record of leading operational improvement projects and delivering measurable results in manufacturing settings.
• Strong knowledge of Lean manufacturing, Six Sigma, TPM, root cause analysis, and reliability engineering principles.
• Experience working with production metrics such as OEE, downtime, scrap, yield, changeover, and maintenance performance.
• Ability to analyze data, identify trends, and convert insights into practical actions with clear, measurable outcomes.
• Strong project management skills, including planning, prioritization, and execution of multiple improvement initiatives.
• Effective facilitation skills for workshops and problem-solving sessions with cross-functional teams.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder influencing skills across functions and levels of the organization.
• Experience coaching teams and leading change to embed continuous improvement behaviors.
• Proficiency in Excel and reporting tools for data analysis and performance tracking.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations, or a related technical discipline.
• Familiarity with CMMS, ERP, or manufacturing data systems to support reliability and maintenance planning.
• Lean Six Sigma certification (e.g., Green Belt, Black Belt) or reliability-related certification is preferred.
• Understanding of operational excellence, manufacturing engineering, and process improvement methodologies.
• Experience in Lean manufacturing, Kaizen events, and continuous improvement frameworks.
• Ability to standardize and document processes, procedures, and visual management tools.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail when tracking project benefits, savings, and operational impact.

Work Environment

This role operates in a dynamic manufacturing and industrial environment, working closely with production, maintenance, and engineering teams on the shop floor and in office settings. You will regularly engage with operational data, KPIs, and reporting tools, and may use systems such as CMMS, ERP, and manufacturing data platforms to support reliability and continuous improvement activities. The work involves leading workshops, facilitating cross-functional collaboration, and supporting equipment start-ups and process changes within a plant environment. Standard professional attire is expected in office areas, with appropriate safety and protective equipment required in production areas in line with site HSSE and compliance standards.

This is a Permanent position based out of Blythewood, SC.

The pay range for this position is $125000.00 - $140000.00/yr.

PTO, Holiday, health insurance.

This is a fully onsite position in Blythewood,SC.

This position is anticipated to close on Aug 25, 2026.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email actalentaccommodation@actalentservices.com for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.

Salary : $125,000 - $140,000