What are the responsibilities and job description for the Senior Manager CI position at CIRCOR International, Inc.?
Senior Manager, Continuous Improvement
BUSINESS: CIRCOR Naval Solutions
LOCATION: Warren, MA
TRAVEL: Possible, up to 10%
DIRECT REPORTING: VP Manufacturing, Warren Operations
Position Summary:
The Senior Manager of Continuous Improvement (CI) is a strategic leadership role responsible for driving operational excellence at the Warren, MA site. This leader will standardize and scale best-in-class manufacturing practices, enhance efficiency, and foster a lean culture focused on performance, quality, and continuous improvement. This position requires a dynamic individual with deep expertise in lean principles, process control, and cross-functional collaboration.
Key Responsibilities:
- Lead and execute Continuous Improvement strategies to drive synergy and operational alignment.
- Develop and implement standard processes, including core / non-core activities, with robust SOPs and control plans.
- Champion lean tools and techniques (5S, SIPOC, PFMEA, MSA, SMED, TPM, Kanban, Line Balancing, VRK) to optimize manufacturing performance.
- Establish and govern standard work for manufacturing, materials flow, and shop execution.
- Drive initiatives to reduce cycle times, improve Cpk/Ppk capability, and enhance labor/machine capacity planning.
- Lead materials and inventory management transformation through PFEP, RACI, and reverse scheduling (line-back logistics).
- Develop and maintain training programs and skills matrices to build CI capabilities at all levels of the organization.
- Collaborate cross-functionally with Operations, Materials/Planning, and Engineering to ensure alignment with CI goals.
- Utilize data-driven decision making, statistical tools, and six sigma principles to drive measurable improvements.
- Ensure effective use of ERP systems (IFS preferred) in planning, execution, and reporting.
- Build and sustain a culture of continuous improvement by mentoring teams and embedding lean thinking across the organization.
Required Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Operations, Business, or related field (Master’s preferred).
- 10 years of experience in Operations, Industrial Engineering, Lean/CI, or Materials/Planning roles.
- Proven success leading CI initiatives.
- Expertise in Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, and statistical analysis tools.
- Strong working knowledge of ERP systems (IFS preferred) and manufacturing execution systems.
- Demonstrated experience in capacity planning, inventory control, and material flow design.
- Excellent communication and leadership skills with a collaborative mindset.
- Ability to influence at all levels of the organization and manage cross-functional projects.
- Must be a US citizen.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Six Sigma Black Belt or equivalent certification.
- Experience with SIOP (Sales, Inventory & Operations Planning).
- Advanced knowledge of constraint management, SWIP, and strategic buffering.
