Continuous Improvement Manager (Manufacturing)

HTI is assisting an international manufacturing company in Augusta, GA with their search for an experienced Continuous Improvement Manager. This is a full-time, onsite, direct hire position that reports to the COO. The salary range is $120,000 - $150,000/year, depending on experience (plus bonus). The company offers a positive company culture and fantastic benefits. Relocation assistance available for qualified candidates located within the continental U.S.

Summary:

The Continuous Improvement Manager is responsible for driving operational excellence and optimizing processes within the company. This role involves developing and implementing continuous improvement programs and strategies, leading a cross-functional implementation team, and fostering and spreading a culture of continuous improvement. The position focuses on enhancing productivity, quality, safety, and cost-efficiency in our operational activities.

Requirements:

• Must have 4 years of recent experience in a Continuous Improvement Manager or Operational Excellence role performing the job duties listed below within the manufacturing industry. Must have 10 years of total manufacturing experience.
• Must have experience in a food product, food additive, pharmaceutical, or chemical manufacturing plant
• Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Business or a related field. Master’s degree in Chemical Engineering or MBA preferred.
• Must have Lean Six Sigma certification; Shingo Institute certification, TPS experience, etc. preferred.
• Systems experience required: MS Office/intermediate Excel skills, SAP/ERP, and KPI/data visualization/dashboard implementation; Minitab and Power BI experience preferred. AutoCAD is a plus.
• Proven expertise in process analysis tools and techniques, including Kaizen, Lean initiatives, 5S, etc.
• Experience with real-time performance tracking, conducting root cause analysis, and implementing successful process changes
• Hoshin-Kanri, A3, RCA, DMAIC-lite, and Go & Observe experience
• Strong, professional written and verbal communication skills
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving abilities
• Ability to travel on occasion (less than 10%) as needed
• Must be authorized to work in the U.S. without visa sponsorship, both now and in the future.

Job duties include:

Strategic Direction and CI System implementation:

• Design and implement the facility’s Continuous Improvement operating system that creates consistency in problem solving, leadership presence, communication, and team engagement, including core management routines (such as Gemba walks, communication cascades, structured meetings, feedback/recognition/suggestion tools).
• Develop and deploy the CI roadmap (short-, mid-, and long-term), ensuring alignment with corporate strategy, safety priorities, and site performance objectives for the Augusta and Illinois sites.
• Translate vision, strategy, and True North objectives into clear, visible, and actionable systems that help every team understand whether they are “winning or losing”, using strategic visualization tools and planning such as Hoshin-Kanri.
• Develop and deploy standard visual management, and standard problem‑solving processes (such as A3, RCA, DMAIC-lite, Go & Observe) and ensure broad adoption beyond technical specialists (foster behavior).

Cultural Transformation & Leadership Coaching:

• Serve as the primary catalyst for culture change, instilling daily habits and behaviors that promote accountability, transparency, continuous learning, and teamwork.
• Coach and influence the Senior Leadership Team (SLT), managers, supervisors, and technical leaders in CI behaviors, structured communication, problem solving, and visual performance management.
• Facilitate leadership adoption of standard work, promoting disciplined routines and proactive engagement on the shop floor.
• Develop supervisors and middle managers as CI leaders, increasing their confidence and capability to drive daily improvement.
• Embed Gemba as the default approach to understanding problems, coaching leaders and teams to “go see” with curiosity and respect.
• Support teams in identifying, prioritizing, and removing obstacles using structured CI methods.

Project & Portfolio Management:

• Partner with operations, maintenance, quality, supply chain, and engineering to identify and prioritize improvement opportunities across the organization.
• Manage the CI project portfolio and support the integration of CI initiatives with the CAPEX portfolio and strategic operational projects.
• Ensure projects deliver measurable results and are aligned with safety, cost, reliability, and customer expectations.

Capability Building & Engagement:

• Develop the CI capability roadmap (training programs, workshops, certifications) to progressively build internal talent and autonomy.
• Facilitate Kaizen events, 5S initiatives, visual management improvements, and cross‑functional workshops to stimulate idea generation and employee engagement.
• Support supervisors and managers in developing strong performance‑management habits and in building the confidence to lead CI activities independently.

Performance Monitoring & Visual Management

• Develop and validate KPIs with Operations, Finance, EHS, and Quality; establish visual management standards that communicate current condition vs. expected performance.
• Ensure performance indicators are visible, interpreted at the right levels, and used to trigger discussion, learning, escalation, and corrective action.
• Regularly report CI progress, cultural indicators, and systemic improvement opportunities to plant leadership.

Collaboration & Cross‑Site Alignment

• Collaborate closely with SLT members, department heads, and shop‑floor teams to ensure alignment, buy in, and cross-functional integration.
• Support the harmonization of CI practices between Augusta and the Illinois sites, adapting to local contexts while promoting a unified system.
• Act as a connector across functions, ensuring communication flows effectively and systems work together to deliver business value.
• This role does not include direct supervisory responsibilities but requires strong collaboration and the ability to influence and advise internal managers and employees. The individual will partner with cross-functional teams to provide guidance, share expertise, mentor, and align efforts toward common goals.