Continuous Improvement Manager

Are you passionate about driving Lean Manufacturing, Continuous Improvement, Six Sigma, and Operational Excellence? Do you thrive in manufacturing environments where you can influence culture, improve performance, eliminate waste, and build best-in-class operational processes?

We're seeking a Continuous Improvement Manager to lead enterprise-wide Lean Manufacturing and Operational Excellence initiatives across five North American manufacturing locations. This highly visible leadership role is responsible for driving the organization's Lean journey, coordinating continuous improvement initiatives, and leading the Industrial Engineering function while partnering closely with executive leadership to deliver measurable improvements in safety, quality, productivity, and cost.

This is an exceptional opportunity for an experienced Operational Excellence leader to shape strategy, influence operations, and make a lasting impact across a growing manufacturing organization while helping create a culture where continuous improvement is embedded into everyday operations.

What You'll Do

As the Continuous Improvement Manager, you will:

• Lead the company's Lean Manufacturing and Operational Excellence strategy across multiple manufacturing facilities throughout North America.
• Develop, implement, and sustain enterprise-wide Continuous Improvement programs, Lean initiatives, and Operational Excellence strategies that support long-term business objectives.
• Lead the organization's Industrial Engineering function, including workflow optimization, operating standards, facility layout improvements, labor analysis, technical process improvement, and manufacturing optimization.
• Coordinate and manage the organization's Lean Journey roadmap, including project milestones, implementation timelines, KPI reporting, waste reduction targets, and continuous improvement performance metrics.
• Identify opportunities to improve productivity, eliminate waste, optimize costs, improve manufacturing performance, and increase operational efficiency across the value stream.
• Partner with Operations, Engineering, Supply Chain, Sales, Business Development, and Executive Leadership to drive process improvements throughout the organization.
• Facilitate Lean workshops, Kaizen events, Value Stream Mapping sessions, Root Cause Analysis, problem-solving initiatives, and Continuous Improvement training programs.
• Establish, standardize, and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs), operational standards, best practices, and performance reporting across all manufacturing locations.
• Coordinate and share best practices across North American manufacturing facilities while collaborating with global affiliates on benchmarking initiatives and Operational Excellence strategies.
• Provide technical expertise, analytical support, and consulting services to leadership on business process improvement, manufacturing operations, supply chain optimization, Industrial Engineering, and Operational Excellence.
• Lead employee engagement initiatives that support Continuous Improvement, including employee suggestion programs and a culture of operational excellence, accountability, customer focus, and continuous learning.
• Drive Internal Equipment Effectiveness (IEE) improvements and manufacturing performance across multiple production facilities.
• Identify opportunities throughout the manufacturing value chain and lead improvement workshops that deliver measurable operational and financial results.
• Establish and maintain collaborative relationships with site Continuous Improvement Coordinators, Subject Matter Experts, and Operations leaders across the organization.
• Support customer initiatives and collaborate with Sales and Business Development on Value Stream Mapping and operational integration opportunities.
• Serve as a strategic partner to executive leadership while helping shape the organization's long-term Operational Excellence vision.

What You'll Bring

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Industrial Engineering, Operations Management, Manufacturing Engineering, or a related technical field.
• 7–10 years of experience leading Continuous Improvement, Lean Manufacturing, Operational Excellence, Industrial Engineering, or Manufacturing Operations initiatives.
• Demonstrated success leading Operational Excellence, Lean Manufacturing, Continuous Improvement, or Six Sigma programs within manufacturing environments.
• Strong knowledge of Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, Kaizen, Value Stream Mapping, Root Cause Analysis, Waste Elimination, Standard Work, KPI Development, Change Management, and Operational Excellence methodologies.
• Experience leading cross-functional improvement initiatives that deliver measurable operational, financial, and customer performance improvements.
• Strong analytical, organizational, project management, and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent communication, collaboration, and change leadership abilities.
• Ability to influence leaders and build strong partnerships across all levels of the organization.

Preferred Qualifications

• MBA or Master's degree in Operations Management, Industrial Engineering, Business, or a related discipline.
• Six Sigma Black Belt, Master Black Belt, or equivalent Lean certification strongly preferred.
• Experience leading multi-site Operational Excellence or Industrial Engineering initiatives.
• Experience within food, beverage, consumer packaged goods (CPG), ingredient manufacturing, or related manufacturing industries.
• Experience with Industrial Engineering methodologies, production analytics, manufacturing optimization, and operational benchmarking.
• Strong proficiency with Microsoft Office applications and manufacturing reporting systems.
• Experience developing and implementing enterprise-wide KPI reporting and Operational Excellence governance.

Travel Requirements

• Ability to travel approximately 35% throughout North American manufacturing facilities, with occasional international travel as business needs require.

Why You'll Love This Opportunity

This role offers the opportunity to influence every aspect of manufacturing performance by helping create a culture where Continuous Improvement is embedded into everyday operations. You'll partner directly with executive leadership while working alongside Operations, Engineering, Supply Chain, Plant Leadership, and cross-functional teams to deliver meaningful improvements in efficiency, quality, customer satisfaction, and business performance.

You'll have broad organizational visibility and the opportunity to shape the future of Operational Excellence across North America while building sustainable systems that support long-term growth and manufacturing excellence.

You'll have significant influence over:

• Enterprise Lean Manufacturing strategy
• Operational Excellence culture
• Industrial Engineering initiatives
• Manufacturing productivity and waste reduction
• KPI development and performance reporting
• Continuous Improvement governance
• Cross-functional collaboration
• Employee engagement and organizational development 

Join Our Team

If you're an experienced Operational Excellence leader who enjoys solving complex manufacturing challenges, developing high-performing teams, and creating sustainable business improvements, we'd love to hear from you.

This is an opportunity to play a key leadership role in transforming manufacturing performance across a growing North American organization while partnering with executive leadership to shape the future of Operational Excellence.

Apply today and help drive the next generation of Lean Manufacturing and Operational Excellence.