Manufacturing & Continuous Improvement Leader

The Extrusion Manufacturing & Continuous Improvement Leader is a dual-function role responsible for owning all Safety, Quality, Service, Cost, and Productivity metrics within the Extrusion Department while also leading and coordinating Continuous Improvement (CI) activities across the entire site. This leader ensures the on-time execution of the production schedule, delivers departmental Performance KPIs, drives sustained performance improvements, and leads structured problem-solving initiatives.

In the CI capacity, this role sets the vision, cadence, and execution framework for site-wide Lean/CI initiatives, coach’s leaders at all levels in problem solving and standard work and ensures alignment to plant priorities. The leader provides real-time performance reporting in the Daily Integration meetings and partners cross-functionally to resolve systemic waste, losses, and barriers to performance.

Department Leadership (Extrusion)

• Build and sustain a high-performing team by developing Team Performance Leaders (TPLs) and hourly team members to meet and exceed business objectives.
• Full ownership of Safety, Quality, Service, Cost, and Productivity KPIs within the Extrusion department.
• Ensure on-time and accurate execution of the production schedule; proactively identify and address risks to schedule adherence.
• Lead daily performance reviews and present department results to plant leadership in Daily Integration (DI) meetings.
• Manage and reinforce all aspects of the Performance Management System within the Rogers model.
• Partner with Maintenance to coordinate planned work, reduce unplanned downtime, and drive PM and reliability improvements.
• Create a daily operating plan that aligns resources and priorities based on performance gaps, schedule changes, and operational needs.
• Support and directly participate in problem-solving activities related to safety, quality, service, and operational performance.
• Administer performance actions, including coaching, disciplinary decisions, and terminations in partnership with HR and senior management.
• Conduct performance reviews, provide ongoing feedback, and oversee development plans for all direct reports.

Site Continuous Improvement Leadership

• Serve as the primary site leader for Continuous Improvement, Lean deployment, and structured problem solving.
• Partner with Plant Leadership to define the annual CI roadmap, including priority initiatives, KPI targets, and capability-building needs.
• Coach leaders at all levels in Lean tools, problem solving and standardization.
• Lead cross-departmental Kaizen events and improvement workshops to eliminate waste, reduce downtime, and increase flow and productivity.
• Drive operational stability by implementing, auditing, and sustaining standard work across shifts.
• Track and communicate progress of CI initiatives, ensuring transparency and alignment with business objectives.
• Support the development of a CI culture by reinforcing daily management and visual performance systems.
• Ensure all new standards, processes, and improvements are fully implemented, validated, and sustained across the organization.
• Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent experience – technical degree preferred
• 3-5 years manufacturing experience; experience with high-volume or 24/7 operations preferred.
• Green Belt Certification preferred
• Demonstrated experience leading cross-functional improvement initiatives.
• Strong leadership presence with the ability to influence and drive change across all levels of the organization.
• Excellent written, verbal, and presentation/communication skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint); experience with data visualization tools preferred.
• Strong understanding of Lean principles, daily management systems, and structured problem-solving.
• High degree of organization, planning, prioritization, and follow-through.
• Ability to walk and stand for extended periods in a manufacturing environment.
• Flexible schedule to support a 24/7 operation and lead improvements on all shifts.