Continuous Improvement Manager

About Us

At Specialty Appliances Orthodontic Laboratory, we are undergoing an exciting period of growth and integration as we merge our two Tulsa laboratory facilities and teams into a unified, high-performing Center of Excellence. To support this evolution, we are seeking a systems-driven, collaborative Continuous Improvement Manager to help build a scalable, consistent, and world-class manufacturing environment.

As the Continuous Improvement (CI) Manager, you will be the chief architect of the operating system that makes our merged laboratory more scalable, measurable, and easier to run. You will lead structured improvement projects, process mapping, standard work facilitation, KPI visibility, and cross-functional improvement routines.

No dental or orthodontic laboratory experience? No problem. In fact, we welcome a non-lab background! We value fresh eyes, strong systems thinking, and the ability to challenge legacy assumptions respectfully. If you are a Lean or Operational Excellence professional looking to make a massive, visible impact on an expanding organization, we want to hear from you!

Core Responsibilities

• Build the CI Architecture: Establish and lead the continuous improvement management system across the merged lab, including project selection, charters, benefit tracking, sustainment checks, and leadership review cadences.
• Analyze & Optimize Workflows: Evaluate current-state workflows to identify and eliminate waste, bottlenecks, rework, queue times, defects, layout inefficiencies, and customer-impacting delays.
• Lead Improvement Projects: Utilize Lean, Six Sigma, A3 thinking, DMAIC, value stream mapping, 5S, visual management, and control plans to optimize priority workflows.
• Develop Team Capability: Build practical problem-solving capabilities among department leads, supervisors, quality personnel, and technicians. Coach teams on 5 Why, Ishikawa/Fishbone diagrams, error proofing, and basic data collection.
• Standardize Operations: Facilitate the creation and optimization of SOPs, work instructions, checklists, skill matrices, and visual controls in close partnership with department leaders and Quality/Regulatory teams.
• Enhance KPI Visibility: Support our KPI architecture by defining metric logic, data sources, dashboard structures, and action triggers to analyze trends in remakes, on-time delivery, throughput, and labor efficiency.
• Drive Cross-Lab Alignment: Support standardization between local facilities and future sites by identifying best practices and aligning process language, forms, and measurement.
• Foster Culture: Model and reinforce a transparent, fact-based, "no-blame" improvement culture focused on processes, data, and learning.

Role Boundaries & Collaboration

To ensure clarity and success from day one, this role is highly collaborative and focused on empowerment rather than direct production management:

• Process Ownership: Department leaders maintain day-to-day ownership and execution of their production areas; you serve as their strategic partner, coach, and facilitator.
• Quality Governance: Our Quality/Regulatory team owns final controlled-document governance, revision control, and compliance. You will facilitate the simplification and improvement of documentation within this approved system.
• Scope: This role focuses on systemic improvements and does not manage daily production output, staffing assignments, or technician disciplinary actions.

What You’ll Bring (Qualifications)

Required Experience:

• Demonstrated experience leading Lean, continuous improvement, operational excellence, manufacturing optimization, or process transformation initiatives.
• Strong proficiency in facilitation, data analysis, practical problem-solving, project management, standard work, visual management, and change-management methodologies.
• 5 years of continuous improvement experience in a manufacturing environment

Preferred Experience:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering, a plus.
• Background in medical device manufacturing, dental/orthodontic laboratories, distribution, or regulated production environments.
• Experience utilizing tools like Kaizen, Toyota Production System (TPS), DMAIC, or Red X thinking for chronic variation.

Key Deliverables & Success Measures

• Pipeline Management: A prioritized CI project pipeline closely tied to quality, service, labor efficiency, and customer experience.
• Sustained Results: Completed improvement projects backed by measurable before/after impact data and verified sustainment checks.
• Visual Management: Clear current-state and future-state process maps, standard work tools, and functional KPI dashboards that support daily and weekly management routines.
• Capability Building: Documented growth in problem-solving independence among supervisors and floor leads.
• Impact Metrics: Measurable reductions in recurring defects, remake rates, rework loops, and handoff failures alongside improved on-time delivery.

What we offer (Benefits)

• Competitive Salary
• Paid Time Off (PTO)
• 8 Paid Company Holidays
• Medical, Dental, and Vision Plans
• Short-term and Long-term Disability Insurance
• Life and AD&D Insurance
• 401(k) Plan w/company match

*Local Candidates Only – NO RELOCATION PACKAGE*

Equal Opportunity Employer