Continuous Improvement Manager

In this Role, Your Responsibilities Will Be: 

• Identify, prioritize, and manage a portfolio of continuous improvement projects aligned with plant strategic objectives.
• Lead cross-functional teams in the execution of manufacturing, operational, and business process improvement initiatives.
• Analyze production, quality, inventory, labor, and transactional data to identify trends, performance gaps, and improvement opportunities.
• Develop business cases, project charters, and implementation plans for improvement initiatives.
• Facilitate structured problem solving and root cause analysis using data-driven methodologies.
• Partner with Manufacturing Engineering, Operations, Supply Chain, Quality, Finance, and IT teams to deliver sustainable improvements.
• Lead projects focused on productivity, throughput, lead time reduction, quality improvement, cost reduction, and capacity expansion.
• Design and implement dashboards, reports, visual management tools, and performance metrics that support operational decision-making.
• Identify opportunities to automate manual processes, improve data accessibility, and enhance information flow throughout the organization.
• Map and evaluate manufacturing and business processes to eliminate waste, reduce complexity, and improve efficiency.
• Measure and communicate project results, ensuring improvements are sustained and documented.
• Coach teams on continuous improvement principles and structured problem-solving techniques.
• Support plant leadership by providing analysis, project updates, and recommendations based on operational data.

Who You Are: 

• You use data and facts to identify opportunities and drive decisions.
• You are comfortable moving between the manufacturing floor and analytical project work.
• You build credibility through collaboration and results.
• You effectively communicate with operators, supervisors, engineers, and senior leadership.
• You can manage multiple projects simultaneously while maintaining focus on measurable business outcomes.

For this Role, You Will Need: 

• Bachelor's Degree in Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Supply Chain, Business Analytics, or related technical field.
• Minimum 3+ years of manufacturing, engineering, operations, quality, or continuous improvement experience.
• Experience leading cross-functional projects from identification through implementation.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Experience using data analysis and visualization tools such as Power BI, Excel, SQL, Power Query, or similar platforms.
• Demonstrated ability to influence stakeholders and drive organizational change.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications that Set You Apart: 

• Lean, Six Sigma, or Operational Excellence certification.
• Experience with Power Platform development, automation tools, or manufacturing systems.
• Experience managing capital, productivity, or digital transformation projects.
• Knowledge of ERP and manufacturing data systems.
• Project management experience.

Our Location: 

Marshalltown, Iowa, combines the charm of a close-knit community with the conveniences of a thriving city. Located in central Iowa, less than an hour from both Des Moines and Ames, Marshalltown offers easy access to urban amenities while providing a variety of local outdoor recreation activities like hiking, biking, golf, swimming, and exploring local parks. With its affordable cost of living, excellent schools, and vibrant diverse local culture, Marshalltown is a welcoming place to call home!