Continuous Improvement Specialist

If you are unable to complete this application due to a disability, contact this employer to ask for an accommodation or an alternative application process. Full Time Professional Fort Atkinson, WI, US JOB SUMMARY The Continuous Improvement Specialist supports the Continuous Improvement Manager by leading and supporting projects that improve safety, quality, throughput, cost, and reduce waste across manufacturing operations. This position spends significant time on the production floor using Lean, Six Sigma, root cause analysis, standard work, and data‑driven problem solving to eliminate waste, strengthen the Management Operating System, and help sustain improvements day‑to‑day. ESSENTIAL DUTIES and RESPONSIBILITIES Lead and/or support continuous improvement projects on key production lines and value streams to improve safety, quality, throughput, uptime, yield, labor efficiency, and waste reduction. Pull, review, and analyze data from Power BI, Redzone, Maximo, Sage, and other plant systems to identify loss drivers and validate improvement opportunities. Build and maintain basic reports and visuals, including Pareto charts, run charts, and simple dashboards, for use in daily, weekly, and monthly operational reviews. Support standard setting through time studies, observations, rate validation, changeover reviews, and analysis of waste, giveaway, inedible, and other operational targets. Spend significant time on the production floor observing processes, talking with operators, supervisors, and mechanics, and validating actual work practices against assumed work practices. Create and update standard work, SOPs, visual work instructions, checklists, one‑point lessons, and other documentation needed to sustain improvements. Train and coach team members on basic continuous improvement tools such as 5S, 5 Whys, fishbone diagrams, standard work, and root cause analysis. Track continuous improvement actions from meetings and projects, follow up with owners and management, and help maintain momentum through completion. Quantify project benefits, including labor, yield, uptime, material usage, waste reduction, and cost savings, and maintain a simple project pipeline and benefits tracker. Effectively communicate and collaborate with all levels of the organization. Accept special projects and complete them promptly. Must be able to work 10‑hour days and 6 to 7‑day weeks as needed. *The above list reflects the general details necessary to describe the principle and essential functions of the position and shall not be construed as the only duties that may be assigned for the position. COMPETENCIES Approachability – Puts others at ease by listening, allowing adequate time for interactions, and giving undivided attention. Show receptivity to message being delivered. Seeks and enlists active participation of others to reach goals. Customer Focus – Builds effective relationships, identifies customer expectations, sees issues from their point of view; offers practical recommendations. Meets deadlines, works independently, accountable, maintains focus, punctual, good attendance record. Ethics & Integrity – Possesses a strong set of core values and beliefs consistent with social, ethical, and organizational principles. Confronts unethical situations. Generates new ideas and approaches to enhance the organization's systems, products, or effectiveness. Personal Accountability – Accepts responsibility for own actions including failure. Embraces experience as learning opportunities and not chances to blame. Results Orientated – Drives behavior to emphasize achievement. Self‑directed toward accomplishment. Is action oriented. Likes challenge. Pursues opportunities. Consistently high achieving. Determines the interrelationships and relative importance of tasks and allocates time efficiently to the most important issues. Knows what not to spend time on; completes work in a timely fashion. Trust & Respect – Offers respect to all in the work environment, adheres to high personal standards of acceptance, reliability, openness, and consistency of action with words. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS Education: Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience in a related field. Experience or Training: 2+ years of manufacturing experience. Prior exposure to Lean or continuous improvement tools such as kaizen, 5S, value stream mapping, standard work, or root cause analysis. Technology/Equipment: Strong computer skills with a high‑level proficiency in MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook). Solid basic statistics and comfort working with numbers. PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS Education: Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt, Green Belt, or other continuous improvement training. Experience or Training: Food manufacturing experience. Demonstrated experience leading or co‑leading improvement projects with documented results in uptime, waste reduction, changeover reduction, labor efficiency, yield, or cost savings. Technology/Equipment: Power BI, Ignition, Redzone, Maximo, Sage, or similar system experience. PHYSICAL AND MENTAL DEMANDS Manual dexterity to operate all office equipment efficiently. Visual dexterity to operate all office equipment efficiently. Walking. Stooping. Reach above shoulders. Standing. Talking. Hearing. Exposure to cold, hot, damp, and noisy environments. Lifting to 40 lbs. WORKING ENVIRONMENT Much of the work for this position is performed in a manufacturing environment, requiring the use of PPE, uniform or protective clothing, and safety equipment. This role is expected to spend significant time on the production floor and may be exposed to cold, hot, damp, and noisy environments. EMPLOYEE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT An individual in this position must successfully perform the essential duties and responsibilities, and the physical and mental demands listed above. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this position. #J-18808-Ljbffr