Continuous Improvement Specialist

Job Description

Job Description

Join our growing team and discover why Summit Utilities, Inc. continues to earn national and regional recognition as an employer of choice. Our recognitions include Best Places to Work in Maine (2019–2025); Best Places to Work in Arkansas (2020, 2023, 2025); Best Places to Work in Oklahoma (2022–2025); Best Places to Work in Missouri (2023 and 2026); Best Places to Work in Colorado (2025); Forbes America’s Best Small Employers (2023); and, most recently, Proud and Purposeful Employer (2026).

Summit is a growing natural gas utility that’s committed to delivering reliable energy to homes and businesses in Arkansas, Colorado, Maine, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Texas. Being part of the Summit team means embracing excellence and innovation, committing to safety each and every day, and doing all that we can to serve each other, our customers, and the communities where we live. We aim to bring warmth and energy to everything we do.

We are pleased to announce an exciting opportunity for a Continuous Improvement Specialist (SGL 16) to join our team. This position is available on a  hybrid basis in Little Rock, Fort Smith, or Fayetteville, Arkansas, and Portland, Maine. We will also consider candidates in Texas who are able to work remotely.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Continuous Improvement Specialist enables successful adoption and sustainment of process improvements and operational changes by integrating process improvement discipline into Continuous Improvement (CI), Kaizen, and project‑driven initiatives. This role ensures that process changes are evaluated, governed, implemented, and embedded into standard work with minimal disruption and maximum value realization.

This role serves as a bridge between CI execution, project delivery, and organizational adoption, ensuring improvements do not stop at implementation but become durable, repeatable ways of working.

PRIMARY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Embed Management of Change (MOC) practices into CI, Kaizen, and process redesign efforts. 
• Partner with CI leads and process owners to ensure improvements include adoption, readiness, and sustainment planning.
• Support multiple types of process change, including incremental CI improvements, project‑driven changes, and regulatory or technology‑enabled changes.
• Conduct structured assessments of impacts to:
  • Process steps and workflows
  • Roles and responsibilities
  • Systems, data, and controls
  • Training and documentation needs 
• Identify adoption risks such as workarounds, ownership gaps, and cross‑functional misalignment.
• Support process change intake, prioritization, and approval workflows.
• Ensure changes align with defined governance, risk thresholds, and decision rights. 
• Help clarify ownership and accountability for process changes across functions.
• Ensure updated processes are translated into:
  • Standard operating procedures
  • Job aids and visual work instructions
  • Training and transition materials
• Partner with training and functional leaders to support readiness for new ways of working.
• Define adoption and sustainment indicators for process changes.
• Monitor early execution, identify breakdowns, and recommend corrective actions.
• Support reinforcement through feedback loops and PDCA cycles.
• Facilitate cross‑functional working sessions focused on:
  • Change impact assessment
  • Organizational alignment
  • Ownership and handoff planning 
• Act as a neutral facilitator focused on process clarity, execution discipline, and risk reduction.

EDUCATION AND WORK EXPERIENCE

• Bachelor’s degree in business, engineering, operations, or related field
• 2 years of experience in Continuous Improvement, process improvement, operational excellence, and change management
• Strong understanding of process mapping, standard work, and improvement methodologies
• Ability to work effectively across functional boundaries
• Experience supporting CI, Lean, or Kaizen initiatives
• Certifications in Lean and Org Change Management
• Familiarity with MOC, operational governance, or regulated environments
• Experience partnering with PMO, IT, or transformation teams
• Background in utilities, or operations‑heavy environments

  KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ABILITIES 

• Process‑first and systems thinking
• Risk awareness and execution discipline
• Facilitation and influence without authority
• Ability to translate improvement into sustained behavior
• Comfort working in complex, cross‑functional environments

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by employees assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and/or skills required of all personnel so classified.

Summit offers competitive pay and medical/dental/vision and other benefits that provide flexibility, choice and support to our employees when they need it most. We understand that home and family are essential pieces of your life, and our benefits are designed to support you both at work and at home. 

Summit Utilities, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or protected veteran status and will not be discriminated against on the basis of disability or veteran status.