Continuous Improvement Manager

Position: Continuous Improvement Manager

Location: Greenwood, MS

Type: Full-time | On-site

Description:


To support and improve the customer experience through calculated product and process improvements. This will be achieved by supporting initiatives that drive operational excellence, product quality, and customer satisfaction. This role collaborates across functions to identify improvement opportunities, implement sustainable solutions, and foster a culture of continuous learning and innovation. The CI Manager is responsible for both hands-on project execution and strategic deployment of continuous improvement practices across the organization.

Essential Job Results:

• Identify & Prioritize Opportunities: Collect, analyze, and interpret operational and customer data to identify high-impact opportunities for process, product, and system improvement. Work with cross-functional teams to set improvement priorities aligned with business goals.
• Project Planning & Execution: Develop and manage structured project plans, including opportunity statements, timelines, resourcing, and success metrics. Lead and support cross-functional teams to deliver measurable results on time and within scope.
• CI Strategy Development & Program Development: Contribute to the development and implementation of a company-wide continuous improvement strategy and roadmap. Help align CI initiatives with broader operational and strategic objectives.
• Standardization & Best Practices: Establish and promote the use of standard work, best practices, and continuous improvement methodologies such as Lean, Six Sigma, PDCA, or Kaizen to ensure consistency and scalability.
• Training & Capability Building: Develop and deliver training programs on CI tools and principles. Coach teams at all levels to build internal CI capability and foster a culture of problem-solving and innovation.
• Change Management & Stakeholder Engagement: Serve as a change agent by building relationships and influencing across departments. Support organizational adoption of new processes through effective communication and change management practices.
• KPI Ownership & Performance Tracking: Define and track key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure project and program impact. Use dashboards and reporting tools to monitor progress and share outcomes with leadership and stakeholders.
• CI Project Governance & Portfolio Management: Maintain a portfolio of active and completed CI projects. Ensure prioritization, alignment with strategic goals, and proper resource allocation. Maintain project documentation and outcome tracking.
• Cost Reduction & Efficiency Improvement: Lead initiatives that drive measurable improvements in cost, productivity, quality, delivery, and customer experience.
• Cross-Functional Communication: Collaborate with internal stakeholders such as Operations, Quality, Warehouse, and Engineering to ensure successful handoff and adoption of improvements.
• Reporting & Communication. Provide regular updates and success stories to internal stakeholders, including leadership teams, sales, and other departments, through presentations and reports.

Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in engineering (Mechanical, Manufacturing, or related field); equivalent technical experience in product design/improvement will be considered.
• 5+ years of experience in manufacturing, engineering, or process/product improvement roles.
• 2+ years in a leadership or project management capacity within continuous improvement initiatives.
• Strong knowledge of Lean, Six Sigma, and other CI methodologies.
• Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams and drive initiatives to completion.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
• Effective communicator and collaborator with strong interpersonal and influencing skills.
• Organized, detail-oriented, and able to manage multiple priorities and projects.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, especially Excel and PowerPoint; experience with project management tools is a plus.
• Servant leadership mindset and ability to coach others.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Lean Six Sigma Green Belt or higher certification.
• Experience with project management platforms (e.g., Asana, MS Project, Smartsheet).
• Familiarity with quality systems, CAPA processes, and RCA techniques.
• Previous experience in customer-facing technical or support roles.