Continuous Improvement Director

Elkhart Plastics, a Myers Industries company (NYSE: MYE), is one of the largest custom rotational molding companies in the United States. With more than 500 employees and 33 years in business, we have the experience and knowledge to make any unique part using the rotomolding process. Elkhart Plastics headquarters are in South Bend, IN, and we have additional facilities in Middlebury, IN; Littleton, CO; Ridgefield, WA; and Atlantic, IA. We create custom plastics in virtually every application imaginable and an almost endless variety of shapes and thicknesses. From storage tanks to boat seating and agricultural applications to intermediate bulk containers and plastic pallets, Elkhart Plastics is trusted by companies throughout the country to provide a rotationally molded solution, custom designed to meet their needs.


Job Overview

The business unit Continuous Improvement Leader drives organizational efforts across the business unit by supporting locations in establishing and deploying standardized improvement systems that eliminate loss, improve performance, and sustain a culture of accountability.

Duties and Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership

• Ensure that the business unit continuous improvement strategy is aligned with enterprise continuous improvement, operational and business goals.
• Champion a culture of Lean thinking, problem-solving, and data-driven decision-making.
• Partner with plant leadership to prioritize initiatives tied to strategic goals and X-Matrix deployment.

Process Improvement

• Assist facility leaders to Identify, prioritize, and lead continuous improvement initiatives using Lean, Six Sigma, Kaizen, and value-stream mapping methodologies.
• Provide training resources to locations on the use of root cause analyses (RCA) and implement corrective and preventive actions (CAPA).
• Standardize best practices and ensure adoption across facilities.

Performance Measurement

• Establish metrics, dashboards, and reporting tools to track operational efficiency and improvement progress.
• Monitor KPIs (e.g., productivity, throughput, cost per unit, defects, downtime) and drive actions to improve them.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner with Operations, Quality, Engineering, and Supply Chain to implement improvement initiatives.
• Support teams in project scoping, data collection, analysis, and execution.

Project Management

• Manage multiple improvement projects simultaneously from initiation to completion.
• Document project plans, results, and lessons learned.
• Facilitate the management of the Organization Excellence Assessment

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Analytical thinking
• Project management
• Change management
• Leadership and coaching
• Results orientation
• Collaboration and relationship-building

Education and Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Operations, Business, or related field.
• 3+ years of experience building organizational continuous improvement skills
• 10+ years in a manufacturing environment in a production or engineering leadership role leading people
• Strong knowledge of Lean, Six Sigma, and/or Kaizen principles.
• Proficiency with data analysis, process mapping, and problem-solving tools.
• Excellent communication, facilitation, and leadership skills.
• Up to 40% travel may be required.

Preferred

• Lean Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt certification.
• Familiarity with ERP systems and analytics tools (e.g., Power BI, Minitab).
• Experience in Plastics Manufacturing

Myers Industries, Inc. is an equal opportunity at will employer and does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of age, race, religion, color, disability, sex, sexual orientation or national origin.