Continuous Improvement Director

Director Of Continuous Improvement

Dexter Magnetic Technologies supplies specialized magnetic solutions and components to demanding applications in the medical, aerospace, defense, semiconductor manufacturing, oil and gas, and industrial end markets. Dexter's engineers solve complex customer problems with innovative solutions, winning business based on quality, customer support, and application engineering expertise.

The Director of Continuous Improvement is responsible for driving enterprise-wide operational excellence by developing and executing strategies that improve business performance, operational efficiency, cost effectiveness, quality, and customer value. This role leads the identification, analysis, prioritization, and implementation of sustainable process improvements using Lean, Six Sigma, and other Continuous Improvement principles and methodologies.

The Director will lead and develop cross-functional teams and coach leaders at all levels to build a culture of continuous improvement, accountability, and problem-solving. This role ensures improvement initiatives are aligned with the organization's strategic objectives, effectively integrated into daily operations, and sustained over time. The Director will also establish and advance the organization's Continuous Improvement strategy, capabilities, and roadmap to deliver measurable and sustainable business results.

Major Responsibilities:

Continuous Improvement Strategy & Operational Excellence

• In alignment with the Permag CI Strategy, develop and execute the Dexter/MCE Division Continuous Improvement strategy, roadmap, and operating system in alignment with company and business-unit strategic objectives.
• Identify, prioritize, and lead high-impact improvement opportunities based on business performance, customer requirements, quality, cost, delivery, and productivity.
• Establish and deploy CI programs and processes such as VAVE, DFMA/DFA, OEE, Lean management systems, and other strategic improvement initiatives.
• Establish metrics and governance to measure the financial and operational impact of CI initiatives.
• Partner with senior leadership to identify strategic opportunities and translate business objectives into actionable improvement initiatives.
• Lead efforts to build a culture of operational excellence and continuous improvement throughout the organization.
• Drive measurable financial and operational results through Continuous Improvement initiatives, including cost reduction, productivity improvement, scrap reduction, capacity optimization, quality improvement, and working-capital opportunities.

Process Excellence & Lean Transformation

• Lead cross-functional teams in evaluating current manufacturing and business processes and identifying opportunities to improve safety, quality, delivery, cost, productivity, and customer value.
• Lead value-stream analysis and high-level process optimization across sites and functions.
• Deploy Lean principles and methodologies to reduce waste, improve flow, optimize capacity, reduce cycle and lead times, and improve overall process effectiveness.
• Lead initiatives focused on scrap reduction, OEE improvement, visual management, standard work, flow, changeover reduction, and other key operational performance measures.
• Establish sustainable processes, controls, and management systems to ensure improvements are maintained and continuously improved.
• Standardize and improve Lean management systems, including Visual Management, Tiered Accountability/Tier Board Meetings, Kamishibai, Leader Standard Work, and related operating mechanisms.

Quality, Six Sigma & Advanced Problem Solving

• Lead the deployment of Six Sigma and advanced problem-solving methodologies to improve product and process capability, reliability, quality, and cost.
• Apply and coach others in statistical analysis, Design of Experiments (DOE), Process Capability (Cpk/Ppk), Statistical Process Control (SPC), and other analytical methodologies.
• Lead or support Root Cause Analysis and structured problem-solving for significant quality and operational issues.
• Partner with Engineering, Quality, Operations, and other functions to incorporate Design for Manufacturability/Assembly principles into product and process development.
• Apply and coach teams in DFMEA, PFMEA, MSA, PPAP, and other quality planning methodologies as appropriate.
• Establish robust process controls to prevent recurrence and sustain improvements.

Data, Analytics & Performance Management

• Establish data-driven approaches for identifying, prioritizing, and measuring improvement opportunities.
• Analyze operational, financial, quality, equipment, and process data to identify trends, opportunities, and root causes.
• Develop and utilize dashboards, performance metrics, and analytical tools to monitor operational performance and CI results.
• Establish methodologies for quantifying the financial and operational impact of improvement initiatives.
• Communicate performance trends, opportunities, project status, and results to leadership through clear and actionable reporting.
• Utilize tools such as Power BI, Minitab, Excel, and other analytical platforms to support decision-making.

CI Portfolio & Project Leadership

• Lead a portfolio of strategic Continuous Improvement initiatives from opportunity identification through implementation and sustainment.
• Establish project scope, objectives, milestones, resources, risk management, and expected business results.
• Ensure projects are appropriately prioritized based on strategic importance, expected value, resources, and organizational capacity.
• Lead cross-functional teams and ensure appropriate stakeholder engagement and accountability.
• Monitor project performance, remove barriers, escalate issues, and ensure timely execution.
• Establish appropriate project closure and sustainment processes to verify that improvements deliver their intended results.

Leadership Development & CI Capability Building

• Mentor, coach, and develop leaders at all levels in Continuous Improvement principles, structured problem-solving, and operational excellence.
• Build organizational capability by developing internal CI champions, project leaders, and problem-solving capabilities.
• Facilitate Lean, Six Sigma, problem-solving, and operational excellence training and workshops.
• Establish consistent CI standards, methodologies, and expectations across the organization.
• Foster employee engagement and participation in improvement activities.
• Develop a culture in which leaders and employees are accountable for identifying and solving problems and improving processes.

Cross-Site Standardization & Sustainability

• Identify opportunities to standardize best practices, processes, and CI methodologies across sites and business units.
• Lead cross-site initiatives to replicate proven improvements and accelerate organizational learning.
• Establish systems to ensure improvements are sustained and embedded into daily management and operating processes.
• Monitor the effectiveness of CI systems and continuously improve the organization's approach to operational excellence.
• Facilitate knowledge sharing and benchmarking across locations and functions.

Qualifications:

Education:

• Bachelor's Degree in Engineering, Business, Systems, or Continuous Improvement
• Lean Six Sigma Green Belt, or equivalent, from a reputable organization along with sound, demonstrable knowledge and experience. Black Belt is preferred.

Experience:

• Knowledge of how to use financial data to identify CI focused projects
• At least 10 years of proven experience in the Lean Six Sigma workspace
• DOE and process capability knowledge and experience
• Experience in project management and leading cross-functional teams
• Adequate proficiency in data analysis and statistical tools (e.g., Minitab, Pwer BI, Excel).
• This position may require access to ITAR-controlled technical data and services. As such, all applicants must be U.S. persons, as defined by ITAR, to be considered for this role. A U.S. person is a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, or individual with protected status under U.S. immigration laws. Applicants who do not meet these criteria will not be considered for the position

Successful Essential Skills & Technical Competencies:

• Lean / Six Sigma
• DOE / SPC / Cpk / Ppk
• VSM / SMED / OEE / TPM / 5S / Kanban
• DFMA / FMEA / MSA / PPAP
• Minitab / Power BI / Excel
• Change management
• Financial analysis / ROI
• Project and portfolio management
• Extremely strong problem-solving skills.
• Dynamic presentation/coaching skills
• Extensive skills in teaching and coaching
• Strong application and understanding of using lean tools in transactional processes

Salary Range: $175,000-$205,000 + bonus

We offer a comprehensive benefits package, including Medical/Rx, Dental, Vision, Flexible Spending Accounts, Basic Life/AD&D (includes coverage for dependents 100% Company paid), Short-Term Disability, Long-Term Disability (100% Company paid), Supplemental Life/AD&D, 4