Continuous Improvement Sr. Manager

Role Summary

The Sr. Manager Continuous Improvement is a key strategic leadernot an individual contributor role. This position will:

Partner with senior facility leaders directors and functional heads to define the long-term CI vision.

Lead the creation and governance of a multi-year Continuous Improvement Roadmap outlining priorities sequencing resource allocation and targeted operational areas.

Drive both the strategic planning and tactical execution of Lean Six Sigma and operational excellence initiatives across multiple manufacturing departments.

Influence coach and align cross-functional teams at all levels to accelerate performance improvement and operational discipline.

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Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Roadmap Ownership

Develop maintain and communicate a comprehensive multi-year CI Roadmap including:

o Types of CI events (Kaizen 5S VSM SMED etc.)

o Prioritization sequencing and expected impact

o Targeted departments functional areas and KPIs

Facilitate annual CI planning cycles with senior leadership to ensure alignment to business goals growth plans and customer commitments.

Identify high-value opportunities through data-driven analysis and present recommendations to executive leadership.

Operational Excellence Execution

Lead the design and implementation of a scalable structured Continuous Improvement Program tailored to Cherry Aerospaces high-volume aerospace fastener production processes.

Conduct time studies bottleneck analysis and process mapping to identify inefficiencies. Drive implementation of:

o Standardized work

o Line balancing

o Waste elimination initiatives

o Cycle-time reduction strategies

Lead structured root-cause investigations using 5 Whys Fishbone DMAIC and other methodologies to address recurring quality and operational challenges.

Implement in-process inspection systems operator training programs and mistake-proofing measures to reduce scrap and improve first-pass yield.

Lean & SMED Deployment

Utilize SMED principles to reduce tooling and machine changeover times; redesign tooling layouts material flow and quick-change fixtures to improve uptime.

Drive improvements in:

o Throughput

o Equipment utilization

o Lead time

o Labor productivity

Cross-Functional Leadership & Coaching

Facilitate Kaizen events problem-solving workshops and cross-functional CI activities.

Provide ongoing coaching to supervisors engineers operators and managers to build Lean capability and a culture of continuous learning.

Act as an internal consultant to guide major transformation efforts and ensure sustainment of improvements.

Tracking & Reporting

Establish performance dashboards and regularly report CI progress savings and KPI impacts to senior leadership.

Ensure all initiatives deliver measurable and sustainable results aligned with the Continuous Improvement Roadmap.

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Qualifications

Bachelors degree in Engineering Operations Business or related field (Masters preferred).

710 years of experience in operations manufacturing or continuous improvement roles with increasing leadership responsibility.

Lean Six Sigma certification required (Black Belt strongly preferred).

Proven success designing and leading enterprise-level CI programs or multi-site improvement initiatives.

Strong capability in Lean tools Six Sigma methodology process optimization and structured problem solving.

Exceptional leadership facilitation project management and communication skills.

Demonstrated ability to influence and drive change across all levels of the organization including senior executives.

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Preferred Attributes

Experience in aerospace precision machining high-volume fasteners or other regulated manufacturing environments.

Familiarity with Howmet Aerospace systems processes and operating rhythms.

Experience leading major transformation initiatives (Lean conversions turnaround work greenfield startup support or similar).

Expertise in change management organizational alignment and leadership coaching.