Quest Diagnostics Incorporated
Senior Continuous Improvement Manager
Quest Diagnostics Incorporated, Houston, Texas, United States, 77246
Senior Manager Continuous Improvement – Houston, TX (Hybrid role, not remote; expectation to be in office/field as needed)
*Applicants need to be based in Houston, Austin, or Dallas metro area, TX
This position will lead a variety of continuous improvement and process improvement projects and teams to apply Continuous Improvement principles and tools to ensure Quest Diagnostics is efficient and effective in the delivery of its services, solutions, and processes while improving customer and employee satisfaction. It will drive an end‑to‑end analysis of business operations and related performance measures, work with Business Leaders to identify opportunities for profitable growth, and lead business transformation and outcomes. Coaching others to learn and apply Continuous Improvement principles and tools to their daily work is also required.
Responsibilities
Owns and leads projects and working teams to effectively initiate, plan, execute, monitor, and close projects that drive culture change and positive results.
Leads projects
Leads through issues, roadblocks, and problems.
Acts as a change agent to drive teams toward success; demonstrates a track record of success leading and influencing at the mid‑to‑senior leadership level without direct authority.
Guides team members to perform through issues and constraints.
Owns projects
Owns the timeline, budget, resource constraints, and deliverables/results.
Shifts between the big picture and the small‑but‑crucial details.
Is prepared to roll up sleeves and work through detailed issues.
Manages projects
Ensures all appropriate tools are completed and used effectively (e.g., charter, Gantt chart, status updates).
Communicates
Actively communicates with project sponsors and stakeholders securing buy‑in and agreement as needed.
Establishes regular points of communication.
Manages sponsor and stakeholder expectations.
Delivers the expected results.
Applies continuous improvement principles, tools and techniques toward a variety of medium‑sized projects.
Leads efforts to implement Process Control and Management (process definition, documentation, ownership, metrics, and monitoring systems).
Facilitates workshops and targeted improvement events to help teams quickly achieve strategic objectives.
Works with local team members to identify and prioritize continuous improvement opportunities.
Works with functional and site leaders as a thought leader to create future state improvement roadmaps with clear executable plans that align with business strategies.
Instills effective daily work‑management behaviors, such as daily metric review.
Contributes toward building a grass‑roots culture of continuous improvement.
Coaches other employees on the use of continuous‑improvement tools, concepts, and practices to build self‑sufficiency, sustainability, and scalability.
Participates in Communities of Practice.
Leads Continuous Improvement Training Classes.
Documents business processes.
Completes required continued learning.
Qualifications Required Work Experience:
5+ years of direct responsibility for operational ownership of different aspects of a business and Continuous Improvement experience. Experience working in the Toyota Production System or a similar rigorous lean model.
Preferred Work Experience:
Preferred experience in areas of Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing, Organizational leadership, or Healthcare.
Physical and Mental Requirements:
The normal performance of duties may require lifting and carrying objects.
Frequent walking and/or standing.
Knowledge:
Demonstrated understanding and experience in continuous improvement, process management, or system thinking (5+ years).
Demonstrated experience with core continuous improvement tools.
Demonstrated experience using structured problem‑solving skills; a systematic, disciplined, and data‑driven approach that identifies root causes and designs solutions.
Demonstrated data analysis skills.
Demonstrated experience leading large, complex, change initiatives and projects from initiation to completion (5+ years).
Demonstrated experience facilitating discussions or workshops.
Demonstrated ability to develop strong relationships with others; proven track record of fostering leadership alignment and target setting.
Demonstrated experience leading changes.
Demonstrated ability to influence business leaders.
Demonstrated experience with process management.
Basic knowledge of VOC tools and some DFSS tools.
General knowledge of Hoshin and breakthrough planning.
Skills
Comfortable with statistical analysis.
Problem‑solving skills.
Effective written and verbal communication skills across multiple formats: formal presentations, meetings, conference calls, e‑mails, and memos.
Ability to handle multiple projects simultaneously.
Comfortable with Microsoft PowerPoint and Project.
Skilled in Microsoft Word.
Advanced in Microsoft Excel.
Interpersonal skills.
Decision‑making skills.
Planning and organization skills.
Negotiation skills.
Results‑oriented.
Creative.
Persistent.
Composed.
Able to learn new concepts rapidly.
Able to work independently with little supervision.
Education • Bachelor’s Degree
License Certifications Formal training in project management or continuous improvement methodologies (e.g., Six Sigma, Total Quality Management, Lean, Theory of Constraints). Current Black Belt certification is a plus.
Equal Opportunity Employer Quest Diagnostics honors our service members and encourages veterans to apply. While we appreciate and value our staffing partners, we do not accept unsolicited resumes from agencies. Quest will not be responsible for paying agency fees for any individual to whom an agency has sent an unsolicited resume.
Equal Opportunity Employer: Race/Color/Sex/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity/Religion/National Origin/Disability/Vets or any other legally protected status.
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This position will lead a variety of continuous improvement and process improvement projects and teams to apply Continuous Improvement principles and tools to ensure Quest Diagnostics is efficient and effective in the delivery of its services, solutions, and processes while improving customer and employee satisfaction. It will drive an end‑to‑end analysis of business operations and related performance measures, work with Business Leaders to identify opportunities for profitable growth, and lead business transformation and outcomes. Coaching others to learn and apply Continuous Improvement principles and tools to their daily work is also required.
Responsibilities
Owns and leads projects and working teams to effectively initiate, plan, execute, monitor, and close projects that drive culture change and positive results.
Leads projects
Leads through issues, roadblocks, and problems.
Acts as a change agent to drive teams toward success; demonstrates a track record of success leading and influencing at the mid‑to‑senior leadership level without direct authority.
Guides team members to perform through issues and constraints.
Owns projects
Owns the timeline, budget, resource constraints, and deliverables/results.
Shifts between the big picture and the small‑but‑crucial details.
Is prepared to roll up sleeves and work through detailed issues.
Manages projects
Ensures all appropriate tools are completed and used effectively (e.g., charter, Gantt chart, status updates).
Communicates
Actively communicates with project sponsors and stakeholders securing buy‑in and agreement as needed.
Establishes regular points of communication.
Manages sponsor and stakeholder expectations.
Delivers the expected results.
Applies continuous improvement principles, tools and techniques toward a variety of medium‑sized projects.
Leads efforts to implement Process Control and Management (process definition, documentation, ownership, metrics, and monitoring systems).
Facilitates workshops and targeted improvement events to help teams quickly achieve strategic objectives.
Works with local team members to identify and prioritize continuous improvement opportunities.
Works with functional and site leaders as a thought leader to create future state improvement roadmaps with clear executable plans that align with business strategies.
Instills effective daily work‑management behaviors, such as daily metric review.
Contributes toward building a grass‑roots culture of continuous improvement.
Coaches other employees on the use of continuous‑improvement tools, concepts, and practices to build self‑sufficiency, sustainability, and scalability.
Participates in Communities of Practice.
Leads Continuous Improvement Training Classes.
Documents business processes.
Completes required continued learning.
Qualifications Required Work Experience:
5+ years of direct responsibility for operational ownership of different aspects of a business and Continuous Improvement experience. Experience working in the Toyota Production System or a similar rigorous lean model.
Preferred Work Experience:
Preferred experience in areas of Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing, Organizational leadership, or Healthcare.
Physical and Mental Requirements:
The normal performance of duties may require lifting and carrying objects.
Frequent walking and/or standing.
Knowledge:
Demonstrated understanding and experience in continuous improvement, process management, or system thinking (5+ years).
Demonstrated experience with core continuous improvement tools.
Demonstrated experience using structured problem‑solving skills; a systematic, disciplined, and data‑driven approach that identifies root causes and designs solutions.
Demonstrated data analysis skills.
Demonstrated experience leading large, complex, change initiatives and projects from initiation to completion (5+ years).
Demonstrated experience facilitating discussions or workshops.
Demonstrated ability to develop strong relationships with others; proven track record of fostering leadership alignment and target setting.
Demonstrated experience leading changes.
Demonstrated ability to influence business leaders.
Demonstrated experience with process management.
Basic knowledge of VOC tools and some DFSS tools.
General knowledge of Hoshin and breakthrough planning.
Skills
Comfortable with statistical analysis.
Problem‑solving skills.
Effective written and verbal communication skills across multiple formats: formal presentations, meetings, conference calls, e‑mails, and memos.
Ability to handle multiple projects simultaneously.
Comfortable with Microsoft PowerPoint and Project.
Skilled in Microsoft Word.
Advanced in Microsoft Excel.
Interpersonal skills.
Decision‑making skills.
Planning and organization skills.
Negotiation skills.
Results‑oriented.
Creative.
Persistent.
Composed.
Able to learn new concepts rapidly.
Able to work independently with little supervision.
Education • Bachelor’s Degree
License Certifications Formal training in project management or continuous improvement methodologies (e.g., Six Sigma, Total Quality Management, Lean, Theory of Constraints). Current Black Belt certification is a plus.
Equal Opportunity Employer Quest Diagnostics honors our service members and encourages veterans to apply. While we appreciate and value our staffing partners, we do not accept unsolicited resumes from agencies. Quest will not be responsible for paying agency fees for any individual to whom an agency has sent an unsolicited resume.
Equal Opportunity Employer: Race/Color/Sex/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity/Religion/National Origin/Disability/Vets or any other legally protected status.
#J-18808-Ljbffr