Continuous Improvement Lead

Overview

The Continuous Improvement Leader is a strategic change agent responsible for advancing and sustaining a culture of operational excellence across the organization. This role collaborates with cross-functional teams to identify, lead, and implement continuous improvement initiatives using Lean principles and Barry Wehmiller Continuous Improvement methodologies. The ideal candidate is a proactive problem-solver with strong leadership and coaching capabilities.

Responsibilities

• Champion and coach global best practices in Lean, Continuous Improvement, and Operational Excellence across the business.
• Apply Lean methodologies and tools to identify inefficiencies, eliminate waste, and enhance productivity and quality.
• Plan, execute, and evaluate improvement projects using the Plan-Do-Check-Adjust (PDCA) cycle.
• Facilitate Kaizen and other CI events, such as 7S, TPM, setup reduction, and value stream/process mapping.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to define project goals, scope, deliverables, risks, and success metrics.
• Drive team member buy-in and engagement through thoughtful change management planning and execution.
• Lead improvement initiatives from concept through execution, ensuring timely and successful outcomes.
• Develop and maintain key performance indicators (KPIs), dashboards, and visual management tools to support data-driven decisions.
• Guide cross-functional teams in root cause analysis and develop actionable recommendations for performance improvement.
• Support standardization efforts by documenting processes, deliverables, and best practices.
• Deliver training and coaching on Lean tools, principles, and problem-solving techniques to team members at all levels, ensuring knowledge transfer so team members can apply skills independently.
• Promote and embed a continuous improvement mindset throughout the organization.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, Business, Operations Management, or a related field.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience leading Lean and continuous improvement initiatives in a manufacturing or business environment.
• Proven track record of implementing successful process improvement projects.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and organizational skills.
• Experience with Lean, Six Sigma, or Project Management methodologies; certifications such as Lean Six Sigma Green/Black Belt or PMP are preferred.
• Excellent facilitation, coaching, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Strong ability to drive change by gaining buy-in and engagement of employees.
• Demonstrated ability to lead without authority and influence cross-functional teams.
• Strong knowledge of metal manufacturing processes (e.g., cutting, welding, assembly and machining), material logistics, manufacturing engineering and quality, and understanding of the interface with other support function processes.
• Demonstrated ability to understand and use financial data and analysis in problem solving.
• Promotion of team spirit and lean mindset development while providing coaching to various levels of team members through the Change Management process.

Work Environment

• This is an office position that spends significant time in a manufacturing facility. The employee must be able to ascend/descend stairs, stand for 4+ hours a day, hold a valid driver’s license and current passport, and be able to travel by plane. Correct use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) required by the manufacturing location.

Barry-Wehmiller is an equal opportunity employer. M/F/D/V This organization uses E-Verify. Applicants may be subject to pre-employment screening including drug screening, reference checks, employment verifications, background screening, and/or skills assessments.

Company: Afinitas

Location: Mediapolis, IA

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