Note: The job is a remote job and is open to candidates in USA. American Equipment is one of the leading rigging and below-the-hook service providers in the United States. They are seeking a Continuous Improvement Manager to lead operational excellence initiatives across both office and manufacturing environments, focusing on Lean Manufacturing principles to improve productivity, quality, safety, and employee engagement.
Responsibilities
- Lead and facilitate Lean transformation initiatives across manufacturing, operations, logistics, and office functions
- Conduct regular Gemba Walks to observe processes firsthand, identify opportunities, and engage employees in problem-solving
- Plan, facilitate, and sustain Kaizen events focused on improving productivity, quality, safety, and workflow efficiency
- Develop and maintain Continuous Improvement roadmaps aligned with organizational objectives
- Drive a culture where continuous improvement becomes part of everyday operations
- Observe work activities and analyze workflows to identify bottlenecks, non-value-added activities, and waste
- Design and implement process improvements that simplify operations and increase throughput
- Develop process maps, value stream maps, work instructions, and standard operating procedures
- Utilize industrial engineering and process engineering principles to improve labor utilization, equipment effectiveness, and workflow design
- Apply time studies, motion studies, and workload analysis to optimize performance
- Lead implementation and sustainment of: 5S, Standard Work, Visual Management, Kanban Systems, Value Stream Mapping, Total Productive Maintenance (TPM), Root Cause Analysis, A3 Problem Solving, PDCA Methodology, Waste Reduction Initiatives
- Establish metrics and reporting systems to monitor improvement initiatives and measure results
- Support operational teams in achieving productivity, quality, cost, delivery, and safety objectives
- Coach supervisors, managers, and frontline employees in Lean methodologies and problem-solving techniques
- Facilitate cross-functional improvement teams
- Encourage employee-generated improvement ideas and support implementation efforts
- Provide training on Lean tools, continuous improvement principles, and operational best practices
- Collect and analyze operational data to identify trends and opportunities
- Develop KPIs and dashboards to track improvement activities
- Present findings, recommendations, and project outcomes to leadership
- Quantify financial and operational impacts of improvement initiatives
Skills
- Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Operations Management, Manufacturing Engineering, or related field
- 5+ years of experience in Continuous Improvement, Lean Manufacturing, Process Engineering, Operational Excellence, or related roles
- Demonstrated experience leading Kaizen events and Lean transformation initiatives
- Strong knowledge of: Lean Manufacturing, Kaizen, Gemba Walks, 5S, Standard Work, Value Stream Mapping, Root Cause Analysis, Six Sigma methodologies
- Experience working directly within manufacturing and production environments
- Excellent facilitation, communication, and leadership skills
- Lean Certification or Six Sigma Green Belt/Black Belt
- Experience with ERP and Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES)
- Industrial Engineering or Process Engineering background
- Experience supporting both production and administrative process improvements
Company Overview