Continuous Improvement Manager

A well-established discrete manufacturing company in Cary, IL is seeking a Continuous Improvement Manager to drive Lean initiatives and build a culture of operational excellence across the plant. This is a highly visible role focused on improving safety, quality, delivery, and productivity through structured CI methodologies.

This position is ideal for a hands-on leader who can work directly with production teams, develop frontline leaders, and implement sustainable process improvements.

What You'll Do

• Lead and execute Lean / Continuous Improvement initiatives across manufacturing operations
• Partner with Production, Quality, and Materials to identify and eliminate waste, bottlenecks, and inefficiencies
• Drive improvements in key metrics (safety, quality, on-time delivery, productivity, OEE)
• Facilitate root cause analysis (RCA), problem-solving, and corrective actions
• Implement and sustain Lean tools (5S, standard work, visual management, Kaizen, TPM, etc.)
• Coach and develop supervisors and team leads on CI principles and daily execution
• Support production teams on the floor to ensure adoption and sustainability of improvements
• Help build structure, discipline, and operating rhythms within the plant

What We're Looking For

• Experience in Continuous Improvement, Manufacturing Engineering, or Production leadership
• Strong background in discrete manufacturing (assembly, fabrication, machining, forming, etc.)
• Hands-on Lean / CI experience with proven results (Lean, Six Sigma, Kaizen, TPM, etc.)
• Ability to work cross-functionally and influence at all levels of the organization
• Comfortable being on the shop floor and driving change with production teams
• Strong problem-solving and data-driven decision-making skills
• Bachelor's degree preferred

Why This Role

• High visibility role with direct impact on plant performance
• Opportunity to help shape CI culture in a growing organization
• Path for career growth into broader operations leadership
• Competitive compensation + bonus + full benefits package