Manufacturing Process Improvement Manager
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About the role
Manufacturing Process Improvement Manager
Location: Virginia Beach, VA
Job Type: Full-Time
Salary: Starting at $85,000/year; higher salary available based on experience
Position Overview
We are seeking a Manufacturing Process Improvement Manager to lead continuous improvement efforts across manufacturing and operations. This position focuses on improving productivity, labor efficiency, cycle times, quality, safety, and on-time delivery through Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, Kaizen, and structured problem-solving.
This is a hands-on leadership role that works directly with production teams and leadership to identify problems, improve processes, and establish sustainable solutions.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead and manage continuous improvement initiatives aligned with operational goals.
- Identify opportunities to improve processes, productivity, workflow, and cost efficiency.
- Facilitate Kaizen events, process improvement workshops, and root cause analysis.
- Apply Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, value stream mapping, and change management methodologies.
- Analyze processes and operational data to identify bottlenecks, waste, and improvement opportunities.
- Develop and implement practical, sustainable process improvements on the manufacturing floor.
- Train, coach, and mentor employees on CI tools and techniques.
- Establish and monitor KPIs to measure improvement results and program performance.
- Track labor efficiency, cycle time, quality, safety, and delivery improvements.
- Present project results, recommendations, and progress to plant and senior leadership.
- Partner with multiple departments to build engagement and accountability around improvement initiatives.
- Support all shifts as needed to implement and sustain improvement projects.
- Evaluate workflow and capital investment opportunities that can improve labor efficiency.
- Ensure improvement activities support safety, quality, and customer satisfaction.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering, Operations Management, Business Management, Manufacturing Engineering, or related field; equivalent experience may be considered.
- 5+ years of experience leading or implementing continuous improvement programs in a manufacturing environment.
- Experience in engineer-to-order, fabrication, industrial, or manufacturing operations preferred.
- Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, or Continuous Improvement certification strongly preferred.
- Proven ability to lead improvement projects with measurable operational results.
- Strong knowledge of Lean principles, value stream mapping, root cause analysis, Kaizen, and change management.
- Ability to collect, analyze, and interpret operational data.
- Strong leadership and ability to influence teams across departments and organizational levels.
- Excellent presentation, communication, facilitation, and training skills.
- Strong project management, organization, and time management skills.
- Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Office.
- Ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
- Self-motivated, analytical, and committed to safety, quality, accountability, and operational excellence.
Work & Physical Requirements
- Regularly walk the production floor and interact with manufacturing teams.
- Ability to stand, bend, and move throughout manufacturing areas during assessments and improvement activities.
- Occasionally lift up to 50 lbs.
- Ability to support multiple shifts and work flexible hours when improvement initiatives require it.
- Comfortable working in both office and manufacturing environments.
Description as published by Qualdoc.
