Business Process Improvement Leader

First Quality; State College (Centre County); On-site; USD 100,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus opportunities

Paid time off

Medical/dental/vision starting day one

401(k) with employer match

Paid parental leave

Dependent care FSA with employer match

Diaper benefit

Tuition assistance

Wellness program

Job summary

First Quality is seeking a Business Process Improvement Leader for our McElhattan, PA location (with options for Lewistown, PA or Macon, GA). The role focuses on applying Lean, Six Sigma and other continuous improvement methods to streamline workflows, reduce waste and improve cost-effectiveness across the organization.

The ideal candidate has a Bachelor’s degree in a related field, ASQ Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, 7+ years in process improvement, and strong analytical and change-management

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Industrial Engineering, Operations Management, or related field.
• ASQ or equivalent Lean / Six Sigma Black Belt certification required.
• Minimum 7 years of experience in process improvement, operational excellence, or industrial engineering.

Responsibilities

• Establish process improvement goals and strategy for the division.
• Assess current processes to identify inefficiencies and opportunities.
• Design and deploy Lean, Six Sigma, and other methodologies.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to map processes and remove bottlenecks.
• Partner with IT, engineering and operations to integrate digital tools and automation.
• Manage roadmaps, budgets and timelines for improvement projects.
• Document standardized processes and best practices.
• Lead workshops and training to build capability.
• Establish KPIs to measure performance and impact.
• Report progress to leadership and drive continuous improvement.

Skills

Lean Six Sigma Black Belt

Process mapping

Statistical analysis

Project management

Collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration or Industrial Engineering

Tools

Minitab

JMP

Job description

Founded over 35 years ago, First Quality is a family-owned company that has grown from a small business in McElhattan, Pennsylvania into a group of companies, employing over 5,000 team members, while maintaining our family values and entrepreneurial spirit. With corporate offices in New York and Pennsylvania and 8 manufacturing campuses across the U.S. and Canada, the companies within the First Quality group produce high-quality personal care and household products for large retailers and healthcare organizations. Our personal care and household product portfolio includes baby diapers, wipes, feminine pads, paper towels, bath tissue, adult incontinence products, laundry detergents, fabric finishers, and dishwash solutions. In addition, we manufacture certain raw materials and components used in the manufacturing of these products, including flexible print and packaging solutions.

Guided by our values of humility, unity, and integrity, we leverage advanced technology and innovation to drive growth and create new opportunities. At First Quality, you’ll find a collaborative environment focused on continuous learning, professional development, and our mission to Make Things Better®

We are seeking a Business Process Improvement Leader for our First Quality Products Company located in McElhattan, PA. This position may be based out of our Central PA site (McElhattan, PA & Lewistown,PA) or Macon, GA. The Business Process Improvement Leader is responsible for identifying, designing, and implementing process enhancements that improve efficiency, quality, and cost-effectiveness across the organization. This role harmonizes best practices, drives standardization, and ensures alignment of process improvement initiatives with strategic business objectives.

A primary focus will be to apply Lean, Six Sigma, and other continuous improvement methodologies to streamline workflows, eliminate waste, and optimize cross-functional processes. The role requires strong analytical skills, a deep understanding of operational processes, and the ability to lead change through collaboration, coaching, and data-driven decision-making. This position will require frequent travel to our Absorbent Hygiene companies.

Primary responsibilities include:

• Establish process improvement goals, objectives, and overall strategy for the division.
• Conduct comprehensive assessments of current business processes to identify inefficiencies and improvement opportunities.
• Design and deploy Lean, Six Sigma, and other process optimization methodologies to enhance operational performance.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to map processes, identify bottlenecks, and develop solutions.
• Partner with IT, engineering, and operations to integrate digital tools and automation into process improvement initiatives.
• Develop and manage process improvement project roadmaps, budgets, and timelines.
• Create and maintain documentation for standardized processes, procedures, and best practices.
• Facilitate workshops and training sessions to build process improvement capability across the organization.
• Establish metrics and KPIs to measure process performance and improvement impact.
• Monitor and report progress on process improvement initiatives to leadership.
• Champion a culture of continuous improvement and operational excellence.

The ideal candidate should possess the following:

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Industrial Engineering, Operations Management, or related field; advanced degree preferred.
• ASQ or equivalent Lean / Six Sigma Black Belt certification required
• Minimum 7 years of experience in process improvement, operational excellence, or industrial engineering.
• Proven track record of leading successful process improvement initiatives in manufacturing or complex business environments.
• Experience with Manufacturing 4.0 concepts, digital process optimization, and automation integration desirable.
• Knowledge of regulatory standards (ISO 9001, FDA) desirable.
• Expertise in process mapping, statistical analysis tools (e.g., Minitab, JMP), and digital analytics platforms.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with proven root cause analysis capabilities.
• Exceptional communication skills, adept at working with both technical teams and business stakeholders.
• Solid project management skills, able to manage multiple initiatives simultaneously.
• Ability to coach, benchmark, and work closely with different sites and operations.
• Data-driven, disciplined, objective, and detail-oriented.
• Passion for continuous improvement and operational excellence.
• Consulting skills (developing relationships, diagnosis, feedback, and enrolling leadership teams to take action).
• Supports and promotes safe practices and environmental commitments in alignment with company policies and compliance requirements.
• Able to travel 40-50% depending on projects taking place at various sites

What We Offer You

We believe that by continuously improving the quality of our benefits, we can help to raise the quality of life for our team members and their families. At First Quality you will receive:

• Competitive base salary and bonus opportunities
• Paid time off (three-week minimum)
• Medical, dental and vision starting day one
• 401(k) with employer match
• Paid parental leave
• Child and family care assistance (dependent care FSA with employer match up to $2500)
• Bundle of joy benefit (year's worth of free diapers to all team members with a new baby)
• Tuition assistance
• Wellness program with savings of up to $4,000 per year on insurance premiums