CI Manager

Datwyler; Town of Middletown (NY); On-site; USD 130,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Datwyler Pharma Solutions in Middletown (NY) is seeking a Site Continuous Improvement Manager to deploy and sustain our Operational Excellence strategy across manufacturing operations. You will lead the CI program, partner with cross-functional teams, and establish standardized processes to improve safety, quality, delivery, cost and productivity.

The role combines hands-on shopfloor leadership with strategic program management, focusing on Lean methods, visual management, and digital

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or a related field.
• 7–10+ years of experience in manufacturing operations or production systems.
• Proven track record implementing Lean and CI programs in a production environment.
• Experience leading cross-functional teams and delivering measurable improvements.

Responsibilities

• Establish and govern a structured site CI portfolio with ROI evaluation.
• Identify and lead CI initiatives focusing on productivity, cost, and cycle time.
• Deploy Lean tools such as 5S, VSM, Kaizen, line balancing, and Kanban.
• Conduct shopfloor analysis and data-driven assessments for improvements.
• Lead structured problem solving and root cause analysis.

Skills

Lean manufacturing

Continuous improvement

Project management

Change leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

Analytical thinking

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering

Tools

ERP systems

MES systems

SAP

Job description

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In billions of syringes and in every second car worldwide, Datwyler components make an important contribution to the safety of patients and drivers. The high-tech company focuses on high-quality, system-critical elastomer components and holds leading positions in attractive global markets such as healthcare, mobility, connectivity, general industry and food & beverage. With over 25 production sites on four continents, sales in more than 100 countries and over 8,000 employees, the company, headquartered in Switzerland, generates annual sales of more than CHF 1,000 million.

Our employees are the heart of Datwyler - we treat each other with respect, trust and appreciation. We have strong roots and values that have been well established in our 100-year corporate history. Become part of our great team as a...

Position Summary

The Site Continuous Improvement Manager is responsible for deploying, adapting, and sustaining the Datwyler Pharma Solutions’ Operational Excellence strategy to drive sustainable improvements in Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost, and Productivity. Reporting to Operations, this role builds and leads the continuous improvement capability across manufacturing operations, establishing standardized processes, lean operating systems, and data-driven performance management. This role is critical to enabling reliable supply from Datwyler’s Middletown and Pennsauken sites.

The leader partners with cross-functional teams to optimize production processes, improve operational stability, and enable scalable growth through Lean methodologies, industrial engineering principles, and digital manufacturing initiatives.

In addition to strategic leadership, this role maintains a strong hands-on presence on the shopfloor, directly supporting the design and improvement of production systems, internal logistics flows, and material handling processes to ensure materials are available at the right place, at the right time, in the right quantity. The role plays a key part in strengthening the culture of continuous improvement by embedding structured problem solving, standardized work, visual management, and lean material flow principles across two manufacturing sites.

Key Responsibilities

Operational Excellence & Continuous Improvement

• Establish and govern a structured site CI portfolio, ensuring clear prioritization, ROI evaluation, resource alignment, and sustainability of improvement initiatives across both sites.
• Identify, prioritize, and lead CI initiatives focused on productivity improvement, cost reduction, cycle time optimization, and changeover reduction.
• Deploy Lean tools and methodologies including 5S, Value Stream Mapping, Kaizen, line balancing, standard work, visual management, Kanban, and waste elimination.
• Conduct shopfloor analysis and data-driven assessments to identify improvement opportunities and implement sustainable solutions.
• Lead structured problem solving and root cause analysis to eliminate process variation and improve operational performance.

Process Optimization

• Support manufacturing operations with manufacturing fundamentals including line design, workstation optimization and standard work.
• Improve process flow and line balancing to increase throughput, stability, and efficiency.
• Standardize processes and best practices across value streams to ensure consistent operational performance.
• Support new product introductions and process transfers by ensuring process readiness, standard work, training plans, and production ramp-up stability.

Internal Logistics & Material Flow Optimization

• Design and continuously improve in-plant material flow systems to ensure efficient and reliable movement of materials from receiving through production and shipping.
• Define and optimize internal logistics concepts, including supermarkets, FIFO lanes, point-of-use storage, and buffer strategies aligned with value stream flow.
• Establish and maintain pull systems, Kanban replenishment, and milk-run delivery concepts to support stable production operations.
• Develop and improve container, trolley, and material handling systems that support safe, efficient, and ergonomic operations.
• Partner with Supply Chain, Production, and Engineering to ensure materials are delivered to the right location at the right time with minimal waste and excess inventory.
• Support layout planning and facility improvements to enable efficient material flow and reduced internal transport waste.

Shopfloor Performance Management & Operational Systems

• Establish and maintain a robust performance management system including daily and weekly operating rhythms, KPI governance, and structured escalation processes.
• Convert operational and shop-floor data into actionable insights to drive continuous improvement initiatives.
• Ensure CI initiatives translate into measurable business impact and are sustained through standardized management routines.
• Foster a culture of continuous improvement, accountability, and collaboration across production, engineering, quality, and supply chain teams.
• Act as a hands-on leader and change agent, coaching teams on Lean principles, CI methodologies, and practical shopfloor problem solving.
• Communicate improvement initiatives clearly and build alignment with operational teams and site leadership.
• Lead Kaizen events and cross-functional improvement workshops.
• Support cross-site collaboration and share best practices across the organization.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Supply Chain Engineering, or a related field.
• 7–10+ years of experience in manufacturing operations, industrial engineering, operational excellence, or production systems improvement roles.
• Demonstrated experience implementing Lean manufacturing and continuous improvement programs in a production environment.
• Strong experience with CI tools such as Value Stream Mapping, Kaizen, 5S/6S, standard work, root cause analysis, and line balancing.
• Experience improving production flow and in-plant material movement, including Kanban, pull systems, and point-of-use material strategies.
• Proven ability to lead change, influence cross-functional teams, and deliver measurable operational improvements.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills.

Preferred

• Lean Six Sigma certification (Green Belt or Black Belt).
• Experience with digital manufacturing systems and data platforms (ERP, MES, SAP).
• Experience supporting new product introductions, process transfers, or production ramp-ups.
• Experience improving shopfloor logistics systems such as supermarkets, FIFO lanes, and material replenishment concepts.
• Project management experience and financial analysis skills to evaluate improvement initiatives and ROI.
• Experience in regulated manufacturing environments (pharmaceutical, medical device, or similar industries).

Be yourself at Datwyler

We are convinced that people make the difference. At Datwyler, you will experience diversity and a wide range of career opportunities that only an international company can provide. Together, we are increasing our agility, accelerating digitalization and fostering sustainability. For motivated and talented employees, we offer interesting development opportunities with training and assignments in a global environment. With us, you can contribute with all of your creativity and all your ideas.