Continuous Improvement Lead

nVent; Blaine (MN); On-site; USD 76,000 - 141,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision plans

401(k) retirement plan with company 1:

Tuition reimbursement

Job summary

nVent’s Lexington, MN facility seeks a Continuous Improvement Lead to drive Lean across production, warehouse, and receiving. You will lead Kaizen events, apply Lean methods to cut waste, improve flow, and sustain gains through standard work and visual management.

You will coach operators and supervisors, partner with operations and materials teams, and quantify impact with cost savings and productivity gains while ensuring safe, reliable processes on the shop floor.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree preferred.
• 2+ years of experience leading Kaizen events in a manufacturing or production environment with facilitation responsibility.
• Practical application of Lean tools such as Kaizen, 5S, Value Stream Mapping (VSM), Standard Work, takt time analysis, and root cause problem solving.
• Ability to quantify and communicate improvement results, including cost savings, productivity gains, or waste reduction.
• Proven ability to coach others, influence across functions, and work effectively with frontline teams and supervisors.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with proficiency in Microsoft products (Excel, PowerPoint, Visio).

Responsibilities

• Lead and facilitate Kaizen events and Lean initiatives from scoping to sustainment.
• Identify waste, improve flow, and implement measurable improvements in production and logistics.
• Observe processes across production, warehouse, receiving, and material flow to develop and implement solutions.
• Develop and reinforce standard work, visual management, and daily management practices.
• Train, coach and support operators, supervisors, and cross-functional partners on Lean principles and tools.

Skills

Kaizen events

Lean methodologies

Coaching

Analytical skills

Excel

PowerPoint

Visio

Team leadership

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Tools

Excel

PowerPoint

Visio

Job description

We’re looking for people who put their innovation to work to advance our success - and their own. Join an organization that ensures a more secure world through connecting and protecting our customers with inventive electrical solutions. nVent is growing, and we want you to be a part of it! As we open a new manufacturing facility in Lexington, MN to support our expanding Data Center Solutions portfolio of products, we are seeking a Continuous Improvement Lead to advance Lean practices across the site. Partnering closely with operations, logistics, and materials teams, you will drive measurable improvements through hands-on facilitation, coaching, and collaboration that improves material flow, inventory movement, and/or improve how work is completed on the production floor.

This position will be based in Lexington, MN, and our new facility will open in 2027. Upon hire, onboarding and training will be held at our facilities in Blaine or Anoka, MN until the Lexington facility opens.

WHAT YOU WILL EXPERIENCE IN THIS POSITION:

Lead and facilitate Kaizen events, apply Lean methodologies to identify waste, improve flow, and implement sustainable process improvements from initial scoping through implementation and sustainment. Drive improvement initiatives that deliver measurable results such as cost reduction, inventory accuracy improvements, productivity gains, cycle time reduction, and throughput improvements, while also communicating progress and impact to site leadership. Spend time observing production, warehouse, receiving, inspection, and/or material flow processes, identifying inefficiencies and working hands-on with teams to develop and implement improvements. Develop and reinforce standard work, visual management, and daily management practices to sustain improvements and drive accountability in operations. Train, coach, and support operators, supervisors, and cross-functional partners on Lean principles and tools to build capability and ownership across teams.

YOU HAVE:

• Bachelor’s (B.A. or B.S.) degree preferred.
• 2+ years of experience leading Kaizen events and continuous improvement initiatives in a manufacturing or production environment, with direct facilitation responsibility using Lean methodologies.
• Practical application of Lean tools such as Kaizen, 5S, Value Stream Mapping (VSM), Standard Work, material and information flow, takt time analysis, and root cause problem solving.
• Ability to quantify and communicate improvement results, including cost savings, productivity gains, or waste reduction.
• Proven ability to coach others, influence across functions, and work effectively with frontline teams and supervisors.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with proficiency in Microsoft products such as Excel, PowerPoint, and/or Visio.

WE HAVE:

A dynamic global reach with diverse operations around the world that will stretch your abilities, provide plentiful career opportunities, and allow you to make an impact every day nVent is a leading global provider of electrical connection and protection solutions. We believe our inventive electrical solutions enable safer systems and ensure a more secure world. We design, manufacture, market, install and service high performance products and solutions that connect and protect some of the world's most sensitive equipment, buildings and critical processes. We offer a comprehensive range of systems protection and electrical connections solutions across industry-leading brands that are recognized globally for quality, reliability and innovation. Our principal office is in London and our management office in the United States is in Minneapolis. Our robust portfolio of leading electrical product brands dates back more than 100 years and includes nVent CADDY, ERICO, HOFFMAN, ILSCO, SCHROFF and TRACHTE. Learn more at www.nvent.com.

Commitment to strengthen communities where our employees live and work

We encourage and support the philanthropic activities of our employees worldwide Through our nVent in Action matching program, we provide funds to nonprofit and educational organizations where our employees volunteer or donate money.

Core values that shape our culture and drive us to deliver the best for our employees and our customers. We’re known for being:

• Innovative & adaptable
• Dedicated to absolute integrity
• Focused on the customer first
• Respectful and team oriented
• Optimistic and energizing
• Accountable for performance

Benefits to support the lives of our employees Pay Transparency

nVent’s pay scale is based on the expected range of base pay for this job and the employee’s work location. Employee pay within this range will be based on a combination of factors including knowledge, skills, abilities, experience, education, and performance. Where federal, state, or local minimum wage requirements exist, employee pay will comply. Compensation Range: $76,000.00 - $141,100.00 Depending on the position offered, employee may be eligible for other forms of compensation, such as annual incentives.

• Medical, dental, and vision plans along with flexible spending accounts, short-term and long-term disability benefits, critical illness, accident insurance and life insurance.
• A 401(k) retirement plan and an employee stock purchase plan - both include a company match.
• Other supplemental benefits may include tuition reimbursement, caregiver, personal and parental leave, back-up care services, paid time off including volunteer time, a well-being program, and/or legal & identity theft protection.

At nVent, we connect and protect our customers with inventive electrical solutions. People are our most valuable asset. Inclusion and diversity means that we celebrate and encourage each other's authenticity because we understand that uniqueness sparks growth.

#LI-Onsite #LI-JM2

At nVent, we are committed to equal employment opportunity (EEO) to all persons regardless of age, color, national origin, citizenship status, physical or mental disability, race, religion, creed, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, genetic information, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by national, federal, state or local law.