Continuous Improvement Lead

nVent; Oklahoma; 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:

Employee stock purchase plan

Tuition reimbursement

Caregiver, personal and parental leave

Paid time off including volunteer time

Job summary

nVent is seeking a Continuous Improvement Lead to advance Lean practices at a Lexington, MN site opening in 2027. You will partner with operations, logistics, and materials teams to drive hands‑on facilitation, coaching, and collaboration for better material flow and production processes.

You will observe production and warehouse activities, develop standard work, and train frontline teams in Lean tools to sustain improvements and drive accountability.

Qualifications

• 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.

Responsibilities

• 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.

Skills

Kaizen events

Lean methodologies

5S

Value Stream Mapping

Standard Work

Material flow

Takt time analysis

Root cause analysis

Coaching / Influence

MS Office (Excel/PowerPoint/Visio)

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
• Commitment to strengthen communities where our employees live and work
• Core values that shape our culture and drive us to deliver the best for our employees and our customers. We’re known for being:
• 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 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.

Benefit Overview

At nVent, we value our people and their health and well-being. We provide a broad benefits package with meaningful programs for eligible full‑time employees that includes:

• 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.