Continuous Improvement Leader: Cost-Out & Value Engineering

A. O. Smith Corporation; Milwaukee (WI); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Life insurance

Retirement savings plan

Short-term disability

Long-term disability

Tuition assistance

Job summary

A. O. Smith Corporation, a global leader in water heating equipment, seeks a CI Manager to drive cost-out initiatives across NAWT. You will partner with Engineering, Operations, Supply Chain, and Product Management to reduce costs while preserving product performance and value.

The role emphasizes cross-functional leadership, robust cost modeling, and mentoring of project teams within a hybrid Milwaukee, WI setting. Strong analytics and Lean/Six Sigma credentials are essential.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Industrial, Manufacturing, or related Engineering field.
• 5+ years of experience in Continuous Improvement, Value Engineering, or Manufacturing Engineering.
• Proven success delivering cost-out projects and cross-functional engineering initiatives.
• Strong analytical capability and proficiency in cost modeling.
• Expertise in structured problem solving (DMAIC, A3, RCA, etc.).
• Experience leading or coordinating cross-functional teams.
• Strategic, data-driven decision making.
• Technical depth in manufacturing and product engineering.
• Strong communication and executive presentation skills.
• Leadership and coaching capability for engineering managers, designers, and practitioners.
• High accountability, ownership, and execution discipline.
• Commitment to continuous improvement and cross-functional alignment.

Responsibilities

• Lead VAVE Program Strategy. Develop, prioritize, and communicate the VAVE cost‑out roadmap using data‑driven business criteria.
• Execute Cross‑Functional Cost‑Out Projects. Drive component redesigns, value analysis, DFM/DFA activities, and supplier‑focused cost reduction.
• Financial Modeling & Reporting. Create detailed cost models for material, labor, overhead, tooling, and logistics; validate savings with Finance.
• Guide structured problem solving, including the 8‑Step Problem Solving methodology, RCA, A3 development, and continuous improvement methodologies.
• Stakeholder Collaboration. Serve as central communication point between engineering, operations, sourcing, and leadership teams.
• Governance & Compliance. Maintain full documentation, ensure ECN compliance, and champion standardized VAVE processes.
• Lead and Develop Technical Talent. Direct and mentor engineering project managers, designers, and practitioners. Set expectations for execution discipline, documentation rigor, and cross‑functional partnership.
• Resource Planning & Alignment. Manage resource allocation across VAVE initiatives. Partner with functional engineering leaders on staffing alignment and project review structures.
• Technical Governance & Mentorship. Lead teams in DFM/DFA, cost modeling, prototyping approaches, and validation. Coach emerging engineers to build long‑term organizational capability.

Skills

Continuous Improvement

Value Engineering

Manufacturing Engineering

Analytical skills

Cost modeling

Structured problem solving

Leadership

Communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Industrial, Manufacturing, or related Engineering field

Tools

Job description

A. O. Smith Corporation, a global leader in water heating equipment, seeks a CI Manager to drive cost-out initiatives across NAWT. You will partner with Engineering, Operations, Supply Chain, and Product Management to reduce costs while preserving product performance and value.

The role emphasizes cross-functional leadership, robust cost modeling, and mentoring of project teams within a hybrid Milwaukee, WI setting. Strong analytics and Lean/Six Sigma credentials are essential.