Continuous Improvement Manager

Bluewater Hayes Inc.; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Bluewater Hayes Inc. is seeking a Continuous Improvement Manager to drive Lean across multiple production facilities. This high-impact role focuses on coaching teams, eliminating waste, and delivering measurable operational results through CI tools and change management.

You will lead roadmaps, train teams on 5S, Kaizen, VSM, and Kanban, develop KPIs like OEE and yield, and partner cross-functionally to standardize best practices. Travel to U.S. sites is required.

Qualifications

• 7-15 years of manufacturing process experience (assembly and/or machining environments).
• Progressive Lean/CI experience with demonstrated ability to create flow and demand-based pull.
• Hands-on change management and transformational leadership experience.
• An "owner mindset" — ability to influence decisions that drive profitable growth, quality, and on-time delivery.
• Ability to interpret schematics, technical drawings, and engineering documentation.
• Strong communication skills; comfortable presenting data-driven insights to all levels of leadership.
• Experience with project management and cross-functional collaboration.

Responsibilities

• Partner with value stream leadership to develop and execute CI roadmaps aligned with operational priorities and customer demand.
• Serve as a subject matter expert and trainer on Lean principles — 5S, Kaizen, Value Stream Mapping, Standard Work, SMED, Kanban, and variation reduction.
• Support Value Stream Managers, engineers, and frontline teams in applying CI tools to improve safety, quality, delivery, cost, and engagement (SQCDE).
• Identify process inefficiencies and cost drivers; implement sustainable improvements that enhance productivity and reduce waste.
• Facilitate structured problem-solving to identify root causes and drive corrective actions.
• Develop, track, and improve KPIs including OEE, yield, inventory, and productivity metrics.
• Partner cross-functionally to standardize best practices and drive consistency across sites.
• Travel to support multiple U.S. sites; primarily on-site in manufacturing/warehouse environments.

Skills

Lean principles

5S

Kaizen

Value Stream Mapping

Standard Work

SMED

Kanban

Variation reduction

OEE

Problem solving

Project management

Cross-functional collaboration

Change management

Leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business, Engineering, or related field

Job description

We are partnering with a leading U.S. manufacturer to place a Continuous Improvement Manager who will serve as a key change agent across multiple production facilities. This is a high-impact role for a seasoned Lean practitioner who thrives on coaching teams, eliminating waste, and driving measurable operational results.

What you'll do

• Partner with value stream leadership to develop and execute CI roadmaps aligned with operational priorities and customer demand
• Serve as a subject matter expert and trainer on Lean principles — 5S, Kaizen, Value Stream Mapping, Standard Work, SMED, Kanban, and variation reduction
• Support Value Stream Managers, engineers, and frontline teams in applying CI tools to improve safety, quality, delivery, cost, and engagement (SQCDE)
• Identify process inefficiencies and cost drivers; implement sustainable improvements that enhance productivity and reduce waste
• Facilitate structured problem-solving to identify root causes and drive corrective actions
• Develop, track, and improve KPIs including OEE, yield, inventory, and productivity metrics
• Partner cross-functionally to standardize best practices and drive consistency across sites
• 7-15 years of manufacturing process experience (assembly and/or machining environments)
• Progressive Lean/CI experience with demonstrated ability to create flow and demand-based pull
• Hands-on change management and transformational leadership experience
• An "owner mindset" — ability to influence decisions that drive profitable growth, quality, and on-time delivery
• Ability to interpret schematics, technical drawings, and engineering documentation
• Strong communication skills; comfortable presenting data-driven insights to all levels of leadership
• Experience with project management and cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business, Engineering, or a related field — or 4–6 years of equivalent hands-on experience.

Work environment & travel

Primarily on-site in a manufacturing/warehouse environment, with standard office time. Travel required to support multiple U.S. sites, including occasional overnights.

Physical requirements

Light physical effort; occasional lifting up to 50 lbs. Ability to sit or stand for extended periods. Must be able to travel via all forms of transportation. Reasonable accommodations available for qualified individuals with disabilities.