Continuous Improvement Manager

Duke Energy; Cincinnati (OH); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Duke Energy in Cincinnati is seeking a Senior Process Improvement professional to lead Lean and Six Sigma initiatives across the organization, owning the continuous improvement lifecycle from opportunity through to implementation. You will collaborate with executives and diverse stakeholders to translate priorities into actionable roadmaps, coach teams, and sustain gains.

A Lean Six Sigma Green Belt (Black Belt preferred) and 7+ years of related experience are required; hybrid work options are

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree plus 7+ years related work experience
• In lieu of Bachelor's degree, Associate's degree with 11+ years related experience
• Lean Six Sigma Green Belt certification (Black Belt preferred)
• Ability to communicate with multiple levels in the organization and translate outcomes into summaries

Responsibilities

• Own and execute lean events and business integration efforts based on priorities from Senior Management, including documenting current and future state processes and developing implementation steps
• Generate and deliver work products to support continuous improvement (e.g., value stream maps, financial analysis, roadmaps, business cases)
• Coach and mentor other teams on Lean, Six Sigma, Agile, Kaizen and related methods

Skills

Lean Six Sigma

Project facilitation

Stakeholder engagement

Change management

Leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree

Associate's degree + 11+ years

Tools

Value stream mapping

Financial analysis

Gap analysis

Business case development

Job description

Important Application Submission Information

In order to ensure your application is successfully received before the job posting expires, please submit your application by 11:59 PM on Sunday, September 27, 2026 More than a career – a chance to make a difference in people's lives.

Build an exciting, rewarding career with us – help us make a difference for millions of people every day. Consider joining the Duke Energy team, where you'll find a friendly work environment, opportunities for growth and development, recognition for your work, and competitive pay and benefits.

Position Summary

This position is responsible for using tools, techniques, and processes from Lean and Six Sigma methodology to lead and execute key process improvement and business integration efforts throughout the organization. The successful incumbent will possess skills required to own the continuous improvement process from identification of opportunities to implementation of initiatives and achieving sustainable operational change. The position will engage with stakeholders at various levels of seniority and lead improvement events based on senior management team priorities. Specifically, the incumbent will work with relevant business and executive stakeholders to provide input to potential areas of opportunity, scope and facilitate improvement events and efforts, create action items and roadmaps, oversee the execution of actions and track progress to ensure sustainability and maturity. This role will be required to immerse themselves within the business to ensure a successful future state outcome. Partnerships with multiple stakeholders and varying levels of leadership within the business, technology, and change management organizations will be required. This position will also document activities, monitor action items, and communicate progress of events to leadership. Coaching and training others within the organization is required, including peer teams and lean event participants. Strong leadership, a solid understanding of Lean and Six Sigma tools, a strong facilitation presence, collaboration, and the ability to navigate conflicting opinions and priorities within work groups is required.

Responsibilities

• Own and execute lean events and business integration efforts based on priorities from the Senior Management Team including but not limited to: engaging and collaborating with stakeholders and Subject Matter Experts, documenting current state and defining/developing future state processes and desired outcomes, planning and facilitating events, development of steps necessary to move stakeholder groups from as-is processes to desired future state processes, understanding and planning for barriers to implementation, translating discussion points to solid implementation strategies, facilitating SME readiness efforts, tracking for sustainment, executing any follow up and "just-go-do" efforts and checking and adjusting requirements.
• Generate and deliver work products to support continuous improvement (e.g. value stream maps, financial analysis, gap analysis, opportunity sizing, opportunity roadmaps, business cases)
• Coach / mentor other peer teams and stakeholders on Lean and Six Sigma concepts and application to our business model.

Required/Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree
• In addition to required degree, seven (7) or more years related work experience
• In lieu of Bachelor's degree(s) AND seven (7) or more years related work experience listed above, Associate's degree and eleven (11) or more years related work experience

Desired Qualifications

• Lean Six Sigma Green Belt certification
• Lean Six Sigma Black Belt certification
• Demonstrated ability to use and apply Lean, Six Sigma, Agile, Kaizen, and other continuous improvement frameworks and methodologies to achieve expected outcomes
• Proven ability to communicate effectively with multiple levels within the organization, ability to translate event outcomes into concise, meaningful summaries, and creates a strong, engaging presence

Additional Preferred Qualifications

• Master's Degree
• Takes initiative to identify actions required to achieve goals independently
• Able to meet targeted deadlines with a quality work product
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate with stakeholders to ensure proper identification of analytics to support lean efforts pre and post event.
• Demonstrated ability to create a culture of open, collaborative communication that results in team supported and aligned results
• Operational knowledge of the respective business unit/organization
• Familiar with change management fundamentals (ADKAR, etc.)

Working Conditions

• Hybrid Mobility Classification - Work will be performed from both remote and onsite locations after the onboarding period. However, hybrid employees must live within a reasonable commute to their designated Duke Energy facility, not greater than 50 miles one way. Employees are expected to report to their assigned Duke Energy facility as required and directed by their manager, on average 3 full workdays per regular workweek.

Travel Requirements

5-15%

Relocation Assistance Provided (as applicable)No

Represented/Union Position No

Visa Sponsored Position No. This is not a Visa Sponsored Position. This role requires the ability to work lawfully in the U.S. without employment-based immigration sponsorship, now or in the future.

Please note that in order to be considered for this position, you must possess all of the basic/required qualifications.

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