Continuous Improvement Manager

Barnes Group; East Granby (CT); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Barnes Group in East Granby, Connecticut, seeks a professional to act as a strategic business partner and lead operational enhancements through the VITAL Operating System. This role emphasizes continuous improvement methodologies, requiring a candidate with a minimum of 5-7 years of experience in operational performance.

The ideal applicant will possess excellent communication skills and a strong analytical background, with relevant certifications preferred. A Bachelor's degree in a related discipline is also expected.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 5-7 years of experience delivering measurable improvements in performance.
• Proven hands-on experience with continuous improvement tools and methodologies.
• Demonstrated ability to lead and influence across multiple levels of the organization.
• Strong understanding of operational excellence principles across manufacturing.
• Analytical, data-driven approach to problem solving.

Responsibilities

• Act as a strategic business partner to site leadership.
• Lead the deployment of the VITAL Operating System.
• Identify and lead high-impact CI projects.
• Establish and deploy structured CI frameworks.
• Partner with various departments to enhance productivity.
• Utilize data-driven methodologies for performance tracking.
• Stay current with industry trends and best practices.

Skills

Lean

Theory of Constraints

Kaizen

Data-driven problem solving

Excellent communication skills

Project Management

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Engineering, Operations, Supply Chain, or a related technical discipline

Job description

Key Responsibilities

• Business Partnership & Strategy
  • Act as a strategic business partner to site leadership to identify opportunities for operational and financial performance improvement.
  • Analyze current processes, workflows, and systems to identify inefficiencies and develop improvement strategies that drive measurable results.
• Operational Excellence & VITAL Ownership
  • Lead the deployment, sustainment, and continuous evolution of the VITAL Operating System at the site.
  • Ensure alignment with enterprise CI standards, tools, and methodologies through close collaboration with the Director of Continuous Improvement.
• Project Leadership & Execution
  • Identify, prioritize, and lead high-impact CI projects and initiatives that deliver quality, operational, financial, and customer satisfaction improvements.
  • Drive successful execution of projects from concept through implementation and sustainment.
• Frameworks & Capability Building
  • Establish and deploy structured CI frameworks, governance, and standard work across the organization.
  • Build organizational capability by training, coaching, developing and mentoring employees at all levels in CI methodologies and tools.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration
  • Partner with operations, engineering, quality, supply chain, finance, safety and other functions to enhance productivity and drive cross-functional improvements.
  • Facilitate workshops, kaizen events, training and problem-solving sessions.
• Performance & Analytics
  • Utilize data-driven methodologies to identify root causes, track performance, and validate improvement outcomes.
  • Develop and maintain key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure CI effectiveness.
• Continuous Learning & Best Practices
  • Stay current with industry trends, tools, and best practices in continuous improvement and operational excellence.
  • Drive standardization and sharing of best practices across the organization.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 5-7 years of experience delivering measurable, step-change improvements in business or operational performance.
• Proven hands-on experience with continuous improvement tools and methodologies (Lean, Theory of Constraints, Kaizen), with relevant certifications preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to lead and influence across multiple levels of the organization.
• Strong understanding of operational excellence principles across manufacturing or industrial environments.
• Analytical, data-driven approach to problem solving with strong attention to detail.
• Excellent communication, facilitation, and interpersonal skills.
• Strong numerical and analytical capability.
• Project Management certification preferred, but not required, or a strong project management background.
• Six Sigma certification (Green Belt or Black Belt) is a plus.

Education Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Engineering, Operations, Supply Chain, or a related technical discipline preferred.