Continuous Improvement Manager

Methode Electronics Inc.; Rolling Meadows (IL); Sur place; USD 108 000 - 162 000; Plein temps

Avantages offerts par ce poste

Medical benefits

Dental benefits

401(k) plan

Paid time off

Résumé du poste

Methode Electronics Inc. is seeking a senior CI leader to own and drive the site continuous-improvement roadmap. You will design and sustain a lean operating system, establish KPI governance, and guide kaizen events and value-stream mapping across the busbar and related functions.

The role requires a Black Belt and deep experience in metal fabrication or electromechanical assembly. You will partner with Finance and Engineering on capital, automation, and MES initiatives, while coaching

Qualifications

• This facility requires ITAR compliance; U.S. Person status is mandatory.
• Bachelor's degree in Industrial/Manufacturing/Mechanical Engineering or Operations Management.
• 8+ years manufacturing experience with 3+ years leading CI or operational-excellence programs.
• Lean Six Sigma Black Belt with proven throughput, quality, and cost improvements.
• Deep knowledge of lean tools and structured problem-solving.
• Strong analytical skills and ERP data literacy.

Responsabilités

• Own CI strategy and site improvement roadmap aligned to leadership priorities.
• Design, deploy, and sustain lean operating system with daily management routines.
• Define and maintain plant KPI framework to drive action at all levels.
• Plan and facilitate kaizen events and value-stream mapping across value streams.
• Lead DMAIC/A3/8D problem solving on high-impact losses and bottlenecks.
• Drive flow improvements: SMED, WIP/queue reduction, and scheduling discipline.
• Extend lean into quoting, order entry, planning, purchasing, and quality.
• Build business cases with Finance; track validated savings.
• Collaborate with Engineering on capital, automation, and MES projects.
• Coach supervisors and managers to build CI capability across the org.

Connaissances

Lean Six Sigma Black Belt

DMAIC

A3

5S

Visual management

ERP data analysis

Formation

Bachelors in Industrial Eng

Outils

Epicor ERP

MES

Description du poste

Key Responsibilities

• CI Strategy & Lean Operating System Own the site continuous-improvement roadmap; align the improvement pipeline to business priorities through strategy deployment and annual/quarterly planning with the leadership team.
• Design, deploy, and sustain the lean operating system: tiered daily management, visual management, standard work, leader standard work, and gemba routines.
• Define and maintain the plant KPI framework (safety, quality, delivery, cost, throughput, on-time delivery, first-pass yield, cost of poor quality) and ensure metrics drive action at every tier.

Improvement Execution

• Plan, facilitate, and follow up on kaizen events, value-stream mapping, and rapid improvement workshops across the busbar value stream and supporting functions.
• Lead structured problem-solving (DMAIC, A3, 8D) on the site’s highest-impact losses; focus early effort on the binding constraints to flow.
• Drive HMLV-appropriate flow improvements: setup and changeover reduction (SMED), WIP and queue-time reduction, cell design, pull/replenishment, and scheduling discipline.
• Use Epicor labor, move, and job data to quantify active-vs-queue time, identify waste, and validate that improvements hold.
• Extend lean practices beyond production into quoting, order entry, planning, purchasing, and quality processes (transactional lean).

Financial Accountability

• Build business cases for improvement initiatives; track and report validated hard and soft savings in partnership with Finance.
• Partner with Engineering on capital, automation, and MES/analytics projects to ensure they solve the right problems and deliver expected returns.

People & Capability

• Build CI capability across the organization: deliver lean and problem-solving training.
• Coach supervisors and managers to lead improvement in their own areas; foster an engaged culture where operators identify and solve problems.

Quality, Safety & Compliance

• Integrate CI with AS9100 and NADCAP requirements; ensure process changes are properly controlled, documented, and validated, and support audits and corrective actions.
• Lead 5S and workplace organization; partner with EHS to embed safety and ergonomics into improvement work.

Required Qualifications

• This facility is subject to ITAR regulations. Applicants must qualify as a “U.S. Person” under ITAR (22 CFR § 120.62), meaning a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, or other qualifying protected individual. This position is not eligible for visa sponsorship.
• Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Operations Management, or a closely related discipline.
• 8+ years of manufacturing experience, including 3+ years leading continuous-improvement or operational-excellence programs, ideally in a metal-fabrication, machining, or electromechanical assembly environment.
• Lean Six Sigma Black Belt (or equivalent demonstrated expertise) with a track record of measurable, sustained throughput, quality, and cost results.
• Deep working knowledge of lean tools and systems: value-stream mapping, standard work, SMED, 5S, visual and tiered management, kaizen, and structured problem-solving.
• Strong analytical skills; fluent in ERP-based manufacturing data and comfortable building the analyses that drive decisions.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in a high-mix, low-volume or job-shop operation.
• Busbar, power-distribution, or copper/aluminum fabrication background; familiarity with plating and other special processes.
• AS9100 and/or NADCAP experience.
• Epicor (or comparable ERP) and MES implementation experience.
• Experience with strategy deployment (hoshin kanri) and building a CI function or lean operating system from the ground up.

Core Competencies

• Bias for action and floor presence — leads improvement where the work happens.
• Systems thinking: builds routines and structures that make gains stick.
• Data-driven decision-making balanced with practical, job-shop pragmatism.
• Coaching and change leadership — builds capability in others rather than dependence on the CI function.
• Collaboration and influence across operations, engineering, quality, supply chain, and finance.
• Ownership and follow-through on outcomes, not just activity.

The base pay hiring rate expected for this position is: $108,000 - $162,000 annually.

Work Environment: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Physical Demands: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Frequent hand motion and repetitive tasks including using a computer for typing. While performing the duties of this job, the employee will occasionally do immediate reaching and overhead reaching to perform various duties, frequent standing for varied amounts of time to perform various duties, frequent walking for varied amounts of time to perform various duties. Squat or bend to perform various duties. Occasionally climb stairs.

Benefits and Perks

Methode offers U.S. employees comprehensive benefits including Medical, Dental, Vision, Hearing, Life and Disability insurance, educational assistance, and paid time off benefits. Voluntary benefit plans include Accident, Hospital Indemnity, and Pet Insurance coverage. Employees also have access to valuable discount programs that can contribute to lowering costs off certain technology, automotive, and home appliance products. In addition, Methode provides an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and participation in the Company's 401(k) plan, which includes a company contribution.

Methode Electronics is an equal opportunity employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, genetic information and other legally protected characteristics.

The EEO is the Law poster is available here: EEO Poster, if you need a reasonable accommodation because of a disability for any part of the employment process, please send an e-mail [e-mail] or call [phone] and let us know the nature of your request and your contact information.

Work Environment: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Physical Demands: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Frequent hand motion and repetitive tasks including using a computer for typing. While performing the duties of this job, the employee will occasionally do immediate reaching and overhead reaching to perform various duties, frequent standing for varied amounts of time to perform various duties, frequent walking for varied amounts of time to perform various duties. Squat or bend to perform various duties. Occasionally climb stairs.

Methode Electronics is an equal opportunity employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, genetic information and other legally protected characteristics per the EEO Poster available here . If you need a reasonable accommodation because of a disability for any part of the employment process, please send an e-mail to [e-mail] or call [phone] and let us know the nature of your request and your contact information.

Company Overview

Methode Electronics is a leading developer of custom-engineered and application-specific products and solutions utilizing the latest technologies. From magnetic signature sensing of mechanical and electrical properties to the revolutionary solid-state touch sensitive switches used in today's appliances and automobiles, Methode's extensive toolbox of technical solutions help our customers differentiate their products. Our regional design and customer support centers, coupled with manufacturing campuses in the Americas, Europe, and Asia allow Methode to bring a total business solution to customers worldwide. We leverage the talents of our over 5,000 employees to serve a diversified group of customers in four market areas: User Interfaces, Sensor and Switches, Power and Data. Methode helps customers win in their end markets by providing an unmatched combination of customer focus, differentiated technology, problem solving and world-class manufacturing.