Continuous Improvement Specialist

IRISS, Inc.; Bradenton (FL); Vor Ort; USD 70.000 - 100.000; Vollzeit

Zusammenfassung

IRISS, Inc. seeks an experienced Continuous Improvement Specialist for US Operations in Bradenton, FL. You will deploy CI and DWM across manufacturing, quality, and supply chain, coaching teams to capture opportunities and sustain improvements.

Role emphasizes hands-on shop-floor support, 5S, standard work, Kaizen, and playbook development to improve safety, quality, productivity, and delivery with cross-functional collaboration.

Qualifikationen

• 5–7 years hands-on Lean, CI, and Operational Excellence in manufacturing.
• Experience deploying DWM, 5S, standard work, Kaizen, and problem solving with measurable results.
• Ability to develop operating playbooks and coach shop-floor leaders; strong communication.
• Lean or Six Sigma certification and cross-functional collaboration preferred.

Aufgaben

• Develop a consistent CI process across cells and areas with owners and action tracking.
• Deploy DWM boards, daily huddles, escalation, and action tracking with leaders.
• Lead Kaizen and VST initiatives; facilitate cross-functional events and follow-up reviews.
• Coach teams, establish playbooks, and ensure standard work alignment with process owners.
• Identify safety and quality improvements and drive sustainable problem solving.

Kenntnisse

Lean

Continuous Improvement

Operational Excellence

DWM

5S

Standard Work

Kaizen

Data Analysis

Communication

Facilitation

Ausbildung

Engineering/Manufacturing/Operations degree

Jobbeschreibung

IRISS is seeking an experienced Continuous Improvement Specialist to support our US Operations in Bradenton, Florida.

The Continuous Improvement Specialist develops and deploys Continuous Improvement (CI) and Daily Work Management (DWM) processes across the IRISS US business. The role establishes practical improvement routines in every cell, section, and operating area and builds the capability of teams to improve safety, quality, productivity, and delivery.

This individual contributor works through coaching, facilitation, and hands-on shop-floor support. The specialist deploys Lean management, leads Kaizen and VST improvement initiatives, and develops operating playbooks for Manufacturing, Quality, and Supply Chain with the responsible process owners.

Primary Responsibilities

• Develop a consistent CI process for identifying opportunities, prioritizing projects, assigning owners, tracking actions, verifying results, and sustaining improvements.
• Deploy improvement routines in every cell, section, and operating area, including Manufacturing, Quality, Supply Chain, and Warehouse.
• Create accessible ways for employees to raise improvement ideas; coach teams to turn observations into practical actions and share successful methods across areas.
• Maintain an improvement project pipeline aligned with business priorities and report progress, barriers, and verified benefits to the Manufacturing Manager.

Daily Work Management

• Deploy DWM boards and routines covering Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost, Inventory, and Morale, with clear metric definitions, targets, owners, and review frequency.
• Establish daily huddles, tiered escalation, hour-by-hour plan-versus-actual reviews, and action tracking with Team Leads, supervisors, and functional leaders.
• Train teams to identify performance gaps, record reasons, contain immediate problems, and assign corrective actions with owners and due dates.
• Develop leader standard work and routine checks to confirm that boards are current, meetings lead to action, and recurring issues receive structured problem solving.
• Observe work at the point of execution and reduce defects, overproduction, waiting, unnecessary transport, excess inventory, unnecessary motion, overprocessing, and unused employee capability.
• Apply 5S, visual management, standard work, flow improvement, pull and replenishment methods, and setup reduction with Production, Manufacturing Engineering, and Supply Chain.

Kaizen and VST Improvement Programs

• Plan and facilitate the business Kaizen calendar and VST initiatives, with defined problems, scope, baselines, targets, participants, and expected results.
• Use process observation, value stream mapping, time studies, data analysis, and structured root cause analysis to identify losses and select improvement actions.
• Facilitate cross-functional events that improve productivity, first-pass quality, safety, material flow, and lead time; coordinate trials and implementation with process owners.
• Conduct follow-up reviews, verify benefits with Operations and Finance, and incorporate successful changes into standard work, training, and daily management.

Safety and Workplace Improvement

• Partner with operational leaders, employees, and safety representatives to identify and reduce unsafe conditions, at-risk behaviors, ergonomic issues, and housekeeping hazards.
• Integrate safety checks, near-miss learning, corrective action tracking, and safe work practices into 5S, DWM, and Kaizen activities.
• Coach safe behaviors and prompt hazard reporting; prioritize engineering and work method improvements and prioritize serious hazards or unresolved actions immediately.
• Assess safety and quality impacts before improvement trials and coordinate required reviews, approvals, and training before new methods are implemented.

Operating Playbooks and Standardization

• Coordinate operating playbooks for every process in Manufacturing, Quality, and Supply Chain, working with functional experts and the accountable process owners.
• Document purpose, process flow, roles, standard work, controls, safety and quality requirements, KPIs, review routines, escalation rules, and required records.
• Maintain a playbook register, development priorities, revision control, approval status, and training completion; update documents after validated process changes.
• Check use and effectiveness through observations and audits and help team's close gaps between documented standards and actual work.

Coaching, Measurement and Sustainment

• Deliver practical Lean, CI, DWM, and problem-solving training; coach employees and leaders during daily work and improvement projects.
• Use consistent baselines and definitions to track productivity, quality, safety, delivery, and cost benefits; distinguish implemented actions from sustained results.
• Create follow-up checks and ownership for each improvement, address backsliding, and share lessons and recognition across the business.

Qualifications and Core Competencies

• 5 to 7 years of hands‑on experience in Lean, Continuous Improvement, and Operational Excellence in manufacturing.
• Degree or technical qualification in engineering, manufacturing, operations, or a related field, or equivalent education and practical experience.
• Demonstrated experience deploying DWM, 5S, standard work, Kaizen, value stream improvement, and structured problem solving with measurable results.
• Ability to develop operating playbooks, facilitate cross‑functional teams, coach shop‑floor leaders, and influence without direct authority.
• Strong data analysis, communication, organization, and follow‑through. Lean or Six Sigma certification and experience across fabrication, assembly, quality, or supply chain are preferred.

Initial Performance Goals

During the first 90 to 180 days, the Continuous Improvement Specialist will:

• Assess CI and DWM maturity across US operations and establish a phased deployment plan covering every cell and operating area.
• Launch standard DWM boards, daily reviews, escalation routines, and action tracking in priority areas.
• Establish the Kaizen and VST calendar and deliver initial projects with verified safety, quality, or productivity improvements.
• Create a register and prioritized development plan for Manufacturing, Quality, and Supply Chain operating playbooks.
• Baseline performance, train priority teams, and agree targets and sustainment checks with the Manufacturing Manager and process owners.

Measures of Success

CI and DWM Deployment: Area coverage; current boards and standard routines; timely escalation and action closure; employee participation.

Productivity and Flow: Good output per labor hour; cycle time, setup time, lead time, and work in process improvements.

Quality: First-pass yield; reduction in scrap, rework, and recurring defects from improvement projects.

Safety: Verified reduction of unsafe conditions and at-risk behaviors; corrective action closure; sustained safe work practices.

Kaizen and VSTs: Delivery against project objectives; verified benefits; completion of follow‑up and sustainment checks.

Playbooks and Capability: Approved playbook coverage; training completion; use of standard work; sustained 5S and problem‑solving capability.

Accountability

This is an individual contributor role with no direct reports. The specialist facilitates deployment, coaches teams, and tracks improvement results. Process owners remain accountable for daily performance, safe execution, technical approvals, and maintaining standards; priorities and unresolved issues are escalated to the Manufacturing Manager.