Continuous Improvement Strategist

Wismettac Asian Foods, Inc.; Santa Fe Springs (CA); Hybrid; USD 110,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Wismettac Asian Foods, Inc. seeks a Continuous Improvement Strategist to drive end-to-end improvement across 19 regional branches in North America.

You will design and maintain BI dashboards, map processes, and lead Lean Six Sigma initiatives to deliver measurable ROI in productivity, safety and cost savings. The role requires strong data storytelling, expert Excel and BI skills, and experience with ERP/WMS/TMS environments.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Industrial Engineering, Supply Chain, Business Analytics, or a related field.
• Proficiency in Excel (Advanced) and BI tools (Power BI, Tableau, or similar).
• Must have a deep understanding of basic statistics and the ability to tell a story with data.
• Exposure to ERP/WMS/TMS environments.
• Familiarity with Lean Six Sigma tools (Kaizen). A LSS Black Belt certification is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Data & BI: designs, builds, and maintains BI dashboards and reports to track KPIs for real-time visibility.
• Process Mapping: analyzes warehouse and transportation workflows to identify bottlenecks and quantify impact.
• Project Support: supports Lean Six Sigma initiatives, assists in data collection and root cause analysis.
• Business Case Development: creates financial models and assesses P&L impact of changes.
• Technology Integration: optimizes WMS and TMS data integrity and adoption.
• Training & Documentation: creates SOPs and trains staff on new tools and methodologies.
• Cross-functional leadership: leads teams and aligns stakeholders to deliver ROI.
• Project planning: develops plans, timelines, risk assessments, and execution strategies.
• Change governance: ensures projects are delivered on time, in scope, with measurable ROI.
• Coaching: mentors Green Belts and operational leaders on continuous improvement.
• Culture: promotes data-driven decision making across the network.
• DMAIC usage: defines, measures, analyzes, improves, controls to solve challenges.
• Root cause analysis: uses advanced statistical tools to identify root causes.
• Sustainable solutions: implements controls to maintain gains.
• Financial impact: quantifies cost savings, productivity, and service improvements.

Job description

The Continuous Improvement Strategist serves as the primary driver of operational change and process standardization across the North American Distribution network. While the Senior Manager sets the strategic vision, this role is responsible for the end-to-end execution of improvement initiatives. By leveraging data mining and process mapping, the Continuous Improvement Strategist manages project lifecycles that transform raw data into actionable results, directly impacting productivity, safety, and cost savings across 19 regional branches.

Essential Job Functions:

• Data & Business Intelligence: Responsible to designs, building, and maintaining BI dashboards and reports to track KPIs. Ensures that branch leadership has real-time visibility into their operational performance.
  
• Process Mapping & Analysis: Conduct deep-dive analyses of warehouse and transportation workflows to identify bottlenecks. Uses basic statistics to quantify the "size of the prize" for potential improvement projects.
  
• Project Support: Assists in the execution of Lean Six Sigma initiatives, acting as the primary resource for data collection, root cause analysis, and the implementation of long-term controls.
  
• Business Case Development: Develop financial models and business cases by establishing baselines and assessing the P&L impact of proposed changes.
  
• Technology Integration: Supports the optimization of Warehouse Management Systems (WMS) and Transportation Management Systems (TMS), ensuring data integrity and user adoption.
  
• Training & Documentation: Creates standard operating procedures (SOPs) and provides training to branch staff on new tools and continuous improvement methodologies.
  
• Lead cross-functional project teams and facilitate stakeholder alignment.
  
• Develop detailed project plans, timelines, risk assessments, and execution strategies.
  
• Drive accountability and ensure projects are delivered on time, within scope, and with measurable ROI.
  
• Coach and mentor Green Belts and operational leaders on Lean and continuous improvement methodologies.
  
• Promote a culture of operational excellence and data-driven decision making.
  
• Utilize the DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control) framework to solve complex operational and systemic challenges.
  
• Conduct root cause analysis using advanced statistical and process mapping tools.
  
• Implement sustainable solutions and ensure proper control mechanisms are in place to maintain gains.
  
• Quantify financial impact, including cost savings, productivity gains, and service improvements.

Experience/ Training/ Education:

• Bachelor's degree in Industrial Engineering, Supply Chain, Business Analytics, or a related field.
• years of experience in an analytical role, preferably within a distribution, logistics, or manufacturing environment.
• Proficiency in Excel (Advanced) and BI tools (Power BI, Tableau, or similar).
• Must have a deep understanding of basic statistics and the ability to tell a story with data.
• Exposure to ERP/WMS/TMS environments.
• Familiarity with Lean Six Sigma tools (Kaizen). A LSS Black Belt certification is preferred.

Knowledge/ Skills/ Ability:

• Deep understanding of the DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control) methodology and Kaizen principles.
  
• Foundational knowledge of warehouse flow (inbound, slotting, picking, outbound) and transportation logistics.
  
• Understanding of P&L structures, specifically how operational waste (DOWNTIME) translates into financial loss.
  
• Mastery of Excel (VLOOKUPs, Pivot Tables, Power Query) and proficiency in BI tools like Power BI or Tableau to build automated dashboards.
  
• Ability to use tools to create "As-Is" and "To-Be" value stream maps that highlight bottlenecks.
  
• Skilled in utilizing the "5 Whys," Fishbone (Ishikawa) diagrams, and FMEA to identify the source of operational failures.
  
• Ability to navigate and extract data from WMS (Warehouse Management Systems) and TMS (Transportation Management Systems).
  
• The ability to translate complex statistical findings into a compelling narrative for non-technical branch managers.
  
• The capacity to look at disparate data sets from 19 different branches and identify a single, systemic "root cause" affecting the whole network.
  
• The ability to remain patient and persuasive when introducing new technologies or workflows to teams resistant to change.
  
• The ability to manage a "strategic project pipeline," distinguishing between "quick wins" and long-term strategic overhauls.
  
• Working effectively with cross-functional teams (IT, Finance, and Operations) to ensure project data integrity and P&L realization.

Working conditions:

Works in a dynamic, hybrid capacity that bridges the gap between high-level corporate strategy and the tactical reality of the warehouse floor. While a significant portion of his time is spent in a climate-controlled office or remote setting performing deep-dive data mining and BI tool development, may frequently be required to enter the "Gemba" - the actual place where work happens. In these distribution centers, employees will be exposed to an industrial environment characterized by fluctuating temperatures, moderate noise from conveyor systems and forklift traffic, and the fast-paced activity of a high-volume supply chain. Must be comfortable navigating these spaces to observe workflows firsthand and conduct root cause analyses alongside frontline teams. May requires a high degree of physical presence and stamina. Must be capable of standing and walking for extended periods - often several hours at a time to perform time studies and audit operational bottlenecks across large facility footprints. This position is not strictly bound to a desk; may travel up to 35% of the time to support 19 regional branches across North America. While generally maintaining a standard business schedule, the requirement to "identify and quantify opportunities" means they may occasionally work irregular hours, including night or weekend shifts, to observe different operational cycles.