Director, Central Continuous Improvement, Americas

Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.; Towson (MD); Remote; USD 134,000 - 224,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision, life, and 401

Employee Stock Purchase Plan

Paid time off and tuition reimbursment

Discounts on tools

Diversity and inclusion programs

Job summary

Stanley Black & Decker, Inc. is seeking a Director of Central Continuous Improvement for the Americas (Remote). The role leads CI strategy across manufacturing sites, building high-performing teams and partnering with regional leaders to drive Lean transformation and data-driven KPI management.

Expect extensive travel (up to 75%), TPS/Lean/Six Sigma expertise, and strong strategic thinking. The position offers the chance to impact iconic brands globally and requires leadership across multiple

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or related field.
• 10+ years of progressive manufacturing experience leading multi-site CI initiatives.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Expertise in TPS, Lean, Six Sigma, TPM or related CI methodologies (certification preferred).
• Strong strategic thinking, analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Experience building and leading high-performing teams.
• Ability to travel up to 75% (domestic and international).
• Spanish communication ability is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Set and Execute CI Strategy for the Americas across manufacturing sites.
• Lead and develop a high-performing CI team.
• Champion Lean Transformation with regional manufacturing leaders.
• Drive cross-functional collaboration and use data analytics for KPI management.
• Governance & KPI management to ensure accountability in CI initiatives.
• Standardize and scale CI approaches within the SPX program.
• Coach leaders, managers, and shop floor teams in advanced problem-solving.
• Foster a culture of continuous improvement across the region.

Skills

Lean

TPS

Six Sigma

Analytical thinking

Communication skills

Strategic thinking

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering

Tools

None

Job description

Director, Central Continuous Improvement, Americas - Remote

This position requires to 75% domestic and international travel.

Come build something that matters. Empower Innovation. Lead Transformation. Make a Global Impact.

It takes great people to achieve greatness. People with a sense of purpose and integrity.

People with a relentless pursuit of excellence. People who care about making things better For Those Who Make The World™.

Sound like you? Join our top-notch team of approximately 43,500 diverse and high-performing professionals globally who are making their mark on some of the world’s most beloved brands, including DEWALT®, BLACK+DECKER®, CRAFTSMAN®, STANLEY®, CUB CADET®, and HUSTLER®.

The Job:

• Set and Execute CI Strategy:Develop and drive the strategic direction for continuous improvement across manufacturing sites in the Americas, aligning initiatives with global business objectives
• Lead and build capable teams:Oversee, mentor, and develop a high-performing team of CI professionals to deliver impactful operational improvements
• Champion Lean Transformation:Work hand-in-hand with our Tools & Outdoor regional manufacturing leaders to implement standardized best practices and achieve measurable results across the region
• Drive Cross-Functional Collaboration:Partner with senior manufacturing and operations leaders to identify, prioritize, and execute major improvement workstreams, leveraging data analytics and KPI management for sustained performance gains.
• Governance & KPI Management:Establish and monitor operational and financial KPIs, ensuring accountability and transparency in the execution of CI initiatives.
• Standardize and Scale Success:Lead the codification and deployment of new CI approaches and methodologies, embedding them into the SPX program and ensuring adoption at all relevant sites.
• Coach for Excellence:Build organizational CI capability by coaching leaders, managers, and shop floor teams in advanced problem-solving and new ways of working.
• Foster a Culture of Continuous Improvement:Promote an environment of innovation, learning, and operational excellence throughout the Americas.
• This role is not eligible for visa sponsorship (H1B, OPT/CPT, TN etc).

The Person:

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or related field
• 10+ years of progressive manufacturing experience, including leadership of multi-site CI initiatives in consumer goods or similar industries
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Demonstrated expertise in Toyota Production System (TPS), Lean, Six Sigma, TPM, or related CI methodologies (certification preferred)
• Strong strategic thinking, analytical, and problem-solving skills
• Experience developing and managing high-performing teams
• Ability to travel up to 75% (domestic and international), with flexibility based on business needs
• Ability to communicate in Spanish will be plus

The Details:

• Medical, dental, life, vision, disability, 401(k), Employee Stock Purchase Plan, paid time off, and tuition reimbursement in addition to programs & benefits in support of your well-being.
• Discounts on Stanley Black & Decker tools and other partner programs.

And More:

• Grow: Be part of our global company with 20+ brands to grow and develop your skills along multiple career paths.
• Learn: Have access to a wealth of learning resources, including our digital learning portal.
• Belong: Experience an awesome place to work, where we have mutual respect and a great appreciation for a wide range of perspectives and experiences.
• Give Back: Help us continue to make positive changes locally and globally through volunteerism, giving back, and sustainable business practices.

What’s more, you’ll get that pride that comes from empowering makers, doers, protectors, and everyday heroes all over the world. We’re more than the #1 tools company. More than a driving force in outdoor power equipment. More than a global leader in industrial. We’re visionaries and innovators. As successful as we’ve been in the past, we have so much further to go. That’s where you come in. Join us!

This role is not eligible for visa sponsorship (H1B, OPT/CPT, TN etc).

The Salary range for this position is $134,300.00 - $223,833.33

• This is the lowest to highest annual full-time salary range we would pay for this role at the time of this posting. The salary offered within the range may vary depending on multiple factors including job level, geographic location, job-related knowledge, skills, qualifications, experience and in compliance with local wage requirements. Please note that salary is only one component of total rewards at Stanley Black & Decker.
• The salary range listed in this job posting reflects the range for the primary location specified. The salary range may vary for other locations.
• The successful candidate may be eligible for annual merit increases.
• Medical, dental, life, vision, disability,401(k), Employee Stock Purchase Plan, paid time off, and tuition reimbursement in addition to programs & benefits in support of your well-being.
• Discounts on Stanley Black & Decker tool sand other partner programs.

We Don’t Just Build The World, We Build Innovative Technology Too.

Joining the Stanley Black & Decker team means working in an innovative, tech-driven and highly collaborative team environment supported by over 43,500 professionals in 60 countries across the globe. Here, you’ll get the unique chance to impact some of the world’s most iconic brands including STANLEY TOOLS, DEWALT, CRAFTSMAN, MAC TOOLS and Black + Decker. Your ideas and solutions have the potential to reach millions of customers as we work together to write the next chapter in our history. Come build with us and take your career to new heights.

Who We Are

We’re the World’s largest tool company. We’re industry visionaries. We’re solving problems and advancing the manufacturing trade through innovative technology and our Industry 4.0 Initiative. We are committed to ensuring our state-of-the-art “smart factory” products and services provide greater quality to our customers & greater environmental and social value to our planet. We are unique in that we have a rich and storied history dating back to 1843, but that hasn't stopped us from evolving into a vibrant, diverse, global growth company.

What You’ll Also Get

Career Opportunity: Career paths aren’t linear here. Being part of our global company with 60+ brands gives you the chance to grow and develop your skills along multiple career paths.

Benefits & Perks

You’ll get a competitive salary and a comprehensive benefits plan that includes medical, dental, life, vision, wellness program, disability, retirement benefits, Employee Stock Purchase Plan, Paid Time Off, including paid vacation, holidays & personal days, and tuition reimbursement. And, of course, discounts on Stanley Black & Decker tools and products and well as discount programs for many other vendors and partners.

Learning & Development:

Our lifelong learning philosophy means you’ll have access to a wealth of state-of-the‑art learning resources, including our Lean Academy and online university (where you can get certificates and specializations from renowned colleges and universities).

Diverse & Inclusive Culture:

We pride ourselves on being an awesome place to work. We respect and embrace differences because that’s how the best work gets done. You’ll find we like to have fun here, too.

Purpose-Driven Company:

You’ll help us continue to make positive changes in the local communities where we work and live as well as in the broader world through volunteerism, giving back and sustainable business practices.

EEO Statement:

All qualified applicants to Stanley Black & Decker are considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran’s status or any other protected characteristic.

If you require reasonable accommodation to complete an application or access our website, please contact us at [phone] or at [e-mail]. Due to volume, we cannot respond to unrelated inquiries about the status of a completed application or resetting an account password.

Know Your Rights: Workplace discrimination is illegal (eeoc.gov)

This employer participates in the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) program. Applicants may be asked to voluntarily provide information to determine eligibility. Any information provided will be kept confidentially other than as required to make the necessary WOTC disclosures and in accordance with applicable laws.