Director, Continuous Improvement

Howmet Aerospace Inc.; Cleveland, Northern (OH, KY); Hybrid; USD 150,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

Howmet Aerospace Inc. is seeking a Continuous Improvement Director to drive Lean principles across the business segment, partnering with senior leadership to align improvement initiatives with strategic goals.

The role focuses on boosting productivity, capacity and overall performance while coaching teams and sustaining improvements. The position requires extensive manufacturing leadership, knowledge of Lean and Six Sigma, and travel up to 50%.

Qualifications

• Minimum 10 years of manufacturing experience in operations, engineering, or quality.
• Minimum 7 years in leadership in Operations or Continuous Improvement.
• Experience in aerospace or similar manufacturing with Lean
• Willingness to travel up to 50% (domestic & international).

Responsibilities

• Lead development and advancement of the Howmet Business System and Lean culture across the business segment.
• Coordinate HBS journeys and best-practice sharing via a sustainable system.
• Drive OEE improvement and lead waste-reduction initiatives using Lean tools.
• Oversee CI initiatives, Kaizen events, and rapid improvement processes with internal teams and partners.
• Analyze P&L to identify cost savings and margin improvements.
• Coach and mentor team members to embed Continuous Improvement mindset.
• Monitor KPIs to measure impact of improvement initiatives.
• Support cross-site CI activities and training as needed.

Skills

Lean & Six Sigma

Leadership experience

Manufacturing experience

Travel up to 50%

Strong communication

Education

Bachelor’s Degree

Master’s Degree desired

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

• Locations 1600 Harvard Avenue, Cleveland, OH, 44105, US One Misco Drive, Whitehall, MI, 49461-1799, US One Howmet Drive, Hampton, VA, 23661, US 1110 East Lincoln Way, Laporte, IN, 46350-3954, US (On-site)
• Job Schedule Full time
• Remote Work Schedule Availability? None
• Export-Controlled Data This position entails access to export-controlled items and employment offers are conditioned upon an applicant's ability to lawfully obtain access to such items

Responsibilities

Howmet Engines seeks an experienced professional to join our team! The Continuous Improvement Director at Howmet Aerospace is responsible for driving the implementation and sustained use of Lean principles, enhancing operational efficiency and fostering a culture of continuous improvement across the business segment This role serves as a teacher, coach and mentor, working closely with employees at all levels to build long-term adoption of CI practices. The Continuous Improvement Director partners with Senior Leadership to align improvement initiatives with business objectives, ensuring measurable impact on productivity, capacity and overall business segment performance.

Primary Responsibilities

• Lead the continued development and enhancement of the Howmet Business System journey, including accelerating the Lean Execution Systems Assessment process and progress, working with plant teams on gap closure plans in support of advancing the CI culture across the business segment.
• Facilitate the Howmet Business System “HBS” journey best practice sharing within the location and across teams through a sustainable electronic system that allows users to search for common issues or problems.
• Lead OEE improvement actions deep dive with leaders and provide avenues for best practice sharing.
• Lead Howmet Business System implementation of continuous improvement initiatives and drive waste reductions utilizing Lean principles (JIT, Autonomation, Value Stream Mapping, Kaizen, 5S, Standard Work, Line/Cell Design, Single Piece Flow, Material Flow, Visual Management, SMED, TPM, Root Cause Problem Solving, etc.)
• Facilitate Hoshins, Kaizens, problem solving, and rapid improvement process events with internal personnel at all levels of the organization, consultants, customers, and suppliers as needed. This includes providing support to sustain all follow-throughs required to sustain the improvements initiated during those events, especially those concentrated on local improvement.
• Understand and analyze Profit and Loss (P&L) statements to identify opportunities for cost reduction, revenue enhancement, and margin improvement. Lead and collaborate with cross functional internal teams focused on shop floor factory improvements, which could include CAPEX.
• Assist team leaders in team skill and knowledge development to support meeting management goals, project management, improvements, results measurements, problem solving and related team skills.
• Monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) to track progress and measure the impact of improvement initiatives.
• Drive change management efforts to ensure successful implementation and sustainability of process improvements.
• Identify and share best practices, lessons learned, and success stories to promote knowledge sharing and continuous learning within the organization.
• Provide coaching and mentorship to team members across the organization to drive the Continuous Improvement mindset.
• May participate or lead other targeted initiatives or kaizens as directed by the BU, as defined by the Segment Vice President.
• Role may support other sites’ continuous improvement activities, as needed (e.g., training, project-based work, best practice support, etc.)

Qualifications

Basic Qualifications:

• Minimum 10 years of experience in manufacturing environments in areas such as: Operations, Engineering, Supply Chain, Quality, or Operational Excellence
• Minimum of 7 years in leadership roles in Operations or Continuous Improvement
• Previous experience in an aerospace, automotive or other manufacturing environment requiring significant lean strategies to maintain wins and propel the organizations’ success through Continuous Improvement
• Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited institution
• Must be willing to travel up to 50% of the time, including domestic and international travel
• Strong working knowledge and understanding of Continuous Process Improvement methodologies such as Lean and Six Sigma.
• Strong working knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite, including Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
• This position is subject to the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) which requires U.S. person status. ITAR defines U.S. person as an U.S. Citizen, U.S. Permanent Resident (i.e. 'Green Card Holder'), Political Asylee, or Refugee
• Employees must be legally authorized to work in the United States. Verification of employment eligibility will be required at the time of hire. Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s Degree and Master's Degree from an accredited institution in Engineering or Supply Chain field of study highly desired
• Project Management certification or earned certificate
• Demonstrated experience in manufacturing improvement techniques, including hoshin, flow principles, Jidoka, Kanban, 5S, and “plan for every part” (PFEP).
• Strong skills in value stream mapping and associated improvement methodologies.
• Understanding of pillars of Toyota production system (JIT, Jidoka).
• Experience evaluating TAKT time vs. cycle time, determining work area constraints (i.e. cycle time constraint, periodic work constraints, downtime constraints).
• Experience on the shop floor, working with employees, and enhancing manufacturing processes.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills require the ability to resolve conflicting interests and obtain cooperation.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills: able to develop and use structured approaches to identify root causes and recommend resolutions.
• Demonstrated experience in project leadership and project management skills, with ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously to meet objectives and key deadlines.

About Us

Howmet Aerospace Inc. (NYSE: HWM), headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is a leading global provider of advanced engineered solutions for the aerospace and transportation industries. Our primary businesses focus on jet engine components, aerospace fastening systems, titanium structural parts and forged wheels. With $8.3 Billion in revenue in 2025, our products play a crucial role in enabling fuel efficiency and lightweighting, contributing to our customers’ success and making a positive impact on the world. To learn more about the way Howmet Aerospace Inc. is advancing the sustainability of our customers, markets, and communities where we operate, review the 2025 Environmental Social and Governance report at www.howmet.com/esg-report . Follow: LinkedIn , Twitter , Instagram , Facebook , and YouTube .

Equal Opportunity Employer:

Howmet is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, status as a protected veteran, or other applicable legally protected characteristics.

The Howmet engines business produces world-class aerospace engine components, including investment castings, fasteners, rings and forgings. Our vacuum melted superalloys, machining, performance coatings and hot isostatic pressing for high performance parts enable the next generation of quieter, cleaner and more fuel-efficient aerospace engines. Able to supply more than 90% of structural and rotating aerospace engine components.