Director of Continuous Improvement

ITP (International Talent Partnership); Connecticut; On-site; USD 120,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

ITP (International Talent Partnership) is seeking a Director of Continuous Improvement for a Connecticut-based manufacturing group. You will lead CI and Operational Excellence across operations, partnering with Engineering, Quality, and Supply Chain to remove constraints and implement sustainable improvements.

This hands-on role operates on the manufacturing floor and drives data‑driven cost savings. The ideal candidate brings 8+ years in CI/OE, Lean leadership, and a strong manufacturing

Qualifications

• 8+ years’ experience across CI, Operational Excellence, Manufacturing Engineering or Operations.
• Strong manufacturing environment experience.
• Proven track record delivering measurable productivity, throughput, capacity, quality or cost improvements.
• Strong knowledge of Lean manufacturing and structured problem solving.
• Experience on the manufacturing floor and driving projects through implementation.
• Strong cross-functional leadership and influencing skills.
• Experience with operational KPIs and manufacturing data.
• Experience in aerospace/defense/precision manufacturing or other highly regulated environments preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead Continuous Improvement and Operational Excellence initiatives across manufacturing operations.
• Improve productivity, throughput, capacity, labour efficiency and equipment utilisation.
• Reduce scrap, rework, downtime, process variation and operating costs.
• Improve cycle time, workflow and on‑time delivery.
• Lead Lean initiatives including 5S, Kaizen, Value Stream Mapping and Standard Work.
• Strengthen Daily Management, Tier Meetings, KPI management and visual controls.
• Lead cross‑functional improvement projects from root cause analysis through implementation.
• Quantify cost savings, capacity gains and operational improvements.
• Work closely with Operations, Engineering and Quality to remove manufacturing constraints.
• Coach managers, supervisors and frontline teams on Lean and structured problem solving.

Skills

Lean Six Sigma Black Belt

Cross-functional leadership

Lean manufacturing

Problem solving

Data-driven decision making

KPI management

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering

MBA (advantageous)

Job description

I’m currently supporting a Connecticut-based manufacturing group with the appointment of a Director of Continuous Improvement.

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced Continuous Improvement Manager, Operational Excellence Manager, Lean Leader or senior manufacturing professional looking to take ownership of CI strategy and drive measurable improvements across manufacturing operations.

The Opportunity

The successful candidate will lead Continuous Improvement and Operational Excellence initiatives across the business, working closely with Operations, Engineering, Quality, Supply Chain and site leadership.

This is a hands‑on leadership role with a strong presence on the manufacturing floor. The focus will be on identifying operational constraints, improving performance and ensuring improvements are implemented and sustained.

Key responsibilities

• Lead Continuous Improvement and Operational Excellence initiatives across manufacturing operations
• Improve productivity, throughput, capacity, labour efficiency and equipment utilisation
• Reduce scrap, rework, downtime, process variation and operating costs
• Improve cycle time, workflow and on‑time delivery
• Lead Lean initiatives including 5S, Kaizen, Value Stream Mapping and Standard Work
• Strengthen Daily Management, Tier Meetings, KPI management and visual controls
• Lead cross‑functional improvement projects from root cause analysis through implementation
• Quantify cost savings, capacity gains and operational improvements
• Work closely with Operations, Engineering and Quality to remove manufacturing constraints
• Coach managers, supervisors and frontline teams on Lean and structured problem solving

The ideal background

I’m particularly interested in speaking with candidates who have:

• 8+ years’ experience across Continuous Improvement, Operational Excellence, Manufacturing Engineering or Operations
• Strong experience within a manufacturing environment
• Demonstrable experience delivering measurable improvements in productivity, throughput, capacity, quality or cost
• Strong knowledge of Lean manufacturing and structured problem solving
• Experience working directly on the manufacturing floor and driving projects through implementation
• Strong cross‑functional leadership and influencing skills
• Experience working with operational KPIs and manufacturing data
• Experience within aerospace, defence, precision manufacturing, machining, metal forming or another highly regulated manufacturing environment would be particularly relevant
• Lean Six Sigma Black Belt preferred, although significant CI leadership experience will also be considered

Why consider it?

This is not a corporate Continuous Improvement role removed from day‑to‑day manufacturing.

It is a hands‑on leadership position with responsibility for identifying and delivering meaningful improvements across productivity, capacity, labour efficiency, quality, cost and on‑time delivery.

If you have a strong manufacturing background, enjoy being close to operations and have a track record of delivering measurable Continuous Improvement results, this could be a very strong fit.