Director of Continuous Improvement

Apera; Illinois; Remote; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Apera is seeking a Continuous Improvement Director to drive Lean and operational excellence across a national multi-site manufacturing network. This remote role requires 30% travel to facilities and close collaboration with General Managers and automation teams to reduce waste and boost productivity.

The ideal candidate will coach leadership teams, implement sustainable systems, and deliver measurable results across safety, quality, and cost metrics.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Business, Operations Management, Industrial Engineering, or related field.
• 7+ years of experience in manufacturing, operations, Lean, or continuous improvement.
• Experience leading Lean transformation or operational excellence initiatives.
• Experience facilitating Kaizen events and process improvement projects.
• Experience working in multi-site manufacturing environments.
• Experience supporting automation initiatives.
• Experience implementing operational management systems and KPI scorecards.

Responsibilities

• Partner with General Managers and site leadership to assess performance and identify improvement opportunities.
• Lead Lean initiatives focused on safety, quality, delivery, cost, and employee engagement.
• Facilitate Kaizen events, value stream mapping, and problem-solving workshops.
• Collaborate with automation resources to increase productivity and reduce labor.
• Develop and execute site-specific improvement roadmaps.
• Drive standardization of best practices, work methods, and operating processes across facilities.
• Analyze data and KPIs to identify trends and bottlenecks.
• Coach plant leadership on Lean principles and problem-solving.
• Implement and sustain Lean systems including 5S, Standard Work, Visual Management, Kaizen.
• Establish targets and track project results.
• Promote accountability and continuous improvement culture.

Skills

Lean Manufacturing

Continuous Improvement

Data analysis

Facilitation

Change leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering/Business/Operations Management/Industrial Engineering

Tools

Power BI

MS Office

Job description

MUST BE BASED IN GREATER CHICAGO AREA with 30% travel to manufacturing facilities across the United States

About the Role

We are seeking an experienced Continuous Improvement Director to drive operational excellence across multiple manufacturing facilities throughout the United States.

This is a high-impact, highly visible role responsible for deploying Lean Manufacturing, Continuous Improvement, and performance management methodologies across a multi-site manufacturing network.

Working closely with General Managers, plant leadership teams, automation resources, and cross-functional stakeholders, you will identify opportunities to reduce waste, improve productivity and quality, optimize labor, and strengthen overall operational performance.

The ideal candidate is a proven Lean leader and change agent who can influence across multiple facilities, coach leadership teams, and establish sustainable systems that deliver measurable business results.

This is a remote position with travel (30%) to manufacturing locations nationwide.

Key Responsibilities

• Partner with General Managers and site leadership teams to assess operational performance and identify continuous improvement opportunities.
• Lead Lean Manufacturing initiatives focused on safety, quality, delivery, cost, and employee engagement.
• Facilitate Kaizen events, value stream mapping, process improvement workshops, and structured problem-solving activities.
• Partner with automation resources to identify opportunities where process improvements and automation can increase productivity and reduce labor requirements.
• Develop and execute site-specific operational improvement roadmaps.
• Drive standardization of best practices, work methods, and operating processes across multiple facilities.
• Analyze operational data and KPIs to identify trends, bottlenecks, and improvement opportunities.
• Coach and mentor plant leadership teams on Lean principles, problem-solving methodologies, and continuous improvement tools.
• Implement and sustain Lean systems, including 5S, Standard Work, Visual Management, Kaizen, and related methodologies.
• Establish measurable improvement targets and track project results.
• Lead cross-functional teams through improvement initiatives and ensure improvements are sustained over time.
• Promote a culture of accountability, employee engagement, and continuous improvement across the organization.
• Identify successful improvements and support their replication across multiple manufacturing locations.
• Ensure improvement initiatives align with safety, quality, and operational objectives.
• Prepare and present progress updates, project results, and performance metrics to senior leadership.

What You Bring

• Strong expertise in Lean Manufacturing and Continuous Improvement methodologies.
• Proven ability to lead organizational change and influence without direct authority.
• Strong analytical and data-driven decision-making capabilities.
• Excellent facilitation, communication, and workshop leadership skills.
• Ability to coach plant leaders and frontline teams through process and cultural transformation.
• Strong understanding of manufacturing processes, labor productivity, quality systems, and operational metrics.
• Experience developing and implementing sustainable operating systems.
• Strong project management and prioritization skills.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, Power BI, and data analysis tools.
• Ability and willingness to travel extensively to support multiple manufacturing facilities.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Business, Operations Management, Industrial Engineering, or a related discipline, or equivalent experience.
• 7+ years of experience in manufacturing, operations, Lean, or continuous improvement.
• Demonstrated success leading Lean transformation or operational excellence initiatives.
• Experience facilitating Kaizen events and process improvement projects.
• Strong understanding of manufacturing operations, productivity, quality systems, and KPIs.
• Experience working in multi-site manufacturing environments.
• Experience supporting automation initiatives.
• Experience implementing operational management systems and KPI scorecards.
• Prior leadership or management experience.

Why This Role?

This is an opportunity to have a multi-site impact by helping manufacturing facilities identify, implement, and sustain meaningful operational improvements.

You will work directly with plant and senior leadership, influence transformation across multiple locations, and help establish scalable Lean systems and best practices that can be replicated throughout a manufacturing network.

Compensation

The anticipated salary range for this position is $150,000–$210,000 annually. Final compensation will be determined based on factors including experience, skills, qualifications, location, and other job-related considerations.