Director of Continuous Improvement

ODL, Inc; Zeeland (MI); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

ODL, Inc. is seeking a Director of Continuous Improvement to develop and lead a global CI strategy across manufacturing sites.

You will drive standardized problem solving, value stream mapping, and daily management routines, partnering with Operations, Engineering, Product Management, and Supply Chain leadership to deliver measurable improvements in delivery, quality, cost, and scalability. You will champion Lean, Six Sigma, Kaizen methodologies and enable Business Operating System

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering or related field; 10+ years in manufacturing/operations
• Lean Six Sigma Black Belt certification
• Proven track record delivering cost, quality, delivery improvements
• Hands-on Lean/CI tools: VSM, standard work, 8D, Kaizen; experience with ERP/PLM
• Strategic leader able to influence across functions and travel 25–50%

Responsibilities

• Lead CI strategy and roadmap across global manufacturing sites
• Deliver training and build capability in problem solving and deployment
• Standardize processes, documentation, and governance (BOS) for scalable growth
• Drive value stream mapping to reduce waste and lead time
• Coach leaders and embed CI into daily management routines
• Establish CI governance with prioritization and financial validation

Skills

Lean Six Sigma

Value stream mapping

Kaizen

Structured problem solving

ERP

PLM

Leadership

Multi-site/global experience

Change management

Education

Bachelor’s degree in engineering/related field

Master’s degree

Tools

ERP

PLM

Job description

The Director of Continuous Improvement – is responsible for developing and leading a structured continuous improvement strategy across ODL’s global manufacturing sites. This role reports to the EVP, Operations and partners closely with Operations, Engineering, Product Management, Supply Chain leadership to standardize and train associates on how we perform problem solving, value stream mapping, run daily management, and deploy strategy across all ODL sites. The Director will move beyond tools and training—driving behavior change, standardization, accountability, and measurable results that improve delivery, quality, cost, and scalability.

The Impact You’ll Drive

• Lead continuous improvement and act as a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt facilitator, delivering training and building capability in structured problem solving, continuous improvement, and strategy deployment.
• Build and execute a multi-year Continuous Improvement (CI) strategy and roadmap aligned to business priorities and operational needs that improves quality, delivery, and cost across all ODL sites leading through influence without having direct authority over site operations.
• Champion the disciplined use and embedment of Lean, Six Sigma, Kaizen, and structured problem‑solving methodologies and tools, enabling teams to identify root causes, implement sustainable countermeasures, and scale best practices across all ODL sites to drive measurable improvements in quality, delivery and cost.
• Work with ODL Site Leadership to enable our Business Operating System (BOS) across ODL by standardizing our manufacturing processes, documentation, and governance to enable consistent execution and support scalable growth.
• Drive value stream mapping to identify waste, improve flow, reduce lead time, and enable end‑to‑end optimization while standardizing and scaling best practices across all ODL sites.
• Facilitate Kaizen events and Lean transformation initiatives, driving measurable improvements across value streams.
• Establish and manage CI governance, including project prioritization, resourcing, and validation of financial impact in partnership with Finance.
• Partner with site leaders to improve key operational metrics including customer PPM, scrap, warranty quality, unit production, inventory, OTIF, and UPLH.
• Lead change by coaching and developing leaders, building alignment, and embedding continuous improvement into daily management routines across all ODL sites.
• Foster a culture of accountability, ownership and continuous improvement by identifying, training, and developing CI Champions across the organization.

Required Qualifications

What sets you up for success:

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, operations, supply chain or related field, with 10+ years of experience in manufacturing/operations environments and at least 5 years leading continuous improvement, operational excellence, or transformation initiatives.
• Lean Six Sigma Black Belt certification
• Proven track record of driving measurable improvements in cost, quality, delivery, and efficiency, supported by a strong working knowledge of Lean manufacturing, Six Sigma, and structured problem-solving methodologies.
• Hands‑on experience applying Lean and CI tools (value stream mapping, standard work, 8D, Kaizen) and leveraging manufacturing, tooling, automation, and engineering systems (ERP, PLM) to drive data-informed decisions.
• Strategic, execution-focused leader who is credible on the floor and in operations & manufacturing spaces, able to influence across functions, communicate clearly, coach at all levels, and sustain improvements beyond short-term wins.
• Experience in multi-site or global manufacturing networks.
• Experience implementing and leading enterprise level strategic planning process.
• Ability to travel (25-50%) to ODL global in the US, Canada, Mexico, UK, & China.
• Preferred Qualifications
• BA in Industrial Engineering or related field
• Master’s Degree
• Experience in building materials, building products, or similar manufacturing environments.

Shift

First Shift (United States of America)