Head of Continuous Improvement & Operational Excellence

Tops Products; Union (MO); On-site; USD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Tops Products is seeking a Director of Continuous Improvement to drive enterprise-wide operational excellence. You will design, deploy, and oversee strategies that reduce waste, improve process reliability, and elevate customer satisfaction.

The role connects strategic vision with hands-on execution across sites and functions. Responsibilities include leading Lean/Six Sigma initiatives, building training programs, and aligning projects with financial outcomes.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Supply Chain, Business Administration, or a related field.
• 7-10+ years of progressive experience in operations, manufacturing, supply chain, or corporate process optimization.
• 3-5 years in a dedicated management or directorial capacity driving change.
• Six Sigma Master Black Belt or Black Belt certification highly preferred.
• Lean certification (SME, AME) preferred.
• Proficient in Lean, Six Sigma, TQM, or Agile principles.
• Advanced data analysis skills with tools like Minitab, Excel, Power BI.
• Experience with process mapping tools (Visio, Lucidchart).

Responsibilities

• Define the CI roadmap aligned with business objectives.
• Foster a Kaizen culture across the organization.
• Lead cross-functional projects spanning multiple sites.
• Deploy Lean/Six Sigma tools to eliminate waste.
• Build training programs to certify CI champions.
• Establish KPIs and dashboards to track improvement impact.
• Mentor site CI leaders and frontline teams.
• Communicate findings and recommendations effectively.

Skills

Lean & Six Sigma

TQM

Agile principles

Data storytelling

Interpersonal skills

Problem solving

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Supply Chain, Business Administration

Master's or MBA preferred

Tools

Minitab

Excel

Power BI

Visio

Lucidchart

Job description

Tops Products is seeking a Director of Continuous Improvement to drive enterprise-wide operational excellence. You will design, deploy, and oversee strategies that reduce waste, improve process reliability, and elevate customer satisfaction.

The role connects strategic vision with hands-on execution across sites and functions. Responsibilities include leading Lean/Six Sigma initiatives, building training programs, and aligning projects with financial outcomes.