Lean Continuous Improvement Leader — Manufacturing Excellence

Wells; Albany (MN); On-site; USD 70,000 - 102,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

401(k) with profit sharing

Paid holidays

PTO

Job summary

Wells is seeking a Continuous Improvement (CI) Supervisor to lead the plant's CI program, driving operational excellence through Lean methods and data-driven decisions. You will partner with cross-functional teams to identify opportunities, prioritize initiatives, and deliver measurable results in safety, quality, productivity, and cost performance.

The role emphasizes problem-solving, structured projects, and coaching teams to sustain improvements while aligning with company safety and

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations, Business, or related field preferred.
• Experience in manufacturing, operations, or continuous improvement is preferred.
• Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, or related certification preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead the plant’s continuous improvement program and promote a culture of operational excellence.
• Participate in Tier 3 meetings to review KPIs, identify trends, and prioritize improvement opportunities.
• Analyze Pareto charts and performance data to identify losses, defects, downtime, and safety concerns.
• Develop, prioritize, and manage CI projects based on data-driven insights.
• Facilitate root cause analysis using tools such as 5 Why, Fishbone, 8D, A3, and DMAIC.
• Lead cross-functional teams to implement corrective and preventive actions.
• Establish project goals, timelines, metrics, and accountability.
• Monitor and report project progress through dashboards and visual management tools.
• Collaborate with production, maintenance, quality, and engineering teams to drive improvements.
• Conduct process observations, workflow studies, and value stream mapping to identify inefficiencies.
• Develop and maintain standard work to support sustainable improvements.
• Facilitate Kaizen events, workshops, and employee engagement activities.
• Support Lean Manufacturing principles including 5S, visual management, standard work, and waste elimination.
• Track and validate improvements in productivity, quality, safety, uptime, and efficiency.
• Provide coaching and training on continuous improvement tools and ensure compliance with safety, quality, and regulatory standards.

Skills

Lean Manufacturing

Data-driven leadership

Cross-functional teamwork

Problem solving

Project management

Excel proficiency

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Tools

5 Why

Fishbone diagram

DMAIC

A3 reporting

Job description

Wells is seeking a Continuous Improvement (CI) Supervisor to lead the plant's CI program, driving operational excellence through Lean methods and data-driven decisions. You will partner with cross-functional teams to identify opportunities, prioritize initiatives, and deliver measurable results in safety, quality, productivity, and cost performance.

The role emphasizes problem-solving, structured projects, and coaching teams to sustain improvements while aligning with company safety and