Learning & Process Improvement Manager

Element U.S. Space & Defense; California (MO); On-site; USD 128,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental, Vision

401k with employer match

Paid Time Off

Tuition reimbursement

Flexible schedules

Lab bonus plans

Job summary

Element U.S. Space & Defense is seeking a Learning & Process Improvement Manager to develop enterprise-wide learning programs, workforce capability strategies, process-improvement initiatives, and organizational effectiveness programs across multiple facilities.

Reporting to senior leaders in Operations, Quality, Engineering, and Program Management, you will drive training delivery, quality systems education, standardization, and Lean continuous improvement.

Qualifications

• Minimum 8 years in learning & development, organizational development, continuous improvement, or related fields.
• Experience with Lean, Kaizen, or similar methodologies.
• Experience partnering with leaders to improve performance and capability.

Responsibilities

• Develop enterprise-wide learning and development plans aligned with goals and operational excellence.
• Lead Lean, Kaizen, 5S, and other CI initiatives across the organization.
• Identify skill gaps and partner with leaders to address development opportunities.
• Develop competency matrices and qualification programs for key roles.
• Establish KPIs and dashboards to measure learning effectiveness and impact.

Skills

Lean

Kaizen

Change management

Leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in related field

Lean Six Sigma Green Belt

CMQ/OE certification

Tools

LMS

MS 365

Job description

About Company

Element U.S. Space & Defense stands at the forefront of testing innovation, serving as a trusted partner to NASA, the U.S. Department of Defense, government agencies, and prominent industry leaders across the space and defense sectors. Founded as NTS Technical Systems, our company brings over 60 years of experience and expertise in handling the most complex projects and programs in the world.

From centrifuge testing for the latest Mars rover, vibration testing for the Space Launch System (SLS), to environmental simulations for next-generation missiles, we are the pioneering partner for highly custom, end-to-end testing design and implementation. By advancing our state-of-the-art testing technologies, subject matter expertise, and service to critical missions, Element U.S. Space & Defense has become the go-to partner for ground-breaking industries.

What We Offer

Growth & Development

• Opportunities for professional development and career advancement.
• A collaborative and innovative work environment.
• The chance to work on groundbreaking projects that shape the future of space and defense.

Benefits

• Medical, Dental, Vision, Short- and Long-Term Disability, Life Insurance, Flexible Spending Accounts
• Seven (7) paid holidays and four (4) paid floating holidays, depending on your hire date
• Paid Time Off (PTO), accrued biweekly
• 401k with employer match
• Twelve (12) hours of Paid Volunteer Time Off (PVTO) each year
• Tuition reimbursement and other employee programs
• Flexible schedules offered at some of our labs
• Monthly Lab Bonus plans (Based on position)

Salary

At EUSSD, compensation is determined through a comprehensive approach that considers candidate qualifications, role responsibilities, market benchmarks, and organizational needs. Pay may vary by location; for this position, the annual base salary target range is $128,000 - 140,000/yr, with potential eligibility for bonuses or commission depending on the role.

Summary

Reporting to the Director of Quality Assurance & Operational Excellence, the Learning & Process Improvement Manager is responsible for developing enterprise-wide learning programs, workforce capability strategies, process improvement initiatives, and organizational effectiveness programs that support operational excellence across all facilities. This role serves as a strategic partner to Operations, Quality,

Engineering, Program Management, and business leaders to improve employee performance, optimize business processes, and drive a culture of continuous improvement.

The Learning & Process Improvement Manager will lead initiatives focused on technical training, quality systems education, process standardization, knowledge management, and Lean continuous improvement. The position will leverage data, performance metrics, employee feedback, and operational trends to identify capability gaps and implement solutions that improve quality, productivity, employee engagement, and business performance.

Primary Responsibilities

Learning & Development Strategy

• Develop and implement enterprise-wide learning and development plans aligned with organizational goals, quality objectives, operational excellence initiatives, and workforce development needs.
• Partner with operational leaders to identify skill gaps, performance challenges, and development opportunities.
• Establish learning pathways for employees, supervisors, managers, and future leaders based on input from the employees.
• Create development frameworks supporting technical training and compliance training.
• Partner with HR in the development of succession planning and talent development initiatives that strengthen organizational bench strength.
• Support employee engagement and retention through meaningful learning and career growth opportunities.
• Partner with HR to build learning management system (LMS) with process, operational, compliance, and technical job-related learning programs...

Quality & Operational Excellence Training

• Partner with Quality leadership to develop and maintain training programs for Quality Management System requirements, ISO standards, audit readiness, corrective action methodologies, and regulatory compliance.
• Ensure training programs effectively support quality objectives, accreditation requirements, customer expectations, and operational procedures.
• Collaborate with facility Quality Managers to standardize training content and delivery methods across all locations.
• Develop competency matrices and qualification programs for critical operational and technical positions.

Process Improvement & Continuous Improvement

• Lead and facilitate Lean, Kaizen, 5S, and other continuous improvement initiatives throughout the organization.
• Conduct process assessments and workflow analyses to identify inefficiencies, waste, bottlenecks, and improvement opportunities.
• Facilitate root cause analysis and problem-solving training events involving cross-functional teams.
• Partner with operational leaders to improve productivity, quality, lead times, and customer satisfaction.
• Support implementation of standardized processes and best practices across multiple facilities.
• Develop sustainable process controls and continuous improvement methodologies.

Organizational Effectiveness

• Assess organizational capabilities and recommend development initiatives that support strategic objectives.
• Lead change management activities associated with process improvements, organizational initiatives, and business transformation efforts.
• Support development and documentation of standard operating procedures, work instructions, and process maps.
• Promote a culture of accountability, learning, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Oversee project plans, budgets, schedules, and resources for learning and improvement initiatives.

Performance Measurement & Analytics

• Establish and maintain metrics to measure learning effectiveness, employee performance improvement, process improvements, and business impact.
• Analyze training effectiveness, employee development outcomes, operational performance indicators, and quality metrics.
• Develop dashboards and reports for leadership review.
• Use data-driven insights to continuously improve learning programs and improvement initiatives.

Minimum Qualifications

• Minimum 8 years of experience in a combination of the following roles: learning and development, organizational development, continuous improvement, operational excellence, project management, quality systems, or related disciplines.
• Demonstrated experience developing and implementing employee development and training programs.
• Experience facilitating process improvement initiatives using Lean, Kaizen, or similar methodologies.
• Experience partnering with operational leaders to improve performance and workforce capability.
• Strong project management and program leadership experience.
• Experience working within manufacturing, aerospace, defense, laboratory, technical services in highly regulated environments.
• Ability to travel up to 70% of the year, as required to support multiple facilities.
• This position is required to be onsite in a lab.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Organizational Development, Learning & Development, Human Resources, Business Administration, Education, Engineering, Industrial Technology, Quality Management, or related field.
• Preferred 10 years of experience in learning and development, organizational development, continuous improvement, operational excellence, quality systems, or related disciplines.
• Lean Six Sigma Green Belt, Black Belt, or equivalent process improvement certification.
• ASQ Certified Manager of Quality/Organizational Excellence (CMQ/OE) preferred.
• Experience implementing Learning Management Systems (LMS).
• Experience supporting ISO quality systems and compliance environments.
• Experience supporting multi-site organizations.

Knowledge And Skills

• Strong knowledge of learning principles, instructional design, and behavior change methodologies.
• Strong facilitation, coaching, mentoring, and presentation skills.
• Knowledge of quality systems, continuous improvement principles, and operational excellence methodologies.
• Working knowledge of ISO-based quality systems, and safety and security compliance-driven environments.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and critical-thinking abilities.
• Ability to influence without direct authority across multiple facilities and departments.
• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Strong organizational and project management skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a dynamic environment.
• Proficiency with Microsoft 365 applications, learning management systems, and reporting tools.
• Strong change management and organizational effectiveness capabilities.
• Demonstrated ability to build collaborative relationships with leaders and employees at all levels.

Physical Requirements

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; sit; climb stairs; balance; stoop; kneel; crouch or crawl; talk or hear; taste or smell. The employee may occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

EEO Policy Statement

It is the policy of Element US Space & Defense to offer Equal Employment Opportunity to all individuals without regards to race, creed, ancestry, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status, age, national origin, physical disabilities, pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions.

Equal Opportunity Employer M/F/D/V

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