Manufacturing CI Leader - Lean & Kaizen

Gradian Thermal Solutions; Osseo (MN); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Vision, and Dental plans

401k Matching

Paid Time Off

Education Assistance

Company Events

Safety shoe allowance

Job summary

Gradian Thermal Solutions in Maple Grove, MN, is seeking a Continuous Improvement Manager to partner with operations and site leadership to deploy Lean and continuous improvement strategies that strengthen performance, reduce waste, and heighten customer satisfaction.

You will mentor teams, facilitate Kaizen events, support standardized work, and help sustain gains with data-driven problem solving, while navigating a fast-paced manufacturing environment and occasional travel.

Qualifications

• Requires a Bachelor’s degree in engineering, operations, business, or a related discipline.
• 5+ years of experience in manufacturing or operations, including supporting or leading continuous improvement initiatives; or any combination of education and experience which would provide an equivalent background.
• Ability to lead cross-functional teams and influence without direct authority.
• Strong knowledge of continuous improvement and process improvement methodologies.
• Skill in analyzing operational data to support decision-making and problem-solving.
• Ability to facilitate improvement events, on-site observations, and performance discussions.
• Effective communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage staff at all levels.
• Strong organization and project management skills with a commitment to execution and follow-through.

Responsibilities

• Leads the deployment of continuous improvement initiatives to enhance process reliability, reduce waste, and improve customer satisfaction.
• Facilitate improvement events, performance dialogues, and hands-on training that reinforce continuous improvement tools and behaviors.
• Partners with operations leadership to identify improvement opportunities, develop action plans, and sustain performance gains.
• Conducts on-site observations to identify non-standard conditions, recommend corrective actions, and support operational problem-solving.
• Supports the development and maintenance of standardized work, operational procedures, and performance measures.
• Prepares reports and presentations summarizing improvements, operational trends, and cost savings.
• Benchmarks industry best practices and incorporates relevant methods into site operations.
• Accountable for the administration and execution of policies and procedures.

Skills

Lean

Continuous Improvement

Problem-solving

Cross-functional Leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering

Job description

Gradian Thermal Solutions in Maple Grove, MN, is seeking a Continuous Improvement Manager to partner with operations and site leadership to deploy Lean and continuous improvement strategies that strengthen performance, reduce waste, and heighten customer satisfaction.

You will mentor teams, facilitate Kaizen events, support standardized work, and help sustain gains with data-driven problem solving, while navigating a fast-paced manufacturing environment and occasional travel.