Sr Manager, Continuous Improvement IMED/Inframarginal

CSL; Kankakee (IL); On-site; USD 138,000 - 163,000; Full time

Job summary

CSL is seeking a Continuous Improvement Lead to drive the CI strategy across manufacturing operations for a product family. You will coach the CI team, build site capability, and ensure CI initiatives deliver measurable safety, quality, delivery, and cost improvements. This on-site role reports to the Senior Director, Operational Services and supervises Sr.

Continuous Improvement Specialists. You will translate strategy into a CI portfolio, oversee project execution, track benefits, and

Qualifications

• 7+ years of experience in GxP-regulated manufacturing (pharma, biotech, or medical device) including manufacturing operations.
• 2-3 years of direct leadership.
• Lean Six Sigma Green Belt, Black Belt preferred.
• PMP or equivalent preferred.
• Knowledge of Change Management methodologies.
• Knowledge of Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMPs).
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to convey complex ideas clearly across all organizational levels.
• Ability to influence without direct authority, building alignment through data and credibility.
• Effective facilitator of cross-functional teams, able to remain neutral, manage differing perspectives, and drive decisions and outcomes.

Responsibilities

• Leads execution of the site and manufacturing CI strategy, ensuring alignment with business priorities and operational goals.
• Translates strategic objectives into a prioritized CI portfolio across manufacturing operations.
• Ensures CI roadmap delivers measurable improvements in safety, quality, delivery, and cost.
• Oversees execution of CI initiatives to ensure on-time delivery and achievement of targeted outcomes.
• Responsible for the delivery of sustainable outcomes from CI projects that are data-driven improvements support long-term priorities.
• Tracks, validates, and reports financial and non-financial benefits realization, including cost savings, productivity gains, and waste reduction on an established and aligned cadence.
• Ensures CI initiatives are aligned with EHS to support and strengthen safety culture, compliance expectations, and data outcomes.
• Collaborates with Operational Excellence to drive improvements that enhance process capability, right-first-time performance, throughput, and cycle time.
• Balances efficiency gains with product quality, regulatory compliance, and patient safety.
• Leads, coaches, and develops the CI team, including Lean Six Sigma practitioners.
• Builds site-wide CI capability by training, mentoring, and embedding CI principles into daily operations.
• Promotes a culture of continuous improvement, structured problem-solving, and accountability.
• Ensures CI methods and initiatives comply with project management and change management procedures and standards.
• Drives effective stakeholder engagement, communication, and adoption of change.
• Ensures risks associated with CI initiatives are identified, mitigated, and managed appropriately and with a sense of urgency.
• Builds strategic partnerships with Manufacturing, Quality, Engineering, Supply Chain, Finance, and EHS to deliver integrated improvements, set meaningful goals/outcomes, and
• Aligns CI initiatives with other site programs such as Operational Excellence, Digital, and Quality Improvement efforts to optimize RFT opportunities.
• Establishes and monitors CI metrics and KPIs to assess performance and maturity.
• Provides regular reporting to site and senior leadership on progress, benefits, risks, and challenges.
• Uses data and trend analysis to guide future CI focus areas.
• Builds and sustain organizational capability through coaching, development plans, and performance management.
• Collaborates with peers and leaders to establish succession plans and develop future leaders within Operational Services.
• Completes Any Other Duties/responsibilities Assigned By Senior Management.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

Communication

Data-driven decision making

Problem solving

Change leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering or Science

Master's degree preferred

Tools

Lean Six Sigma

DMAIC

cGMPs

PMP

Job description

Position Purpose

The Continuous Improvement Lead is responsible for leading the execution of the CI strategy across manufacturing operations for a product family, governing the deployment of Lean Six Sigma and prioritization of CI projects and execution of complex, strategic CI projects across unit operations. The role ensures continuous improvement initiatives deliver measurable improvements in safety, quality, delivery, and cost while aligning with business objectives and is a key contact for global improvement alignment related to their product family.

This role develops and coaches the CI team and builds broader site capability, ensuring CI methods, projects, and initiatives comply with established project management and change management procedures and standards. The CI Lead is also accountable for tracking, validating, and reporting financial benefit realization resulting from CI initiatives. This is an on-site position 5 days/week.

Reporting Relationships

• Role that this position reports to: Senior Director, Operational Services
• Role/s that report to this position: Sr. Continuous Improvement Specialists

Main Responsibilities And Accountabilities

CI Strategy & Deployment

• Leads execution of the site and manufacturing CI strategy, ensuring alignment with business priorities and operational goals.
• Translates strategic objectives into a prioritized CI portfolio across manufacturing operations.
• Ensures CI roadmap delivers measurable improvements in safety, quality, delivery, and cost.

Project Execution & Benefits Realization

• Oversees execution of CI initiatives to ensure on-time delivery and achievement of targeted outcomes.
• Responsible for the delivery of sustainable outcomes from CI projects that are data-driven improvements support long-term priorities.
• Tracks, validates, and reports financial and non-financial benefits realization, including cost savings, productivity gains, and waste reduction on an established and aligned cadence.

Safety, Quality, Delivery, and Cost Focus

• Ensures CI initiatives are aligned with EHS to support and strengthen safety culture, compliance expectations, and data outcomes.
• Collaborates with Operational Excellence to drive improvements that enhance process capability, right-first-time performance, throughput, and cycle time.
• Balances efficiency gains with product quality, regulatory compliance, and patient safety.

Coaching & Capability Development

• Leads, coaches, and develops the CI team, including Lean Six Sigma practitioners.
• Builds site-wide CI capability by training, mentoring, and embedding CI principles into daily operations.
• Promotes a culture of continuous improvement, structured problem-solving, and accountability.

Change & Project Management Compliance

• Ensures CI methods and initiatives comply with project management and change management procedures and standards.
• Drives effective stakeholder engagement, communication, and adoption of change.
• Ensures risks associated with CI initiatives are identified, mitigated, and managed appropriately and with a sense of urgency.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Builds strategic partnerships with Manufacturing, Quality, Engineering, Supply Chain, Finance, and EHS to deliver integrated improvements, set meaningful goals/outcomes, and
• Aligns CI initiatives with other site programs such as Operational Excellence, Digital, and Quality Improvement efforts to optimize RFT opportunities.

Performance Monitoring & Reporting

• Establishes and monitors CI metrics and KPIs to assess performance and maturity.
• Provides regular reporting to site and senior leadership on progress, benefits, risks, and challenges.
• Uses data and trend analysis to guide future CI focus areas.

People Development & Succession

• Builds and sustain organizational capability through coaching, development plans, and performance management.
• Collaborates with peers and leaders to establish succession plans and develop future leaders within Operational Services.

Completes Any Other Duties/responsibilities Assigned By Senior Management.

Position Qualifications and Experience Requirements:

Education

• Bachelor's degree (Engineering or Science); Master's preferred.

Experience

• 7+ years of experience in GxP-regulated manufacturing (pharma, biotech, or medical device) including manufacturing operations experience. 2-3 years of direct leadership.
• Lean Six Sigma Green Belt, Black Belt preferred
• PMP or equivalent preferred
• Knowledge of (People) Change Management methodologies
• Knowledge of Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMPs)

Competencies

• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to convey complex ideas clearly across all organizational levels.
• Ability to influence without direct authority, building alignment through expertise, data, and credibility.
• Effective facilitator of cross-functional teams, able to remain neutral, manage differing perspectives, and drive decisions and outcomes.
• Advanced analytical and structured problem-solving skills, applying Lean and Six Sigma methodologies to complex business challenges with statistical analysis and data visualization capabilities.
• Results-oriented execution capability, managing multiple priorities while driving measurable outcomes and accountability.
• Strong organizational, time-management, and decision-making skills in dynamic, matrixed environments.
• Collaborative mindset, building bridges across functions and leveraging networks to share best practices and accelerate improvement.
• Strong problem-solving capabilities, with expertise in DMAIC methodology and ability to lead teams in complex problem-solving
• Effective project management and project portfolio management skills, with ability to manage a matrixed resource pool to complete improvements effectively and efficiently.
• Strong understanding of manufacturing finances and ability to develop business cases and assess financial project impact.
• People leadership & development capabilities, with the ability to provide direction in partnership with key stakeholders.

The expected base salary range for this position at hiring is $138,000 - $163,000. Please note this salary range reflects the minimum and maximum base pay that CSL expects to pay for this position at the listed location as of the time of this posting. Individual base salary for a successful candidate is determined by qualifications, skill level, experience, competencies and other relevant factors. In addition to base salary, total compensation for this role may also include incentive compensation and equity.

Different qualifications or responsibilities may apply based on local legal and/or educational requirements. Refer to local job documentation where applicable.

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