Continuous Improvement Manager

A well-established discrete manufacturing company in Cary, IL is seeking a Continuous Improvement Manager to drive Lean initiatives and build a culture of operational excellence across the plant. This is a highly visible role focused on improving safety, quality, delivery, and productivity through structured CI methodologies.

This position is ideal for a hands-on leader who can work directly with production teams, develop frontline leaders, and implement sustainable process improvements.

What You'll Do

Lead and execute Lean / Continuous Improvement initiatives across manufacturing operations

Partner with Production, Quality, and Materials to identify and eliminate waste, bottlenecks, and inefficiencies

Drive improvements in key metrics (safety, quality, on-time delivery, productivity, OEE)

Facilitate root cause analysis (RCA), problem-solving, and corrective actions

Implement and sustain Lean tools (5S, standard work, visual management, Kaizen, TPM, etc.)

Coach and develop supervisors and team leads on CI principles and daily execution

Support production teams on the floor to ensure adoption and sustainability of improvements

Help build structure, discipline, and operating rhythms within the plant

What We're Looking For

Experience in Continuous Improvement, Manufacturing Engineering, or Production leadership

Strong background in discrete manufacturing (assembly, fabrication, machining, forming, etc.)

Hands-on Lean / CI experience with proven results (Lean, Six Sigma, Kaizen, TPM, etc.)

Ability to work cross-functionally and influence at all levels of the organization

Comfortable being on the shop floor and driving change with production teams

Strong problem-solving and data-driven decision-making skills

Bachelor's degree preferred

Why This Role

High visibility role with direct impact on plant performance

Opportunity to help shape CI culture in a growing organization

Path for career growth into broader operations leadership

Competitive compensation + bonus + full benefits package