Program Manager - Process Development & Improvement

The Process Improvement Lead is Applied Fluid Power's owner of how work moves through the system, warehouse, and production floor - from order receipt to shipment - and how that work gets standardized, measured, and sustained across AFP's subsidiaries. This role sits at the intersection of Lean practice and daily operations, responsible for value stream design, labor productivity, and the pilot-to-standard process that turns a good idea into how a site actually runs.

This is a foundational hire for AFP's operational excellence build-out. A pilot only matters if it survives after the improvement team leaves the building - this role owns that handoff.

Value Stream Design & Lean Implementation

Lead end-to-end Value Stream Mapping of the order-to-ship process across representative distribution operations.

Design and document standard order-to-ship processes, clearly defining flow, handoffs, controls, and performance expectations.

Identify waste, delay, and variability within the value stream and recommend practical improvements.

Ensure process designs balance customer service, throughput, labor efficiency, and scalability.

Apply warehouse and production Lean tools including 5S, standard work, visual management, and layout optimization.

Labor Productivity & Performance Baselines

Build labor productivity models to establish baseline performance by function (receiving, picking, manufacturing, assembly, packing, shipping)

Benchmark performance across sites to identify opportunity gaps and best practices.

Reduce order cycle time and labor cost per order through process redesign and constraint removal.

Apply throughput and constraint analysis to focus improvement efforts where they deliver the highest impact.

Establish repeatable performance baselines for cycle time, productivity, utilization, and throughput.

Ensure metrics are clearly defined, consistently calculated, and understood by operations.

Support ongoing continuous improvement by enabling fact-based problem solving - not anecdotal debate.

Partner with local leaders to translate data into actionable improvements.

Pilot Execution & Enterprise Deployment

Lead improvement pilots in representative subsidiaries to validate process designs and assumptions.

Rapidly incorporate operator and supervisor feedback to refine standards.

Ensure pilots demonstrate measurable improvements before broader rollout.

Document lessons learned to accelerate enterprise adoption

Handoff, Sustainability & Capability Building

Hand off sustainable standards to local operations with clear ownership and accountability

Train supervisors and frontline teams on new processes and performance expectations

Ensure improvements are embedded into daily management routines - not dependent on ongoing CI support.

Verify that gains are sustained after handoff.

Communication & Collaboration

Communicate clearly and respectfully with operations, supply chain, engineering, and leadership teams.

Facilitate improvement workshops and working sessions with structure, purpose, and outcomes.

Translate Lean concepts into practical, operator-level understanding.

Escalate risks, constraints, or resistance early with proposed countermeasures.

Adhere to all company policies, with particular focus on safety, quality, and operational discipline.

What We're Looking For

Required

High School Diploma or equivalent required; Bachelor's degree preferred.

5+ years of experience with Lean implementation and standard work

Strong understanding of distribution, manufacturing, or industrial business processes (order management, procurement, inventory, service)

Demonstrated ability to design and document business processes that produce clean, structured data.

Experience working across multiple business units or subsidiaries with varying levels of process maturity.

Comfortable operating in ambiguity, spending significant time on the floor, and working without a large team beneath you.

Preferred

Experience benchmarking labor productivity or throughput across multiple sites.

Familiarity with warehouse or distribution operations in a fluid power, industrial distribution, or manufacturing environment

Prior experience leading Lean pilots through to enterprise-wide rollout

Founded in 1923, Applied Industrial Technologies (NYSE: AIT) is a leading value-added distributor and technical solutions provider of industrial motion, fluid power, flow control, automation technologies, and related maintenance supplies. Our leading brands, specialized services, and comprehensive knowledge serve MRO and OEM end users in virtually all industrial markets through our multi-channel capabilities that provide choice, convenience, and expertise.

Applied Industrial Technologies is built on a philosophy that puts people first. We are an equal opportunity employer, and we are committed to a workforce in which we enforce fair treatment and provide growth opportunities for everyone. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment regardless of age, race, color, national origin, genetics, religion, gender, marital status, physical or mental disability, or any other characteristic protected by applicable laws, regulations, and ordinances.