What Does A Continuous Improvement Manager Do?

WHAT DOES A CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT MANAGER DO?

Updated: Aug 20, 2025 - The Continuous Improvement Manager oversees and optimizes business processes to ensure maximum efficiency and alignment with organizational goals. This role leads cross-functional teams in identifying, planning, and executing improvement initiatives while monitoring performance and financial impact. The manager also ensures that continuous improvement strategies are effectively integrated across projects and communicated throughout the organization.

A Review of Professional Skills and Functions for Continuous Improvement Manager

1. Continuous Improvement Manager Duties

Leadership: Provide leadership, planning, and management capabilities for systematic, process, and data-driven continuous improvement opportunities.
Project Management: Use a combination of project/program management and continuous improvement (CI) tools/techniques to validate issues, identify root causes, develop corrective actions, and implement change.
Collaboration: Lead and drive collaboration across overall business operations to ensure the best outcomes for operations, their customers, and the team.
Change Management: Ensure all continuous improvement initiatives are deployed with the active support of stakeholders, utilizing effective change management methodologies.
Stakeholder Engagement: Work closely with Sales, Operations, and other parts of the business to develop win/win outcomes.
Cultural Change: Support cultural change that embraces continuous improvement through LEAN/Six Sigma tools and methodologies.
Compliance: Look at Safety and Compliance - all aspects of operational performance, leadership, and decision-making.
Team Management: Manage a national team effectively while ensuring planning, process, and consistency are met.
Project Management: Manage initiatives and projects including planning, monitoring, controlling, and reporting.
Leadership: Engage with all stakeholders and leaders across the business to champion change.

2. Continuous Improvement Manager Details

Roadmap Development: Develop a roadmap for improvement to relevant areas of the business using the Dover Operations Excellence Model.
Performance Indicators: Define and maintain key performance indicators for assigned areas and levels of the organization and utilize visual dashboards or displays to present performance.
Gap Evaluation: Evaluate gaps to target performance in safety, quality, service levels, and cost and utilize lean tools to close identified gaps.
Cross-Functional Work: Work cross-functionally with Packaging, Logistics, Manufacturing, Customer Service, Quality, and IT to streamline and improve material and information flow.
Specifications Development: Develop specifications for equipment, tools, facility layouts, and material handling systems.
Technology Utilization: Determine opportunities for utilization of technology to improve material and information flow, work cross-functionally to implement.
Lean Systems Optimization: Develop and optimize lean material handling systems including Plan for Every Part (PFEP), material markets, material delivery routes, and pull signals.
Culture Drive: Drive a culture of continuous improvement within the organization.
Kaizen Leadership: Define, lead, and conduct kaizen events and daily A3 problem solving on the shop floor.
Leadership: Provide leadership for driving effective tiered daily management.
Health Checks: Conduct health checks (audits) of systems and processes, including 5S, systems execution, safety, quality, and daily direction setting.

3. Continuous Improvement Manager Responsibilities

Cultural Transformation: Drive cultural transformation through engagement in continuous improvement initiatives, accountability through standard work, and creating an environment of equipment/process ownership.
Cost Management: Drive 4-wall cost, develop annual savings plans, and hold accountable for achieving these goals.
Metrics Establishment: Help establish meaningful plant metrics to monitor performance at a level sufficiently detailed to illustrate the real nature and cause of problems and to demonstrate the skills and focus needed for improvement opportunities.
Facilitation: Facilitate Kaizens, brainstorming sessions, workshops, problem-solving sessions, and process mapping exercises to bring alignment, extract knowledge, and improve performance.
Visual Workplace Creation: Create a visual workplace leveraging progressive 5S and visual controls.
KPI Management: Manage plant-wide KPIs, integrating data in decision-making and prioritization of projects.
Training and Mentoring: Train and mentor plant leadership to create a culture that can engage employees at all levels in the problem-solving process to achieve plant goals.
Culture Driving: Drive a data-driven, frontline team-based culture.
Data Improvement: Drive continuous improvement of plant data collection and reporting systems to increase data accuracy.
Loss Analysis: Responsible for loss analysis and OEE improvement plan development, plan execution leadership, and results tracking.

4. Continuous Improvement Manager Accountabilities

Continuous Improvement Leadership: Lead the Continuous Improvement process of the site.
Priority Definition: Define priorities and areas for continuous improvement to increase the overall performance of the activities in collaboration with other Leadership Team members.
Plan Management: Manage the continuous improvement plan by defining short and medium-term areas of progress and ensuring the standardization of processes.
Performance Improvement: Improve performance (security, quality, costs, and deadlines) using Lean Manufacturing tools: identify losses, recommend corrective actions, etc.
Action Plan Development: Elaborate action plans by evaluating the relevance and profitability of these actions (return on investment, organizational impact, quality impact, etc.).
Project Leadership: Lead, coordinate, follow improvement, and problem-solving projects: VSM, Kaizen, 5S, MRP, etc.
Safety Enhancement: Help to improve safety performance and culture using Lean tools.
Reliability Application: Apply reliability expertise to stabilize and improve the operation.
Gap Assessment: Conduct/facilitate ongoing facility gap assessments around continuous improvement efforts to include Zero-Based Analysis.
Lean Expertise: Be the expert on Lean manufacturing and overall continuous improvement concepts as well as providing learning opportunities to members.

5. Continuous Improvement Manager Overview

Business Process Analysis: Analyze existing business processes using various methods such as value stream mapping or process mapping to find opportunities for improvement and determine root causes.
Strategy Development: Act as an internal consultant, developing short- and long-term CI (Continuous Improvement) strategies for the organization.
Lean Facilitation: Direct and facilitate the ongoing lean improvement process teams through the use of techniques such as Kaizen, 5'S, PDCA, TPM, Kanban, Policy Deployment, etc.
Cost Reduction: Facilitate progress and reduce costs in terms of workflow inefficiencies and reduction of operational waste.
Project Coordination: Coordinate and lead key projects for improvement across all levels of the organization.
Process Improvement: Drive the improvement of processes and systems and implement programs that will have continuing long-term benefits.
Standard Establishment: Establish measurable operational standards.
Planning: Develop plans, schedules, and budgets to improve existing processes.
Team Supervision: Supervise and direct the workflow of CI department staff.
Training and Oversight: Provide lean improvement orientation and on-the-job training for teammates, ensure that responsibilities are defined and understood, and oversee the lean projects.

6. Continuous Improvement Manager Duties

Team Facilitation: Facilitate process improvement teams and provide counsel and assistance to the project team leaders concerning facilitation techniques, quality systems, continual improvement, people development and safety improvement
Program Support: Assist in the facilitation of Manufacturing Fundamentals and other similar key programs
Workshop Leadership: Lead workshops resulting in tangible key performance indicator improvements
Performance Metrics: Deploy the appropriate People/Safety/Quality/Cost/Delivery/Productivity metrics and management routines at all levels of the organization
Strategic Planning: Contribute to strategic planning at the plant level
Change Leadership: Act as a change agent (leader) to instill a Problem Solving and Continuous Improvement culture on site and in related areas of the company
Tool Auditing: Ensure, through audits, that tools are appropriately and effectively used
Lean Planning: Develop and maintain the site’s annual 12-month rolling lean implementation plan based on the strategic plan
Deployment Management: Develop, manage, and report progress of the lean deployment plan with site management (based on current and future state Value Stream Maps, site performance improvement targets, and Group / Business standards, policies and best practices)
Project Ownership: Support site management in its strategic planning process and its implementation by taking ownership of relevant projects
Network Development: Contribute to the Continuous Improvement network development

7. Continuous Improvement Manager Details

Communication Management: Ensure 2-way communication throughout the continuous improvement organization
Status Coordination: Communicating project status and coordinating activities between the Regional Continuous Improvement leader and other Continuous Improvement leaders
Lean Integration: Ensure Lean and Six Sigma principles are appropriately taken into consideration at all stages of the process improvement project
Environmental Awareness: Understand all environmental policies and the significant environmental impact of job activities
Safety Awareness: Understand all safety policies and the significant safety impact of job activities
Plan Execution: Assist leadership in the planning, development, coordination, support, and execution of high-impact (immediate and long-term) improvement plans for effective and sustainable cost-saving initiatives
Customer Alignment: Making sure lean manufacturing and Six Sigma initiatives are aligned with customer-focused metrics
Change Leadership: Serve as a business change agent leading a process improvement initiative
Process Redesign: Process redesign activities/projects that will enable the organization to reach the next level of world-class operations
Lean Implementation: Implementing continuous improvement and lean manufacturing practices throughout the plant
Financial Validation: Work with the local financial representative to validate the project justification and success
Metrics Utilization: Promote the use of metrics and data to drive project focus

8. Continuous Improvement Manager Responsibilities

Deployment Leadership: Be the deployment champion for problem-solving methods and continuous improvement techniques, and lead efforts to formalize use in the facility
Opportunity Analysis: Analyze improvement opportunities as well as guide and plan actions around safety, quality, people and productivity improvement initiatives
Vision Definition: Work with members and the Continuous Improvement Coach to define the vision for the best in the world for continuous improvement
Gap Assessment: Conduct/facilitate ongoing facility gap assessments around continuous improvement efforts to include Zero-Based Analysis
Lean Expertise: Be the expert on Lean manufacturing and overall continuous improvement concepts, as well as providing learning opportunities to members
Goal Setting: Set goals and objectives, both personal and as a team member, to acquire "superlative" performance to support the Johnsonville Way
Pipeline Facilitation: Facilitate the productivity pipeline (cost savings) process
Trend Identification: Identify trends and process variation in conjunction with the Operations Team
Standardization Implementation: Champion and lead efforts to implement the use of standard work at the facility

9. Continuous Improvement Manager Job Summary

Operations Coordination: Work along with the Plant Leadership Team to monitor plant targets and Key Performance Indicators and coordinate ideal utilization of facilities, equipment, materials, and personnel to improve efficiency of operations
Action Planning: Establish action plans and follow-up meetings to advance process improvements to achieve targets
Problem Solving: Instill a “hands-on,” systematic approach to problem solving (“Gemba”)
Team Motivation: Continually challenge individuals and teams to improve through systematic application of continuous improvement methodologies and lead by example
KPI Management: Manage the plant level Key Performance Indicator charting and posting process including daily, weekly and monthly KPI’s
Data Simplification: Simplify the data line performance collection process, and automate if possible
Statistical Analysis: Leverage Statistics and other data analysis methods to provide data to plant teams and operational leadership to facilitate the improvement of operations within the facility
Team Participation: Be a member of improvement teams to help with data analysis, problem solving and presentation of solutions to various levels of the organization
Kaizen Facilitation: Facilitate Kaizen Events to drive improvements in performance
Tool Ownership: Be the owner of the Simple Root Cause problem-solving tool and train people on its use
Product Testing: Work with R&D on new products and operational tests

10. Continuous Improvement Manager Accountabilities

Tool Facilitation: Facilitate a wide range of lean tools, including, but not limited to, standard work, process and product 3P, value stream mapping, error-proofing, Kanban, material flow, and 8-step problem solving
Organizational Learning: Promote a learning organization that embraces continuous improvement and leverages the talent of the organization to execute the strategy and achieve its business and financial objectives
Strategy Deployment: Partner with leaders in many functional areas across the site to facilitate strategy deployment and establish and refine KPI’s in the areas of customer, finance, people and quality to measure the success of initiatives
Culture Building: Challenge organizational leaders to create an action-based culture of continuous improvement and proliferate PPI and Lean thinking
Process Streamlining: Lead/work with functional teams to streamline processes to improve the customer experience, enable profitable growth and become more efficient
System Execution: Execute and mature KPI Leadership and the Lean Management System (tiered daily management systems, Gemba walks, and leader standard work) and other coaching tools to transform the culture
Program Support: Provides PPI Business System Program support through project traceability, pipeline building and productivity tracking and reporting
Tool Standardization: Utilize consistent tools and templates and other governance mechanisms
Benefit Validation: Partner with Finance personnel to evaluate project savings estimates, validate reported PPI benefits, and ensure accurate accounting of PPI Productivity
Project Management: Manage some high-level cross-functional improvement projects as a project manager
Team Empowerment: Improve the decision-making model and problem-solving capabilities within high-performance teams to increase autonomy and the pace of change at all levels
System Development: Work with the expanded team to develop/promote/standardize the PPI Business System further

11. Continuous Improvement Manager Functions

Target Definition: Define stretching site financial BI targets, aligned with the divisional % Cost of Goods targets defined in the current/next year budget and longer-term strategic plans
Pipeline Development: Work with site and divisional colleagues to develop a pipeline of achievable BI initiatives capable of delivering the agreed BI targets
Initiative Delivery: Manage delivery of BI initiatives within agreed timescales and financial targets, leveraging the skills/resources of the local BI/Operations team and negotiating additional skills/resources/ capital from additional stakeholders (Site/Division/Group/Externals)
Program Deployment: Manage site deployment of the Greencore Manufacturing Excellence (GME) Programme to full maturity, using Process Confirmations to measure and drive adoption
Capability Building: Build site capability to deliver business improvements through coaching GME principles and tools, primarily with the BI team and extending to relevant colleagues from Operations and other functions
KPI Adoption: Promote full adoption of the GME KPI suite and Performance Management Process (PMP) and their role in identifying future BI opportunities
Community Engagement: Be an active member of the Greencore BI community, contributing to and drawing from best practice standards to help drive coordinated group-wide performance improvement
Talent Development: Identify and coach/develop suitable non-BI colleagues into a BI-ready talent pool from which future BI recruits can be sourced
Team Leadership: Lead and direct the site BI team to ensure that people are kept safe, engaged, focused, developed and delivering their potential

12. Continuous Improvement Manager Job Description

Process Implementation: Lead the implementation of manufacturing process improvements aligned to Lean Management or a closely related continuous improvement program such as the Toyoda Production System
Opportunity Identification: Identify opportunities for improving employee safety, cost reduction, lead-time reduction, inventory reduction and quality improvement
Bottleneck Resolution: Work closely with Operations leadership and teams to identify process bottlenecks, conduct root cause analysis and drive the implementation of process improvements with a focus on improving safety, quality, delivery and/or cost efficiencies
Project Leadership: Initiate and lead projects using these direct and indirect resources to show measurable improvements in end-to-end processes
System Validation: Set up robust validation and audit measurement systems to document hard/soft saving results and business impact
Competence Assessment: Assist BUs across Amatil in completing competence assessments about Continuous Improvement and design action steps and workshops as an outcome
Program Building: Work with key business stakeholders, including state managers and CI Leads, to build a continuous improvement environment to support an ongoing Programme
Workshop Facilitation: Lead and facilitate LEAN/process improvement-based workshops to drive ideas and solutions
Training Development: Responsible for leadership and development of training that educates stakeholders about Continuous Improvement concepts that lead to the identification, development, and implementation of improvements at Amatil
Efficiency Support: Support the delivery of better value and greater efficiency through the identification and elimination of unnecessary complexity within business processes and the identification of better ways of working
CI Facilitation: Direct, train, coach, and facilitate the ongoing Continuous Improvement process through the use of techniques such as Loss and Waste Analysis

13. Continuous Improvement Manager Overview

Framework Deployment: Drive Continuous Improvement Framework within the verticals/Accounts
Savings Delivery: Drive Quality Net Savings in the aligned vertical(s)/Accounts(s)
Process Execution: Drive VBM and Playbook processes across aligned verticals/Accounts
Client Engagement: Contribute client/customer reviews/meetings
Goal Setting: Do goal setting with the team and ensure effective and measurable reviews and feedback mechanisms
Performance Review: Follow the appraisal and feedback mechanism
Practice Sharing: Initiate best practice sharing across the team
Decision Culture: Drive a culture of data-based decision making
Methodology Training: Conduct training and workshops on key Continuous Improvement methodologies like LEAN, Six Sigma WB/YB/GB, Kaizen, VBM, etc. and enable DNA building for the organization
Stakeholder Communication: Work cross-functionally within the company to communicate with all stakeholders in the customers' success
Customer Relationship: Create and maintain relationships with customers to better understand and meet their needs
Opportunity Identification: Make visits to customers to identify opportunities for growth within the platform
Account Reporting: Manage all reporting about the health of customers' accounts

14. Continuous Improvement Manager Details and Accountabilities

CI Leadership: Leading CI activity across a defined scope of teams/colleagues/areas in the CEC
Team Management: Managing a team of Operational CI Leads who will deploy CY activity across the CEC
Methodology Coaching: Supporting Operational CI Leads in training and coaching teams/colleagues in CI methodology
Opportunity Support: Supporting Operational CI Leads in coaching teams/colleagues in identifying opportunities for improvement and implementing appropriate solutions
Improvement Identification: Working with leaders/key stakeholders to proactively identify opportunities for improvement in CEC Dundee
Change Integration: Working closely with business change teams (Business Partners, Product Owners, etc) to ensure that CI activity and larger change initiatives land seamlessly
PDCA Adoption: Making sure that PDCA is a core way of working for teams/colleagues that support, so that continual learning is built into the approach
Benefit Delivery: Delivery of direct/indirect benefits (FTE, working capital, etc.)
Customer Improvement: Delivery of tangible improvements for customers and colleagues
Capability Building: Building capability within the CEC CI team, i.e., with the Operational CI Leads, to ensure they are set up for success
Certification Support: Supporting individuals and teams in getting CI certification (where desired)
Culture Sustaining: Sustaining CI culture across Tesco through coaching, mentoring teams/individuals
Review Completion: Complete post-implementation reviews to ensure CI tools and techniques have been successfully deployed in an area and the CI culture is being sustained
Progress Reporting: Provide regular progress updates to all levels of stakeholders and report benefits to the business at defined intervals, i.e., be able to set up appropriate levels of governance

15. Continuous Improvement Manager Tasks

Culture Development: Work with all levels of management, plant operations, engineering and quality to achieve and foster a CI culture
Digital Modeling: Create and maintain a digital twin of the manufacturing facility using FlexSim
IoT Advocacy: Champion IoT with the help of ThingWorx
Program Management: Manage Corrective/Preventive Action Program (A3) and facilitate root cause problem solving
Project Oversight: Manage high-impact projects related to automation
Time Maintenance: Maintain accurate standard routed times within the manufacturing facility
Productivity Improvement: Use L6S tools to increase productivity and efficiency in all manufacturing departments
Change Management: Manage the engineering change process (TDR) for accuracy and manufacturability

16. Continuous Improvement Manager Roles

Position Scope: Incumbent position reporting to the Plant Manager, responsibilities are limited to a site or multiple sites within a particular division
Division Oversight: Incumbent position reporting to the Director, Continuous Improvement, responsibilities expand across all divisions and manufacturing sites
Strategic Partnership: Serves as both a tactical and strategic partner with the site leadership team and process owners to implement/sustain the TreeHouse Management Operating Structure and ensure standard manufacturing processes are in place
Performance Monitoring: Monitors and supports key metrics and KPIs for overall supply chain performance and process effectiveness within the site
KPI Coaching: Supports/coaches KPI owners in completion of gap analyses, identification and implementation of corrective actions, and assessment to ensure that the gap is closed
Alignment Support: Serves as a strategic partner with the division's continuous improvement leader to maintain alignment and compliance with the TreeHouse continuous improvement strategy and division/enterprise initiatives
Project Leadership: Leads a portfolio of projects and team(s) in the review and analysis of moderate to large supply chain processes to ensure efficient and effective operations
Process Identification: Identifies supply chain process requirements, improvement opportunities and best practices for the site, ensuring alignment with TreeHouse Management Operating Structure
Replication Leadership: Leads replication activities for the site
Project Planning: Participates with management to leverage site data to prioritize projects, define project requirements, scope, resources, team members, tasks, and project owners
Change Ownership: Acts as the primary owner for identifying the need for change/improvement and plays is point person for managing business process change for the site on an ongoing basis
Culture Advocacy: Serves as a culture change agent by leveraging influential authority with employees and stakeholders to accelerate program deliverables that may cross geographic and/or functional boundaries
Leadership Modeling: Models the behavior expected of leaders in the TreeHouse Management Operating Structure
Meeting Facilitation: Leads meetings to review and examine project completion, obstacles, problem resolution, timelines, recommendations, and conclusions
Report Issuance: Issue summary reports regularly
Advanced Analysis: Leads or performs analyses that involve the application of advanced continuous improvement principles and practices, such as reviewing the flow of product or information, analyzing quantitative and qualitative data, preparing findings, and developing recommendations and conclusions
Process Implementation: Partners with site management and process owners to implement new processes or guidelines, determine improvements, identify and track savings, develop reports, and receive approval
Training Support: Assists with training and coaching others to build organizational self-sufficiency with continuous improvement methods and tools

17. Continuous Improvement Manager Additional Details

System Coordination: Coordinates the development of Clinton’s Performance Excellence (PE) continuous improvement management system
Engagement Leadership: Leads monthly PE pillar engagements
Pillar Development: Works with and develops PE pillars, sub-pillars and pillar members in alignment with the plant steering team
Meeting Facilitation: Facilitates plant steering team meetings
Capital Planning: Shares capital planning responsibilities with the EEM pillar
Goal Achievement: Sets and achieves challenging breakthrough goals for self and projects
Environment Support: Assists various department managers in maintaining an effective work environment
Customer Interface: Interfaces effectively with customers
Data Analysis: Collates and analyzes performance data and charts against defined parameters
Business Awareness: Maintains awareness of business context and company profitability, including budgetary control issues
General Assistance: Assists the General Manager
Project Leadership: Leads process improvement projects/initiatives in manufacturing
Project Management: Responsible for creating clear and attainable project objectives, building the project requirements, and managing the triple constraint for projects, which are cost, time, and scope
Policy Compliance: Conforms with and abides by all regulations, policies, work procedures, safety rules, security procedures and instructions
Safety Compliance: Performs all duties according to established safety policy, including wearing all required PPE to perform duties

18. Continuous Improvement Manager Essential Functions

Program Implementation: Ensures timely and effective implementation and roll-out of the Autonomous Maintenance / Progressive Maintenance (AM/PM) program
Process Optimization: Production processes optimization and effectiveness improvement according to AM/PM guidelines
KPI Reporting: Responsible for monthly KPI Reporting (OEE, Tobacco Yield, NTM Yield, Cig Reject Ratio, Winnower Rejection, Waste Management Reports, Spare Parts consumption, etc.)
Performance Reporting: Generate monthly performance reports by using globally defined calculation methods
Data Analysis: Analyse the data and identify improvement areas to share with the department and the Management Team
Report Analysis: Responsible for the analysis of the month-end closing reports
Activity Follow-up: Establish effective administration and effective follow-up on month-end closing activities
Month Closure: Close the month with the common consent of the related parties
Team Management: Manages AM/PM and Process Analyst teams, ensures their development, and creates an effective team
Training Planning: Reviews, organizes and implements internal training plans
Successor Development: Ensures the development of potential successors for key positions within the structure
Report Preparation: Makes specific production reports
Target Responsibility: Responsible for KPI and meeting the targets
Budget Participation: Participates in production budget reviews and establishment, responsible for using available budgets
Training Planning: Plans employment and training within the JTI group and with external suppliers
Task Execution: Perform any other tasks commissioned by the supervisor
Regulatory Compliance: Compliance with EHS procedures, labour law, corporate guidance, internal regulations and work performance instructions

19. Continuous Improvement Manager Role Purpose

Goal Alignment: Understand and meet all project goals (Quality, Delivery and Cost) and work together with Operations and support departments to control and track KPIs correctly and effectively
Issue Management: Identifies opportunities/issues, defines and manages performance improvement plans, with action plans, Bridge Plans and Glide Paths
Root Cause: Support Operations Managers, performing root cause analysis and implementing Bridge/glide/action plans to improve performance and client/customer satisfaction
Standards Compliance: Responsible for the implementation, compliance and improvement of the Sitel Global Operating Standards GOS
Policy Compliance: Ensure and promote project compliance related to Quality and Security standards and policies, ISO and PCI or any client-requested certifications
Quality Monitoring: Implementation and control of Quality Monitoring Master Plans, supporting and improving Quality monitoring programs and the CXpert program
Solution Implementation: Recommends solutions and controls, and implements approved recommendations
Audit Coordination: Point of contact for internal and external audits planning and management and provide the focus, direction, and control
Action Tracking: Responsible for identifying, logging and tracking Nonconformity and corrective actions to avoid possible recurrences

20. Continuous Improvement Manager General Responsibilities

Project Execution: Design and execute analytic projects in collaboration with ACES, data engineering, finance, business analysts, and other specialists
Data Analysis: Analyze and extract relevant information from large amounts of both structured and unstructured data to help automate and optimize key processes
Problem Definition: Define the business problem and solution approach autonomously
Data Validation: Analyze and validate data to ensure high data quality and reliable insights
Data Partnership: Partner with data engineering teams to improve data assets, quality, metrics and insights
Opportunity Identification: Proactively identify opportunity areas for deep dive investigations and future program development
Insight Communication: Write concise documents communicating results to stakeholders and visualize data to drive decision-making
Program Development: Drive programs to react to opportunities

21. Continuous Improvement Manager Key Accountabilities

Strategy Implementation: Work through the leadership team to lead the development and implementation of the site's Lean and Six Sigma strategy, actions, training and cross-functional activities including Rapid Improvement Events (RIEs)
Gap Assessment: Conduct Eaton Lean System (ELSS), Continuous Improvement Framework (CIF), and OpA assessments and identify performance gaps
Activity Prioritization: Works through the leadership team to prioritize improvement activities and close gaps
Improvement Support: Provide Lean and Six Sigma support across the organization to drive short-term and long-term business improvements
Tool Utilization: Utilize Lean and Six Sigma tools to eliminate waste, drive customer satisfaction, cost reduction, and improve working capital performance
Team Leadership: Lead the continuous improvement (Lean and Six Sigma) team, including direct reports of CI technicians and extended cross-functional team members
Event Facilitation: Assists in improvement activities including training, mentoring, facilitating Kaizen events, Six Sigma projects, tool deployment, benchmarking, etc.
Mentoring Support: Provide Lean and Six Sigma mentoring to support functional talent development and succession planning
Alignment Coordination: Work with the Regional/Divisional CI Manager to ensure alignment of plant CI activities to broader functional strategy and vision

22. Continuous Improvement Manager Roles and Details

Strategy Execution: Works with the entire team to lead the development and implementation of the site's Continuous Improvement strategy, actions, and cross-functional activities
Training Delivery: Provides site Lean and Six Sigma training and mentoring
Performance Assessment: Conducts Eaton Lean System (ELS) assessments and identifies performance gaps
Activity Prioritization: Works through the leadership team to prioritize improvement activities and close gaps
Support Delivery: Provides Operational Assessment (Op A) support across the organization to drive short-term and long-term business improvements
Tool Utilization: Utilizes Lean and Six Sigma tools to eliminate waste, driving customer satisfaction, cost reduction, and improved working capital performance
Initiative Leadership: Works through site leadership to lead the site's Continuous Improvement Council and corporate Lean initiatives and reporting
Event Facilitation: Assists in improvement activities including training, mentoring, facilitating RIEs, Kaizen events, Six Sigma projects, tool deployment, benchmarking, etc.
Method Development: Leads in the development of methods and practices to reduce manufacturing variation and support in the development and launch of new products, processes and services
Metric Analysis: Analyzes organizational metrics and performs managerial reviews to evaluate results and recommend action plans to close gaps at an operational level
Initiative Coordination: Coordinates and assists with corporate initiatives, participating on teams to drive best practices across Eaton Corp
Cost Management: Manages plant cost-out activities
Engagement Promotion: Drives complete employee engagement and enhancement of problem-solving knowledge at all levels
Capability Building: Builds organizational capability by hiring and developing CI leaders
Succession Planning: Participates in annual development plans and provides input on organization capability/succession planning sessions

23. Continuous Improvement Manager Responsibilities and Key Tasks

Project Identification: Facilitates the identification of projects to achieve budgeted cost savings and to reduce and eliminate operational variances
Status Reporting: Reports on the progress status of all open continuous improvement projects
Timeline Management: Maintains project timelines, provides progress updates, and ensures projects are completed on time with the anticipated results
Team Facilitation: Facilitates, coordinates, and participates in cross-functional teams aimed at generating projects to identify and eliminate waste
Performance Tracking: Ensures financial performance is tracked and verified for all continuous improvement projects
Initiative Support: Assists Department Managers to drive departmental and individual improvement initiatives
Issue Resolution: Facilitates and participates in teams aimed at the resolution of quality issues and concerns
Planning Support: Supports production control, material control, and material planning departments in improvement projects relating to scheduling, inventory management and raw material
OEE Improvement: Assists in improving overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) through downtime reduction and the use of preventative maintenance and total productive maintenance
Training Delivery: Creates and performs plant training and mentoring on Lean Manufacturing tools including 6S, Visual Management, Kaizen, Standard Work, 8 Wastes, Error Proofing, Quick Changeover, TPM, Material flow, and Value Stream Mapping
Kaizen Leadership: Facilitates and leads at least two (2) kaizen events per month
Project Sharing: Cascades read-across projects among similar manufacturing facilities
Standards Auditing: Creates and audits processes and standards to ensure sustained improvements
Report Submission: Reviews and submits monthly Lean savings reports to the financial department
Data Maintenance: Maintains accurate data in systems, including Enterproj

24. Continuous Improvement Manager Duties and Roles

Efficiency Monitoring: Plan for and monitor the efficiency and effectiveness of DSC Logistics Centers
Capacity Planning: Collaborate with the facility’s Supply Chain Leaders to set overall operational capacity plan for assigned Logistics Centers including production plans, staffing plans, stretch goals, schedules and MHE allocations
Engineering Liaison: Act as liaison with engineering
Layout Execution: Manage the execution of zoning, layout and pick-lines
Forecast Utilization: Utilize data and forecasts to identify opportunities for change
Standards Evaluation: Evaluate each Logistics Center’s adherence to standards and leading practices
Operations Management: Manage inventory control, quality and operations efficiencies
Practice Compliance: Ensure compliance and improvement of all Inventory Control and Quality Management practices across the network
Program Establishment: Establish and manage food safety, sanitation and regulatory programs
Audit Management: Manage the execution and communication of all audits, inspections, customer-specific requirements and policy deviations
Quality Enforcement: Ensure the team is reinforcing compliance with quality practices through sustained adherence to management reviews, audits, documentation, and CAPAs

25. Continuous Improvement Manager Roles and Responsibilities

Review Support: Support management reviews, quality continuous improvement and quality planning as part of the overall customer network goals
Expense Analysis: Analyze and manage labor expense, including performance data
Mindset Promotion: Drive a continuous improvement mindset and activity to achieve customer business objectives
Practice Evaluation: Evaluate leading practices for improvement including network-wide recommendations
Program Execution: Execute DSC’s visual management program
Program Management: Manage a continuous improvement program
Team Oversight: Manage the Operations Optimization team across the network
Result Delivery: Ensure analysts and specialists are delivering results for the customer
Objective Alignment: Connect the Operations Optimization team members to DSC’s and the Customer’s business objectives
Meeting Facilitation: Conduct regular team meetings
Performance Accountability: Hold employees accountable for performance

26. Continuous Improvement Manager Duties

Lean Implementation: Leading systematic implementation of lean tools in factories to drive core metrics on Safety, Quality, Delivery, Inventory and Cost
Deployment Sustainability: Ensuring the sustainability of lean deployment
ITM Representation: Representing and contributing to the development of ITM in the BL as a core team member or subject matter expert in preparing/upgrading ITM training materials and best practices
Essentials Deployment: Ensuring the essentials of ITM is deployed at all factories and well sustained
Kaizen Coaching: Facilitating, teaching, and coaching the kaizen teams (ITM tools) from preparation to execution and sustainment to bring changes and improvement to operations
Progress Reporting: Regular reporting to the Hub and Business Line on ITM deployment progress and regular reviews (with Hub operation managers) with the factories to continuously assess and guide the teams
KPI Analysis: Analyzing SQDIC KPIs (eg, OPQs) to seek continuous improvement potential and work with the factories to deliver these improvements via ITM and process improvements (in conjunction with Hub Q managers and Hub operations, factory managers)
Leadership Training: Training CI managers and prod managers in factories to be competent kaizen leaders
Team Building: Building a core team of subject matter experts in the Hub to support and accelerate the lean journey and operational improvements in the Hub
Value Commitment: Living core values of safety and integrity, which means taking responsibility for own actions while caring for colleagues and the business

27. Continuous Improvement Manager Details

Project Management: Manage cross-functional improvement projects (Inc. process and IT system changes) through the delivery lifecycle
Benefit Realization: Manage the definition and realization of measurable financial and non-financial benefits to account for opex and capex spend incurred by improvements and operating model changes
Delivery Monitoring: Monitor the deliveries to provide high-quality, timely and accurate reporting to business stakeholders
Process Review: Drive Operations departments to continually review their work practices to ensure that all operational processes and systems are efficient and effective
Roadmap Alignment: Liaise with Senior Management stakeholders to agree on roadmap prioritization and secure subject matter expertise to support project delivery
Champion Mentoring: Mentor champions across Operations to enable them to deliver local improvement initiatives by providing best practice tools and techniques for project delivery
Target Enablement: Act as a key enabler to ensure the business achieves its year-on-year productivity targets
Change Implementation: Assess the impact of future change and work with the front-line management team to implement with no adverse impact on service
Team Collaboration: Collaborate and exchange ideas with other improvement and harmonization teams from across the whole VM operation, along with central LG improvement teams
Culture Promotion: Promote a culture of continuous improvement, encouraging the appropriate application of Team-Based Problem Solving tools and techniques to reduce costs and improve service

28. Continuous Improvement Manager Responsibilities

Action Planning: Developing suitable action plans in partnership with the management team, designed to drive up team/site performance measures
System Consolidation: Developing suitable action plans in partnership with the management team, designed to consolidate and reduce the number of systems in place
Benefit Tracking: Creation and maintenance of a system to identify and leverage the benefits identified across the department
Change Coordination: Working with the management team, coordinating the scheduling, resourcing and necessary training ahead of any significant change initiative
Training Delivery: Ongoing delivery of process and product training, ensuring people are kept up to date with current technologies and operational systems
Customer Collaboration: Work collaboratively with customers and suppliers to understand improvement opportunities and design initiatives and quality service improvement plans
Business Case: Work with stakeholders and the finance team to determine the business and financial case for improvement and operating efficiency projects
Spend Management: Manage the approved spend thereafter
Project Implementation: Ensure the management of improvement projects and virtual teams to ensure the successful implementation of change including process, system enhancements and changes to ways of working through engaging and working with relevant stakeholders
Process Review: Continually review the performance of Operations and proactively work with process owners to design improvements to processes, services and infrastructure to increase efficiency, effectiveness, and drive out bad cost
Practice Evaluation: Review internal team working practices, processes and performance to improve productivity and general levels of service, ultimately engendering a "continuous improvement" culture
Progress Reporting: Keep Senior Management informed on the progress of projects and objectives and ensure prompt escalation of any high-impact issues affecting the team or wider organization

29. Continuous Improvement Manager Job Summary

Regulatory Compliance: Ensure that all team processes, procedures and working practices comply with chosen regulatory standards (e.g., ISO9001, ISO27001, NGN224), company policies and best practice (e.g., ITIL, Lean) methodologies
Plan Execution: Produce implementation plans and manage the roll-out of service enhancements with minimal customer or operational impact following thorough operational readiness testing
Audit Performance: Perform quality audits of implementations to drive improvement and review that customer requirements are being met post-transition
Contractor Management: Manage contractors and temporary resources across delivery projects to ensure the smooth delivery of improvements into Operations
Reporting Responsibility: General reporting responsibilities to complement delivery activities or to deliver reporting as a delivery in its own right
Data Enhancement: Enhancing data collection procedures to include information that is relevant for building analytic systems
Result Analysis: Interpreting data, analysing results using statistical techniques and providing ongoing reports
Data Acquisition: Acquiring data from primary or secondary data sources and developing and maintaining information sets
Trend Identification: Identify, analyse, and interpret trends or patterns in complex data sets
Priority Alignment: Work with management to prioritize business and information needs
Ad-hoc Analysis: Providing ad-hoc analysis and presenting results

30. Continuous Improvement Manager Accountabilities

Project Execution: Responsible for coordinating and executing LSS projects and workshops together with the different departments
Training Delivery: Deliver Lean Six Sigma training and provide belt project mentoring towards certification in the plant
Improvement Coordination: Coordinate and carry out improvement projects and workshops at the plant level
System Development: Works together with the central OEG team for the development of all parts of the system, being defined and developed locally, to standardize any customizations made for the everyday use of the system and any simplifications introduced
Loss Identification: Work together with the functional manager to identify within each function the losses
Project Selection: Facilitates the project selection by plant priority and resource availability using a rigorous and methodological approach, following the Plant Performance Workshop process once a year
Technique Mastery: Master all the techniques and methods provided by the Lean Six Sigma approach and the goal deployment process
Implementation Planning: Checks the priority with the factory organization and plans the implementation, ensuring the integration of them into operational excellence management systems
Communication Management: Ensures the effective and timely communication to all levels of the organization and the involvement of the functions that are necessary for the implementation
KPI Support: Support the 8 Ardagh Key Performance Indicators that will be followed as a performance management system from the senior team to hourly activity
Committee Organization: Plans and organizes the Goal deployment process steering committee of the plant, taking care of all the factors that determine its success
Activity Verification: Continuously verifies that the activities relating to the field of LSS are carried out by the methods and the tools
Method Guidance: Represents in the plant the reference to whom all come naturally in case of some doubts about the correctness of the application of methods and tools
Standards Compliance: Comply with Environmental and Food Safety standards as outlined in plant policies/programs within Department responsibilities

31. Continuous Improvement Manager Functions

Service Improvement: Identify and deliver service improvement activity across the business through employing process improvement methodologies and the application of innovative thinking
Culture Building: Work with key business stakeholders and multi-jurisdictional ‘LEAN champions’ to build a continuous improvement environment to support an ongoing culture of change
Event Facilitation: Lead and facilitate LEAN/process improvement-based events to drive ideas and solutions
Trend Identification: Identify trends and process variations as part of establishing a continuous improvement monitoring system
Strategy Development: Assist in the development and implementation of a ‘best-in-class’ continuous improvement strategy
Change Ownership: Take ownership of change initiatives from evolution/efficiency identification through to project delivery via internal documentation and controls
Process Communication: Communicate requirements and drive process change using staff interviews, document analysis, requirements events, surveys, site visits, business process descriptions, business analysis and workflow analysis
Risk Monitoring: Actively monitor project risks to foresee/identify potential problems and proactively identify solutions to address in advance
Impact Management: Ensure the business impact and project objectives/dependencies are identified, reported on, and managed at all times
Staff Mentoring: Deliver coaching and mentoring of staff
Review Completion: Complete post implementation reviews to ensure successful delivery has been achieved and to ensure that improvements can be made for future projects

32. Continuous Improvement Manager Job Description

Initiative Support: Supports the development, prioritization, and execution of performance improvement
Methodology Application: Initiatives utilizing Lean, Six Sigma or similar methodologies, impacting performance at the entity and system level
Process Mapping: Maps key processes, identifies areas of waste inefficiency and impacts to quality of care and service
Project Leadership: Provides project leadership for multiple mid to large-scale initiatives
Stakeholder Engagement: Building strong cross-functional relationships to ensure that all stakeholders are appropriately engaged
Data Support: Assist project teams with data collection, analysis, and visualization, using tools to monitor, improve and sustain performance
Outcome Communication: Communicates progress and outcomes at all levels of the organization in a professional and effective manner
Opportunity Identification: Responsible for seeking and establishing future strategic project opportunities for the practices
Staff Recruitment: Hire and train administrative staff
Performance Monitoring: Monitor and evaluate staff performance
Staff Coaching: Provide coaching/mentoring to office managers and office coordinators
Department Communication: Communicate effectively with other home office departments, including applicable findings at practices, such as human resources, information technology, accounting, revenue cycle management, and credentialing
Meeting Scheduling: Schedule regular meetings with practices to meet operational requirements
Payroll Oversight: Understand and potentially oversee payroll
Policy Monitoring: Monitor policies and procedures in practice

33. Continuous Improvement Manager Overview

Waste Compliance: Understand the removal of medical waste in compliance with regulatory requirements
Regulation Compliance: Ensure compliance with current healthcare regulations, medical laws, and ethics
Inventory Management: Understand how to keep track of equipment and devices and manage inventory
Vendor Liaison: Act as a liaison with vendors regarding equipment and supplies
Record Accuracy: Ensure patient records are current and accurate
Scheduling Knowledge: Understand patient scheduling and registration of patients
Billing Supervision: Supervise medical coding, medical billing, and banking
Material Provision: Provide educational material to practices
Patient Communication: Communicate with patients regarding inquiries and complaints
Technology Understanding: Understand practice management, EMR, and supporting technologies for patient engagement

34. Continuous Improvement Manager Details and Accountabilities

Issue Analysis: Find and analyze the issues related to equipment and processes during the daily operation, lead the root cause analysis and problem-solving
Project Involvement: Involved in the equipment automation and people saving project, including the study and improvement of the people allocation
Compliance Responsibility: Responsible for the ISO and GMP and ensuring effective monitoring and control of the GMP
Production Support: Involved in the related new product trial and initiation of normal production, follow up on the related issues, collect the relevant production data, finalize the headcount and formalize the SOP
Debugging Coordination: Involved in the debugging of the new equipment and coordinating and following up on the issues associated with production and engineering
Suggestion Implementation: Implementation of the employee suggestion activity
Tool Implementation: Implementation of the improvement tools like TPM, Lean, Project Management (Scrum/Sprint), Six Sigma
Culture Promotion: Promote the continuous improvement of culture, incentives and award the team and individual for continuous improvement behaviors

35. Continuous Improvement Manager Tasks

Metric Management: Manage and guide the business metrics to meet ongoing organizational or customer information needs in regards to process improvement methodology
Process Oversight: Manage and guide existing processes to make sure they continue to perform at optimal levels of efficiency
Project Planning: Manage and develop plans, schedules, and budgets for projects to improve existing processes
Team Training: Manage and train project teams regarding process improvement methodology
Opportunity Identification: Identify opportunities, define and financially justify projects, manage project activities, track project status and results
Communication Management: Manage communication throughout the organization regarding process improvement methodology projects
Idea Integration: Integrate Continuous Improvement ideas as part of the process and drive teams towards standard work
Project Integration: Ensure projects are integrated with other business activities, improvement projects, and the business strategy

Relevant Information

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