Manufacturing Process Improvement Manager
Location: Virginia Beach, VA
Job Type: Full-Time
Salary: Starting at $85,000/year; higher salary available based on experience
Position Overview
We are seeking a Manufacturing Process Improvement Manager to lead continuous improvement efforts across manufacturing and operations. This position focuses on improving productivity, labor efficiency, cycle times, quality, safety, and on-time delivery through Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, Kaizen, and structured problem-solving.
This is a hands-on leadership role that works directly with production teams and leadership to identify problems, improve processes, and establish sustainable solutions.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead and manage continuous improvement initiatives aligned with operational goals.
- Identify opportunities to improve processes, productivity, workflow, and cost efficiency.
- Facilitate Kaizen events, process improvement workshops, and root cause analysis.
- Apply Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, value stream mapping, and change management methodologies.
- Analyze processes and operational data to identify bottlenecks, waste, and improvement opportunities.
- Develop and implement practical, sustainable process improvements on the manufacturing floor.
- Train, coach, and mentor employees on CI tools and techniques.
- Establish and monitor KPIs to measure improvement results and program performance.
- Track labor efficiency, cycle time, quality, safety, and delivery improvements.
- Present project results, recommendations, and progress to plant and senior leadership.
- Partner with multiple departments to build engagement and accountability around improvement initiatives.
- Support all shifts as needed to implement and sustain improvement projects.
- Evaluate workflow and capital investment opportunities that can improve labor efficiency.
- Ensure improvement activities support safety, quality, and customer satisfaction.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering, Operations Management, Business Management, Manufacturing Engineering, or related field; equivalent experience may be considered.
- 5+ years of experience leading or implementing continuous improvement programs in a manufacturing environment.
- Experience in engineer-to-order, fabrication, industrial, or manufacturing operations preferred.
- Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, or Continuous Improvement certification strongly preferred.
- Proven ability to lead improvement projects with measurable operational results.
- Strong knowledge of Lean principles, value stream mapping, root cause analysis, Kaizen, and change management.
- Ability to collect, analyze, and interpret operational data.
- Strong leadership and ability to influence teams across departments and organizational levels.
- Excellent presentation, communication, facilitation, and training skills.
- Strong project management, organization, and time management skills.
- Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Office.
- Ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
- Self-motivated, analytical, and committed to safety, quality, accountability, and operational excellence.
Work & Physical Requirements
- Regularly walk the production floor and interact with manufacturing teams.
- Ability to stand, bend, and move throughout manufacturing areas during assessments and improvement activities.
- Occasionally lift up to 50 lbs.
- Ability to support multiple shifts and work flexible hours when improvement initiatives require it.
- Comfortable working in both office and manufacturing environments.
This is an opportunity to take ownership of manufacturing improvement initiatives, work directly with operations teams, and deliver measurable gains in efficiency, quality, safety, and overall plant performance.