The salary range for this position is estimated at $105,000 - $135,000, which will be determined based on the candidate’s experience and qualifications.

The Continuous Improvement and Operational Excellence Manager will be the central figure responsible for driving operational excellence initiatives within the Waukesha organization. Waukesha is an industrial manufacturing business and world leader in sustainable technologies. As an integral member of our Operations team, the job holder will be pivotal in leading, managing, and executing the continuous improvement strategies to drive operational efficiency, eliminate barriers to performance, and contribute to the overall success and profitability of the organization. Reporting directly to the VP of Operations, this role requires strong leadership, a skillset in root cause analysis and problem-solving, a deep understanding of Lean Six Sigma methodologies, and a bias for action.

The Continuous Improvement and Operational Excellence Manager will work out of our state-of-the-art facility in Welland, ON, which has been repeatedly named as one of Canada’s Safest Employers. She/he will support team members cross-functionally in driving measurable and sustainable improvements in customer delivery, quality, cost, and productivity, while also playing a critical role in developing and supporting our employees to help them to put their best foot forward and drive tangible change across the organization and beyond.

Essential Responsibilities:

• Be a hands-on leader and manager of Lean Six Sigma projects to improve business processes and enhance operational efficiency across the organization
• Identify opportunities for process improvements and prioritize and execute improvement initiatives under stringent time constraints
• Facilitate and execute major cross-functional, multi-stakeholder Value Stream improvement projects
• Develop and implement process performance metrics and dashboards to monitor the effectiveness of process improvements and continued alignment with business objectives
• Facilitate joint Kaizen activity with channel partners, customers, and suppliers by providing coaching, training, and mentoring
• Promote an environment of continuous improvement and problem-solving through root cause analysis-based practice
• Coach, train, and mentor team members in Lean tools, including but not limited to: Value Stream Mapping, Tact Time, 5S, 7 Types of Waste, Standard Work, Visual Management, Changeover Reduction, Flow, and Pull
• Critically analyze and understand processes in various departments with a strong focus on identifying areas of waste or inefficiency
• Conduct continuous improvement training and workshops for staff at all levels
• Maintain reports of continuous improvement activities and present progress and solution-based opportunities to senior leadership
• Encourage a culture of continuous improvement within the organization
• Maintain close working relationships with other leaders and stakeholders to ensure that changes are implemented smoothly and efficiently
• Support product management, customer service, sales, sourcing, and technical support teams with regular business process improvements
• Be a positive culture change agent to deploy strategic processes through a strong network of key leaders
• Yearly creation of the Lean Roadmap and Vision

Qualification Requirements:

• 10+ years of Operational Excellence or combined experience in Operations and Engineering in an industrial manufacturing organization
• Proven track record of driving process improvements and delivering measurable results
• Fluent in Lean, Six Sigma principles
• Ability to train, coach, and motive team members to build a culture of Lean
• Holds a strong bias for action and execution
• Proven facilitation and team leading skills with the ability to work effectively with all levels of a matrixed organization
• Excellent written and oral communication and interpersonal skills, customer-focused, enthusiastic partner
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills with the proven ability to explain critical issues to all audiences
• Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited university with a preference in Engineering or Business
• Certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt or Master Black Belt considered an asset
• Strong project management skills
• Proficient in digitization methodologies and software
• Experience with project mapping and statistical analyses
• Desire to work in a fast-paced environment with a strong bias for action and change
• Ability to travel internationally

This role is made for a Continuous Improvement (CI) professional with a desire to have a significant impact on our operational efficiency and effectiveness. If you are a driven, results-orientated individual who takes a hands-on approach to continuous improvement, we welcome your application and look forward to connecting with you.

Accommodations:

INNIO is an equal opportunity employer committed to inclusive, barrier-free recruitment and selection processes and work environments. We will make reasonable accommodations for the needs of applicants under the Ontario Human Rights Code and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) throughout all stages of the recruitment and selection process. Please advise the Human Resources Department at recruiting@innio.com to ensure your accessibility needs are accommodated throughout this process.

As part of our commitment to innovation and efficiency, INNIO utilizes AI technology to assist in the initial screening of applicants. This helps us more effectively identify qualifications and match candidates to role requirements. Pleases note that all hiring decisions are made with human oversight to ensure fairness, context, and alignment with our core values.