Director of Continuous Improvement

Job summary

Develop and lead a multi-year continuous improvement strategy across ODL’s global manufacturing sites, standardizing processes and deploying Lean, Six Sigma, Kaizen, problem-solving, and daily management practices. Coach leaders and CI Champions, govern and prioritize improvement projects, and deliver measurable gains in quality, delivery, cost, and operational performance.

Job details

The Director of Continuous Improvement – is responsible for developing and leading a structured continuous improvement strategy across ODL’s global manufacturing sites. This role reports to the EVP, Operations and partners closely with Operations, Engineering, Product Management, Supply Chain leadership to standardize and train associates on how we perform problem solving, value stream mapping, run daily management, and deploy strategy across all ODL sites. The Director will move beyond tools and training—driving behavior change, standardization, accountability, and measurable results that improve delivery, quality, cost, and scalability. The Impact You’ll Drive Lead continuous improvement and act as a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt facilitator, delivering training and building capability in structured problem solving, continuous improvement, and strategy deployment. Build and execute a multi-year Continuous Improvement (CI) strategy and roadmap aligned to business priorities and operational needs that improves quality, delivery, and cost across all ODL sites leading through influence without having direct authority over site operations. Champion the disciplined use and embedment of Lean, Six Sigma, Kaizen, and structured problem-solving methodologies and tools, enabling teams to identify root causes, implement sustainable countermeasures, and scale best practices across all ODL sites to drive measurable improvements in quality, delivery and cost. Work with ODL Site Leadership to enable our Business Operating System (BOS) across ODL by standardizing our manufacturing processes, documentation, and governance to enable consistent execution and support scalable growth. Drive value stream mapping to identify waste, improve flow, reduce lead time, and enable end-to-end optimization while standardizing and scaling best practices across all ODL sites. Facilitate Kaizen events and Lean transformation initiatives, driving measurable improvements across value streams. Establish and manage CI governance, including project prioritization, resourcing, and validation of financial impact in partnership with Finance. Partner with site leaders to improve key operational metrics including customer PPM, scrap, warranty quality, unit production, inventory, OTIF, and UPLH. Lead change by coaching and developing leaders, building alignment, and embedding continuous improvement into daily management routines across all ODL sites. Foster a culture of accountability, ownership and continuous improvement by identifying, training, and developing CI Champions across the organization. What sets you up for success: Required Qualifications Bachelor’s degree in engineering, operations, supply chain or related field, with 10+ years of experience in manufacturing/operations environments and at least 5 years leading continuous improvement, operational excellence, or transformation initiatives. Lean Six Sigma Black Belt certification Proven track record of driving measurable improvements in cost, quality, delivery, and efficiency, supported by a strong working knowledge of Lean manufacturing, Six Sigma, and structured problem-solving methodologies. Hands-on experience applying Lean and CI tools (value stream mapping, standard work, 8D, Kaizen) and leveraging manufacturing, tooling, automation, and engineering systems (ERP, PLM) to drive data-informed decisions. Strategic, execution-focused leader who is credible on the floor and in operations & manufacturing spaces, able to influence across functions, communicate clearly, coach at all levels, and sustain improvements beyond short-term wins. Experience in multi-site or global manufacturing networks. Experience implementing and leading enterprise level strategic planning process. Ability to travel (25-50%) to ODL global in the US, Canada, Mexico, UK, & China. Preferred Qualifications BA in Industrial Engineering or related field Master’s Degree Experience in building materials, building products, or similar manufacturing environments. Shift First Shift (United States of America)

What you’ll do

Develop and lead a multi-year continuous improvement strategy across ODL’s global manufacturing sites, standardizing processes and deploying Lean, Six Sigma, Kaizen, problem-solving, and daily management practices. Coach leaders and CI Champions, govern and prioritize improvement projects, and deliver measurable gains in quality, delivery, cost, and operational performance.

Requirements

Requires a bachelor’s degree in engineering, operations, supply chain, or a related field; 10+ years in manufacturing or operations, including at least five years leading continuous improvement or transformation; and Lean Six Sigma Black Belt certification. Candidates should have multi-site or global manufacturing experience, hands-on Lean and CI tool expertise, strategic planning experience, and the ability to travel 25–50%; a master’s degree and relevant building-products experience are preferred.

Listed skills

• Continuous Improvement · Preferred
• Change Management · Preferred
• Operational Excellence · Preferred
• Kaizen · Preferred
• ERP · Preferred
• Root Cause Analysis · Preferred
• Lean Manufacturing · Preferred

Other relevant skills

Identified from the job description. Confirm important requirements above.

• Continuous Improvement
• Lean Six Sigma
• Structured Problem Solving
• Value Stream Mapping
• Kaizen
• Strategy Deployment
• Lean Manufacturing
• Root Cause Analysis
• Standard Work
• Change Management
• Operational Excellence
• Project Governance
• Financial Impact Validation
• Manufacturing Operations
• ERP
• PLM
• Lead Time Reduction
• Influencing Skills
• Influencing Without Authority
• Supply Chain
• Accountability
• Kaizen Methodology
• Train Teammates
• Eight Disciplines Problem Solving (8D)
• Six Sigma Methodology
• Systems Engineering
• Automation
• Management
• Strategic Planning
• Business Operating System
• Communication
• Continuous Improvement Process
• Enterprise Resource Planning
• Finance
• Governance
• Leadership
• Scalability
• Industrial Engineering
• Problem Solving
• Product Lifecycle Management
• Lean Six Sigma Black Belt
• Manufacturing Processes
• Operations
• Product Management
• Coaching
• Tooling
• Resourcing
• Prioritization
• Business Priorities

Job areas

• Manufacturing
• Management & Leadership
• Engineering
• Logistics
• Director of Continuous Improvement
• Director of Manufacturing
• Manufacturing Managers
• Industrial Production Managers

More jobs from ODL, Inc