Continuous Improvement Manager

Job Requirements

Why Work For Us?

Alkegen brings together two of the world's leading specialty materials companies to create one new, innovation-driven leader focused on battery technologies, filtration media, and specialty insulation and sealing materials. Through global reach and breakthrough inventions, we're delivering products that enable the world to breathe easier, live greener, and go further than ever before.

With over 60 manufacturing facilities with a global workforce of over 9,000 of the industry's most experienced talent, including insulation and filtration experts, Alkegen is uniquely positioned to help customers impact the environment in meaningful ways.

Alkegen offers a range of dynamic career opportunities with globe-spanning reach. From production operators to engineers, technicians to specialists, sales to leadership, we're always looking for top talent ready to bring their best. Come grow with us!

Position Description:

The Continuous Improvement Manager is responsible for creating value through leading and driving Continuous Improvement (CI). Utilize CI principles in support of meeting financial, business and leadership developmental goals. This position has responsibility for guiding, training, executing, and measuring the strategy for the Tonawanda sites.

This position reports to the Plant Manager and has dotted line reporting responsibility to the Global CI Manager. Works frequently and closely with all of the Plant Management teams and builds a network with other plants to share and develop good practice.

Responsibilities:

• Establish prioritization of projects with Plant Management that will deliver best possible value including financial impacts and provide timely and accurate input to annual budgets and forecasts.
• Implement facility based KPIs, monitor KPI results, explain variances, resolve gaps in performance to ensure sustainability.
• Identify gaps in performance against Best in Class and lead improvement initiatives that close said gaps.
• For assigned facility and plans, identify required resources, track progress and report status to plan. Identify variances to plan, communicate and resolve variances. Identify gaps in resources, results and performance.
• Implement tools and methodologies. Sustain change and support continued use of implemented tools and methodologies.
• Develop facility expertise, identify gaps in capability and implement plans to close gaps
• Lead implementation of defined change programs. Identify, communicate and resolve change management gaps at assigned facilities.
• Ensure sustainability and improvements implemented.
• Ensure basic CI knowledge is available to all employees on site. Act as change agent to instill Unifrax Way culture throughout the organization.
• Works as a team leader to Manufacturing, Quality, and Process Engineers for WCM projects. Train and coach process owners, champions, process improvement leaders, and project teams in the use of improvement tools and methodology to ensure timely completion of projects.
• Works directly on target focused improvement projects that are critical for the site
• Train local employees. As needed, modify and fit training programs to facility requirements. Arrange and execute training programs. Assess training impact and gaps. Communicate training effectiveness. Provide follow-up training as required.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree (B.S.) or equivalent, with a minimum of three to five years industrial experience gained in manufacturing or similar environment.
• Formal Continuous Improvement related training required, with at least two years of experience of a successful implementation of the chosen methodology.
• Practical application of CI is key, with the ability to coach and mentor shop floor personnel; academic ability alone is insufficient in this role.
• Ability to write reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals. Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from production and maintenance employees. Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions.

At Alkegen, we strive every day to help people - ALL PEOPLE - breathe easier, live greener and go further than ever before. We believe that diversity and inclusion is central to this mission and to our impact. Our diverse and inclusive culture drives our growth & innovation and we nurture it by actively embracing our differences and using our varied perspectives to solve the complex challenges facing our changing and diverse world.

Employment selection and related decisions are made without regard to sex, race, ethnicity, nation of origin, religion, color, gender identity and expression, age, disability, education, opinions, culture, languages spoken, veteran's status, or any other protected class.