Continuous Improvement Manager

Who We Are

Alene Candles LLC & Midwest is a private label, contract manufacturer that produces high-quality candles for some of the world's most recognized retail, boutique, and cosmetic brands. With our headquarters in New Hampshire and locations in Ohio and New York, we've been in business for over 25 years. We are passionate about making the best products in the world, making safety our number one priority, and being an insanely great place to work. We have been selected as a "Best Company to Work For" in 2020 and 2021 and 2023 Business of the Year for Manufacturing by Business NH Magazine!

The Position

As the Continuous Improvement Manager, you will play a pivotal role in driving operational excellence and process improvement initiatives across all three of our manufacturing locations. Your primary focus will be to lead and facilitate the implementation of Lean Six Sigma, Kaizen, and continuous improvement methodologies to enhance efficiency, reduce waste, and optimize our production processes. You will work closely with cross-functional teams to identify opportunities for improvement, develop strategies, and ensure the successful execution of improvement projects.

The Location

We are located at 8860 Smith's Mill Rd., Suite 100, New Albany, OH. This is an onsite position.

Additional Job Details:

Leadership and Strategy:

• Develop and implement a comprehensive continuous improvement strategy for all locations.
• Foster a culture of continuous improvement by coaching and mentoring teams at all levels.
• Collaborate with senior leadership to align improvement initiatives with overall business goals.

Process Improvement:

• Identify and prioritize improvement opportunities through data analysis and process mapping.
• Lead cross-functional teams to execute improvement projects using Lean Six Sigma and Kaizen methodologies.
• Monitor and measure the impact of improvement initiatives, ensuring sustainable results.

Training and Development:

• Provide training and guidance to employees on Lean Six Sigma principles and tools.
• Support the development of a skilled workforce capable of driving continuous improvement initiatives.

Change Management:

• Effectively communicate the benefits and objectives of continuous improvement initiatives to all employees.
• Manage resistance to change and ensure smooth implementation of improvement projects.

Performance Metrics:

• Establish key performance indicators (KPIs) and metrics to track progress and success.
• Regularly report on the status of improvement projects and their impact on the organization.

Best Practices Sharing:

• Promote the sharing of best practices and lessons learned across all locations.
• Stay current with industry trends and emerging technologies to enhance our continuous improvement efforts.

Requirements

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in engineering, Operations Management, or a related field (Master's degree preferred).
• Certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt or Master Black Belt preferred but not required.
• Minimum of [5] years of experience in continuous improvement, Lean Six Sigma, and Kaizen methodologies.
• Proven track record of successfully leading and implementing improvement projects.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent communication and leadership abilities.
• Ability to work collaboratively with diverse teams across multiple locations.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Ability to travel up to 25% within the organization's sites, equipment manufacturers, suppliers, and customer visits.
• Strong communication skills (verbal and written)
• Excellent coaching, facilitation, and project management skills
• Ability to exercise independent judgement within the defined policies and practices to achieve objectives
• Analytical and conceptual thinking - systemically identifies and understands problems
• Initiative - acts without direction
• Availability outside of normal business hours
• Information seeker - inquisitive and always seeking to understand the "why" with a desire to tell the whole story about problems, problem solving method, root cause, corrective actions, and projects.
• Excellent at using data to design and present executive level charts, graphs, and PowerPoints.

Salary is dependent upon experience. Job board estimates are not a reflection of the salary range for this role.

Benefits

Alene offers a host of competitive benefits for full-time employees, some of which include: Medical, Dental, and Vision with a Healthcare Reimbursement Account, 401(k) with company match, Basic Life Insurance (100% company paid), Employee Assistance Program, Flexible Spending Account, Paid Holidays, Paid Time Off, Tuition Reimbursement and "Alene Gives Back" - our paid volunteer program.

Alene Candles provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

Should you require assistance completing this application or during any phase of the interview process, please contact [email protected] or call 614-933-4005 and ask to speak to Human Resources. We will make every effort to accommodate your needs in a reasonable amount of time.