Senior Continuous Improvement Manager

This is a fully remote position, open to applicants in Washington.

📋 Description

• Act as the Fortive Business System partner for designated functions, sites, or strategic priorities.

• Convert strategic objectives and performance gaps into targeted improvement plans, metrics, actions, and operational rhythms.

• Organize and facilitate complex Kaizen events, overseeing everything from initial scoping and preparation to implementation and sustainability.

• Manage multiple Kaizen initiatives simultaneously, providing leadership for significant President’s Kaizen and Shingijutsu events.

• Collaborate with sponsors and process owners to define problems, scopes, objectives, teams, metrics, customer outcomes, roles, risks, milestones, and anticipated results.

• Direct root-cause analysis, decision-making processes, development of countermeasures, ownership, and accountability.

• Lead structured problem-solving efforts using process data, customer insights, and cross-functional viewpoints.

• Utilize FBS tools and link improvement initiatives to strategic, financial, operational, commercial, quality, and customer KPIs.

• Assist in policy deployment, daily management, business operations reviews, and improvement pipelines.

• Mentor leaders, Champions, Practitioners, FBSLs, and team members to enhance organizational capability and foster ownership.

• Drive change across functions, sites, cultures, and time zones through virtual collaboration and visual management techniques.

• Leverage AI, automation, analytics, and digital tools to meet defined business requirements.

⛳️ Requirements

• A minimum of eight years of progressive experience in continuous improvement, operations, product, service, commercial, customer-facing roles, or other relevant fields.

• At least five years of hands-on experience implementing Lean, FBS, or similar continuous-improvement methodologies.

• Proven track record of leading complex Kaizen events from problem identification and pre-work through to implementation and sustainability, including managing multiple concurrent events.

• Competence in project management within a Kaizen framework, covering scope, milestones, ownership, risks, metrics, stakeholder alignment, and implementation strategy.

• Demonstrated capability to facilitate cross-functional problem-solving, coach team members from frontline to L2 leaders, and influence without direct authority.

• Familiarity with product, commercial, service, or customer-facing roles sufficient to understand customer-centric challenges and commercial problem-solving.

• Strong business acumen, excellent communication, facilitation, adaptability, independent judgment, and self-directed learning skills.

• Proficiency with AI-enabled tools, analytics, automation, and digital collaboration platforms.

• Ability to lead virtually and manage travel commitments of up to one week per month.

🏝️ Benefits

• Equal opportunity employer.

• Reasonable accommodations for applicants with disabilities.

• Opportunities for learning and professional growth.

• An inclusive culture.

• A global team environment.