Continuous Improvement Manager, Watts Water Technologies, North Andover, MA

The Continuous Improvement Manager at Watts Water Technologies has overall responsibility for leading and driving Continuous Improvement (CI) across an entire Watts site. Trains, coaches and directly applies lean tools and principles to all business functions within Watts value streams. This leader will work with site and platform/BU leadership to achieve significant improvements to business processes that are linked to site strategy and focused on the customer, resulting in balanced scorecard improvements.

Principal Responsibilities and Duties

Lead and manage all standardized CI activities across the site, aligned with the Watts CI business system
Act as a change agent, systematically driving a CI culture
Facilitate strategy deployment and goal deployment across all site functions and multiple value streams, and maintain a site-wide lean roadmap aimed at meeting site business goals, including productivity, quality, delivery and customer allegiance
Champion, measure and report on site productivity savings to meet AOP goals
Train and lead kaizen and lean workshops to site leaders and associates, including VSM, daily management, standard work, problem solving, 3P/layout, cell design, material flow, TPM, SMED, 5S and visual management
Identify business opportunities for improvement
Identify internal and external best practices, and share across the site and Watts
Lead site CI steering committee
Facilitate the development and maintenance of an ongoing project funnel, being filled from all areas of the business
Facilitate the development of a healthy cross-functional group of qualified lean tool experts

Employee Core Competencies
All candidates will be interviewed against our core competencies. If there are additional competencies unique to this position add them from the list found on the Connect Website.

Collaborate Across Workgroups
Communicate Effectively
Deliver High Quality Work
Drive for Results
Focus on the Customer
Initiate Positive Change
Action Oriented
Motivate and Manage Others

Education, Experience, and Required Skills

Bachelor’s degree; technical engineering discipline
Formal CI training and certification
Minimum of 5 years of hands-on lean kaizen, including VSM, daily management, standard work, cell design, material flow, TPM, SMED, 3P/layout, 5S and visual management
Lean experience from a company with a strong, formal lean business system
Solid lean tool technical skills, project management experience and decision-making capability
Minimum of 5 years manufacturing experience in a machining/assembly environment
Working knowledge of multiple business functions, including operations, quality, logistics, finance, sales, customer service, engineering, IT and human resources
Experience leading strategy deployment and goal deployment, and developing a site-side lean roadmap with demonstrated results
Experience training and coaching a formal problem-solving methodology
Proven track record leading and coaching week-long kaizen teams with an emphasis on execution
Ability to influence cross-functional site leadership, with excellent written and verbal communication skills; well respected by leadership and associates
Ability to effectively lead and manage change
Hands-on approach
Advanced computer proficiency in Excel, Word, and PowerPoint

Management/Supervision

0-4 direct reports
Ensure company policies are followed
Enforce company safety policies

Physical Requirements
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to walk, talk, and/or hear. The employee is occasionally required to stand, sit, and use hands to finger, handle, or feel. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 10 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include: close vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.

Work Environment
Work in manufacturing and office environments.

Other Job Requirements

Travel typically 10%, but can have periods of 50%, e.g. coordinating the transition of product lines from other Watts manufacturing sites
As required by the American Disabilities Act (ADA)

To Apply:
Contact Paul Corbett, Talent Acquisition Consultant
Human Resources
Watts Water Technologies
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 978-689-6283