Organization
Enterprise Minnesota is an ISO 9001:2015 certified consulting organization that works with small and medium sized manufacturing companies to help them compete and grow profitably. The organization also serves as the “voice” for the industry, raising visibility and appreciation for the value manufacturers provide our communities and the state’s economy. The organization’s affiliation with the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) further positions them to offer clients leading-edge services to improve manufacturing operations, attract/retain employees, and grow their businesses.
Position Profile:
The Continuous Improvement Consultant partners with mid-sized and smaller manufacturing leaders and teams to improve operational performance and deliver measurable business results. This role applies continuous improvement principles in practical manufacturing environments to improve productivity, quality, delivery, cost, and workforce engagement while enabling leaders and teams to sustain improvements over time.
Success in this role requires strong facilitation and coaching skills and broad practical expertise in continuous improvement, with experience applying these capabilities to develop effective, right-sized continuous improvement systems aligned with each client’s business goals and leadership capacity.
Responsibilities/Accountabilities
Advise
- Advise client CEOs and leadership teams to diagnose operational challenges, prioritize improvement opportunities, and implement initiatives that achieve measurable results.
- Partner with client sponsors to translate business objectives into clear improvement priorities, metrics, and action plans.
- Assess current production processes and evaluate performance gaps using appropriate continuous improvement methods and data.
Implement
- Work with management and employees to identify and eliminate waste and streamline production processes.
- Coach leaders, supervisors, and frontline teams in the practical application of continuous improvement principles (e.g., CI fundamentals, 5S, value stream mapping, facility layout) to build internal capability and ownership.
- Design and support daily management systems and accountability mechanisms that reinforce continuous improvement culture.
- Facilitate kaizen events when appropriate, ensuring improvements are connected to daily management, sustained execution, and anticipated business results.
- Develop and implement standard work processes, visual management systems, and other continuous improvement practices to support process improvement.
Support
- Conduct follow-up to ensure sustainability, effectiveness, and achievement of refined business results.
- Facilitate workshops, planning sessions, and leadership discussions that align continuous improvement efforts with strategy, culture, and execution.
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams to drive integration of continuous improvement principles throughout the organization.
- Own delivery of documented client business results. including productivity improvement, cost savings, lead-time reduction, quality and delivery performance.
- Collaborate with business development colleagues supporting the sales process: conduct discovery, scope projects, and respond to client queries.
- Contribute to the evolution of continuous improvement services, tools, and intellectual capital; share knowledge and mentor colleagues as appropriate.
- Stay current with industry trends and developments in continuous improvement and operational excellence methodologies.
Qualifications and Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in engineering, manufacturing, or business-related fields.
- Extensive experience implementing continuous improvement principles, tools, and techniques, ideally within manufacturing environments.
- Demonstrated success collaborating with and engaging CEOs/owners and manufacturing executives.
- Proven ability assessing business environments; solving problems; and recommending and implementing solutions that deliver measurable business results.
- Strong communication (written, verbal, and presentation), interpersonal, problem solving and facilitation skills.
- Desire, passion, and experience working hands-on with cross-functional teams to drive operational improvement and business success. Ability to lead and facilitate teams.
- Experience working in a consultative environment or client-facing advisory role.
- Exposure to or interest in applying Artificial Intelligence in manufacturing environments is a plus.
- Familiarity with quality management systems and building culture is a plus.
Working Conditions
This is a remote position with frequent travel to client sites. The consultant must be comfortable working in fast-paced manufacturing environments and managing multiple projects simultaneously. The consultant needs dependable transportation and should be available to work flexible hours, which may sometimes include evenings or weekends depending on client requirements.
The Continuous Improvement Consultant is expected to maintain the highest standards of professionalism and customer service while always representing Enterprise Minnesota in a positive and professional manner.
Salary: $95,000
Enterprise Minnesota is an EEO employer.
To Apply:
Please submit your resume and cover letter expressing interest/fit for the position to [email protected].