Associate Director Continuous Improvement

Job Description Summary

The Associate Director, Continuous Improvement sets the multi-year Continuous Improvement and Lean strategy for JMCRS Operations in partnership with the VP of Operations and leads a team of Continuous Improvement Specialists and Senior Specialists who deploy Lean methodologies across all JMCRS operational sites. This role owns the Operations Kaizen and Lean deployment roadmap, represents Continuous Improvement in leadership forums, and is accountable for the program's budget and its measurable impact on safety, quality, delivery, and cost across the organization. This position builds and scales a mature Lean management system and develops the next generation of Operational Excellence leaders.

This is a remote role managing an on-site team tied to production in our US-based sites, Bar Harbor, ME Ellsworth, ME, Sacramento, CA and Gainesville, FL. As a result, up to 50% domestic travel may be required for this manager to work with their team, particularly in the beginning. The compensation range for this position is $121,924 - $176,790 based on an assessment of related work experience, geographic location, and internal equity.

What You'll Do

• Develop operational excellence team members and drive continuous improvement of our continuous improvement program.
• Coach team members on Kaizen and core Lean tools, including Value Stream Mapping, Standard Work, Daily Management, and Problem Solving.
• Manage the Kaizen funnel and the completed-Kaizen sustainment bowler to ensure improvements are institutionalized.
• Lead the team to identify, facilitate, and track operational improvement initiatives that lift safety, quality, delivery, productivity, and cost performance across JMCRS Operations.
• Partner with managers across JMCRS Operations to define project scope, uncover innovative opportunities, and set goals, objectives, timelines, strategy, and project plans.
• Provide leadership, coaching, performance management, and development for a distributed team of Operational Excellence professionals supporting domestic U.S. operations.
• Model organizational change management practices for operational excellence initiatives across sites.
• Prepare analyses, flow charts, presentations, and reports per project specifications, and deliver scheduled status reports to the leadership team.
• Collaborate with management to collect, validate, and organize financial, statistical, and operational data to evaluate and communicate operational processes.

Qualifications

Education & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in engineering or a scientific field required; Master's degree preferred. An equivalent combination of education and experience will be considered.
• 10 years of relevant experience required; 12+ years preferred.
• 6 years of supervisory experience required; 8+ years preferred.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Extensive experience in operational excellence and process improvement, including leadership driving operational improvements in a complex and/or emerging organization.
• Strong working knowledge of Lean tools and methodologies — Value Stream Mapping, Standard Work, Daily Management, Problem Solving, Kaizen, 5S, 3P — with a track record of leading and facilitating improvement events across multiple operational environments.
• Demonstrated success leading diverse, cross-functional groups through complex operational challenges, with a proven record of coaching and developing leaders in Lean and Continuous Improvement methodologies.
• Strong analytical, technical, and statistical skills, with the ability to identify root causes of complex, cross-functional issues and drive data-based solutions.
• Exceptional organizational and project management skills, able to plan and deliver multiple concurrent projects within scope, budget, and timeline with minimal supervision.
• Experience designing and implementing large-scale change management strategies and governance processes across multiple functions and sites, with the ability to influence senior leaders.
• Excellent interpersonal, organizational, and facilitation skills; comfortable engaging with personnel at all levels, including executives.
• Flexibility to manage competing demands and shifting priorities while working under pressure to meet deadlines.
• Proficiency in word processing, spreadsheet, and presentation software, with strong reporting and process-mapping experience.
• Experience within a mature Lean management system (e.g., Toyota Production System, Danaher Business System, or a comparable framework) preferred.
• Experience leading enterprise-wide improvement programs and managing managers and/or geographically dispersed teams across multiple sites.

About JAX:

The Jackson Laboratory is an independent, nonprofit biomedical research institution with a National Cancer Institute-designated Cancer Center and nearly 3,000 employees in locations across the United States (Maine, Connecticut, California), Japan and China. Its mission is to discover precise genomic solutions for disease and empower the global biomedical community in the shared quest to improve human health.

Founded in 1929, JAX applies over nine decades of expertise in genetics to increase understanding of human disease, advancing treatments and cures for cancer, neurological and immune disorders, diabetes, aging and heart disease. It models and interprets genomic complexity, integrates basic research with clinical application, educates current and future scientists, and provides critical data, tools and services to the global biomedical community. For more information, please visit www.jax.org​​​​​​​.

EEO Statement:

The Jackson Laboratory provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment in all job classifications without regard to race, color, religion, age, mental disability, physical disability, medical condition, gender, sexual orientation, genetic information, ancestry, marital status, national origin, veteran status, and other classifications protected by applicable state and local non-discrimination laws.