Manager, Continuous Improvement

About the Role

The Continuous Improvement Lead drives site-level initiatives that enhance operational excellence and reduce waste. Partnering with manufacturing leadership and frontline teams, the role strengthens process stability, quality performance, and cultivates a culture of continuous improvement. Key responsibilities include deploying improvement projects, facilitating events and performance dialogues, and delivering hands-on training that reinforces CI tools. The leader works with operations to pinpoint opportunities, creates action plans, and sustains performance gains through on-site observations, corrective actions, and standardized work. The position also oversees the development and maintenance of operational procedures, performance measures, and prepares reports and presentations that summarize trends, cost savings, and benchmarking insights. Additional duties involve hiring, training, coaching, counseling, and evaluating direct reports. • Lead continuous improvement initiatives to boost process reliability and reduce waste • Facilitate improvement events, performance dialogues, and hands‑on training • Partner with operations leadership to identify opportunities and develop action plans • Conduct on‑site observations, recommend corrective actions, and support problem‑solving • Develop and maintain standardized work, procedures, and performance metrics • Prepare reports and presentations on improvements, trends, and cost savings • Benchmark industry best practices and integrate them into site operations • Hire, train, coach, counsel, and evaluate direct reports

Key Responsibilities

• ▸process improvement
• ▸on‑site observation
• ▸standardized work
• ▸performance metrics
• ▸reporting
• ▸benchmarking

What You Bring

Candidates must hold a Bachelor’s degree in engineering, operations, business or a related discipline and have at least five years of manufacturing or operations experience, preferably in HVAC. Required skills include strong knowledge of continuous improvement methodologies, data-analysis capability, cross-functional team leadership, and excellent communication. The role demands the ability to manage multiple priorities, solve problems quickly, and perform frequent standing, walking, and occasional lifting of up to 20 lb, with appropriate PPE in production areas. Travel to other facilities or vendors may be required, including overnight stays, and the position is classified as safety-sensitive. • Require Bachelor’s degree in engineering, operations, business or related field plus 5+ years manufacturing experience • Strong knowledge of continuous improvement methodologies and data analysis • Ability to lead cross‑functional teams and influence without direct authority • Excellent communication, organization, and project management skills • Ability to lift up to 20 lb, stand, walk during site visits, and wear required PPE • Occasional travel to other facilities or vendor locations, possibly overnight

Requirements

• ▸bachelor's
• ▸5+ years
• ▸continuous improvement
• ▸data analysis
• ▸team leadership
• ▸project management

Benefits

AAON offers a competitive salary ranging from $111,348 to $167,023, along with tuition reimbursement, paid time off, holidays, health insurance, profit-sharing or annual incentive bonuses, and a 401(k) plan. The company is committed to innovation, sustainability, and delivering high-efficiency HVAC solutions for a cleaner future. • Competitive salary $111k–$167k with tuition reimbursement, PTO, holidays, health insurance, profit‑sharing/annual incentive, and 401(k) plan

Work Environment

Onsite