Continuous Improvement Leader
Key Skills
Job Description
Who are we looking for?
The Continuous Improvement Leader drives operational excellence by identifying improvement opportunities, leading Lean/Six Sigma initiatives, and supporting teams in optimizing processes, reducing waste, and improving performance. This role partners with cross‑functional departments to implement sustainable improvements that enhance productivity, quality, safety, and cost efficiency. The Continuous Improvement Leader plays a key role in fostering a culture of continuous improvement across the organization.
What will you be doing?
-
Develop and execute continuous improvement plans aligned with business goals
-
Lead Lean, Six Sigma, Kaizen, and other improvement methodologies
-
Promote a culture of problem‑solving, innovation, and operational excellence
-
Analyze current processes to identify inefficiencies, bottlenecks, and waste
-
Facilitate root‑cause analysis and implement corrective and preventive actions
-
Standardize processes and develop documentation such as SOPs and work instructions
-
Lead cross‑functional improvement projects from concept to completion
-
Track project progress, savings, and performance metrics
-
Ensure improvements are sustainable and embedded into daily operations
-
Train employees at all levels on Lean tools, problem‑solving techniques, and CI principles
-
Coach teams to identify improvement opportunities and lead their own initiatives
-
Support leadership in developing CI capabilities across the organization
-
Collect and analyze operational data to identify trends and improvement opportunities
-
Develop dashboards and KPIs to measure performance and track progress
-
Present findings and recommendations to leadership
Who are You?
-
Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Operations Management, Business, or related field
-
5+ years of experience in continuous improvement, operations, or process engineering
-
Lean Six Sigma certification (Green Belt or Black Belt preferred)
-
Strong analytical, facilitation, and project management skills
-
Excellent communication, leadership, and coaching abilities
-
Experience with data analysis tools and ERP systems is a plus
What competencies will you need?
- Excellent communication and presentation skills
- Data-driven with strong analytical and financial acumen
- Excellent facilitation skills, with the ability to manage diverse perspectives, demonstrate agility and to guide teams to alignment in complex and ambiguous situations.
- Hands-on, shop-floor oriented leader
- Able to influence without authority
- Collaborative and team-focused
We are Offering...
- A high-impact role within an international matrix organization;
- The prospect of a permanent contract and excellent development opportunities;
- 27 vacation days per year;
- 13 additional leave (ADV) days per year;
- A travel allowance of €0.21 per kilometer up to 25km single trip;
- An attractive pension scheme with PME.
Core Responsibilities
The Continuous Improvement Leader drives operational excellence by leading Lean and Six Sigma initiatives to optimize processes and reduce waste. They partner with cross-functional teams to implement sustainable improvements and foster a culture of innovation and problem-solving.
Requirements
Candidates must hold a bachelor's degree in Engineering, Operations Management, or a related field with at least 5 years of experience in continuous improvement. A Lean Six Sigma certification is preferred, along with strong analytical, leadership, and project management skills.
Benefits
- Permanent contract
- Development opportunities
- 27 vacation days per year
- 13 additional leave days per year
- Travel allowance
- Pension scheme
About Element Solutions Inc
Industry: Chemical Manufacturing
Company size: 5,001-10,000 employees
Element Solutions is a leading specialty chemicals company whose operating businesses formulate a broad range of solutions that enhance the performance of products people use every day. Developed in multi-step technological processes, our innovative solutions enable our customers' manufacturing processes in several key segments, including electronic circuitry, communication infrastructure, automotive systems, industrial surface finishing, and offshore energy. Customers of ESI’s businesses use our innovation as a competitive advantage, relying on ESI to help them navigate in fast-paced, high-growth markets. The breadth of ESI’s offerings provide strong strategic value to the end markets they serve. With over 5,000 people serving more than 50 countries, ESI has established a growing legacy of creating technological advances for customers around the globe. Our people and technical sales teams are located close to our key markets, allowing us to maintain strong customer relationships and accelerate our product innovation process.