Lead Continuous Improvement Specialist - Standards and Strategic Initiatives

Job Description

The Lead Specialist, Standards and Strategic Initiatives works with center and functional teams to understand how work is performed today, remove unnecessary steps, improve flow, and establish practical standards that can be used consistently across the network.

The position also helps turn new Supply Chain initiatives into clear, repeatable ways of working. Working across Continuous Improvement, operations, training, technology, project teams, and functional owners, the Lead Specialist supports initiatives from early design through rollout and sustainment while ensuring processes are documented, scalable, and supported by clear ownership and measures.

What You’ll Do 

Supply Chain Center Process Playbook

• Build and maintain a practical playbook for Supply Chain Center processes.
• Document current processes through direct observation, center input, process mapping, and review of existing standards.
• Analyze process steps, handoffs, controls, and variation to identify opportunities to simplify work, reduce waste, and improve flow.
• Partner with operators, center leaders, subject matter experts, and functional owners to design improved future-state processes.
• Standardize the strongest proven methods across centers while accounting for valid operational, regulatory, and facility differences.
• Create the supporting standard work, process maps, job aids, measures, ownership, and review cadence needed to sustain each process.
• Use center feedback and performance results to refine the playbook as equipment, systems, and business needs change.

Strategic Initiative Support

• Partner with initiative owners to understand the business need, scope, expected outcomes, and impact on Supply Chain.
• Coordinate the operational work required to move new initiatives from design through pilot, rollout, and sustainment.
• Build and maintain implementation plans that identify milestones, decisions, risks, dependencies, and owners.
• Bring the right partners together to resolve gaps in process, training, systems, labor, communication, or center readiness.
• Support pilots and early launches, capture lessons learned, and apply improvements before broader deployment.

Standards Development and Integration

• Translate new initiatives into clear standards, standard work, process maps, job aids, readiness tools, and operating routines.
• Work with subject matter experts and standards owners to draft, review, approve, and publish process documentation.
• Confirm that new processes align with existing Supply Chain standards and do not create unnecessary variation or duplicate work.
• Coordinate updates across SOPs, Leader Standard Work, training materials, and enterprise knowledge platforms.
• Establish ownership and review expectations so standards remain accurate after implementation.

Readiness, Change, and Adoption

• Assess center readiness and identify what must be in place before launch.
• Partner with Training, Operations, and project teams to build practical communication, learning, and reinforcement plans.
• Coach leaders and project teams on standard work, process discipline, and problem solving.
• Gather feedback from centers and functional partners, address barriers, and adjust the approach when needed.
• Help transition work from project mode to the appropriate long-term business or standards owner.

Governance, Measurement, and Continuous Improvement

• Define launch, adoption, process, and outcome measures with initiative owners.
• Maintain a consistent review cadence and provide clear updates on progress, risks, decisions, and results.
• Use observations, audits, user feedback, and performance data to identify gaps and improvement opportunities.
• Facilitate structured problem solving when implementation or adoption is off track.
• Document results, lessons learned, and recommended changes to strengthen future initiatives.

Qualifications

• This role if hired remote is expected to live within an hour of a Supply Chain Center and will office out of the center Monday-Thursday when not traveling
• Bachelor's degree in supply chain, operations, business, engineering, project management, or a related field; relevant experience may be considered in place of a degree.
• Five or more years of experience in supply chain, operations, continuous improvement, program delivery, standards, or related work.
• Experience supporting process changes or multi-site initiatives from planning through implementation and sustainment.
• Experience documenting, analyzing, and improving operational processes in production, warehouse, manufacturing, or distribution environments.
• Ability to turn complex or evolving work into clear processes, tools, standards, and ownership.
• Strong project management, facilitation, written communication, and cross-functional coordination skills.
• Ability to influence across functions and levels without formal authority.
• Working knowledge of Lean, practical problem solving, standard work, and change management.
• Ability to define useful measures, interpret operational data, and communicate risks and results clearly.
• Proficiency in Microsoft 365; experience with project tracking, process documentation, knowledge platforms, or reporting tools is preferred.
• Experience in supply chain, manufacturing, distribution, QSR, or logistics is preferred.
• Ability to travel to Supply Chain Centers, including Canada, based on business needs. Expected travel is 50%.

Additional Information

Benefits:
•    Paid Holidays and Vacation   
•    Medical, Dental & Vision benefits that start on the first day of employment
•    No-cost mental health support for employee and dependents
•    Childcare tuition discounts
•    No-cost fitness, nutrition, and wellness programs 
•    Fertility benefits
•    Adoption assistance
•    401k matching contributions   
•    15% off the purchase price of stock   
•    Company bonus   

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.