Global Continuous Improvement Manager

Overview

Are you someone who is passionate, motivated, and driven to make a difference?  If so, MSA Safety is the perfect fit for your career. 

At MSA, SAFETY is who we are AND it is what we do.  We are a purpose-driven company committed to deploying innovation and technology to deliver on our Mission to help protect people and assets all around the world.  We continue to be relentless in our pursuit of solving our customers greatest problems so they can go home safe each and every day. 

Are you in?  Read on for more details about this particular role.

Responsibilities

The purpose of this role is to lead the implementation of continuous improvement and design assurance strategies/initiatives that will be developed by the R&D Global Leadership team with the Global Design Assurance Leader (this role reports to the Design Assurance Leader)

This manager will help develop a continuous improvement culture in the global Engineering organization in alignment with the MSA Business System, with the goal of transforming our processes and methodologies to serve the needs of our longer-term business strategy and to keep up with technology trends, industry best practices, and our evolving mix of Engineering disciplines.

This ongoing transformation will enable the global Engineering organization to successfully develop and support products through the practice of strong product development process discipline and design assurance and the deployment of value-added tools, procedures and processes.  This manager will be accountable for successfully leading and completing strategic initiatives in support of this transformation. 

This leader will have a passion for products, integrated solutions, customer success, and business outcomes – turning strategy to life with scale as a leader, change agent, and effective communicator, with the ability to impact cross-functional teams and deliver growth.

Qualifications

• 7-10 years of professional experience required (depending on career level), including a successful track record in continuous improvement, preferrably in an engineering, new product development, technology or back-office environment.
• Act as a champion of lean, continuous improvement methods, tools and guide associates through value generation through CI activities.
• Experience in supervising and leading others throguh change and change management.
• Ability to identify and drive organizational and cultural changes needed to adapt strategically to changing market demands, technology, and internal initiatives and catalyze new approaches to improve results by transforming processes, products, and services.
• Critical thinker and ability to connect the dots across development, new product industrialization and back-office functions.
• Ability to understand design and manufacturing processes in the development of innovative products.
• Highly-developed interpersonal skills enabling collaboration with associates at all levels of MSA.
• Excellent team-building skills with proven ability to utilize appropriate methods and interpersonal styles to develop, motivate, and guide management and the team to attain successful outcomes and business objectives.
• Demonstrated ability to coach and develop associates by providing feedback, instruction and developmental guidance to help associates excel.
• Proven track record of sharing authority and responsibilities with others to move decision making and accountability downward through the organization.
• Experience leading global program initiatives or process improvements
• Excellent written and oral communication skills that can influence decisions and actions among stakeholders
• Strong change management, communication and multitasking skills.
• Identify short‑ and long‑term opportunities to strengthen CI maturity, engagement, and performance in R&D.
• Act as a change agent, championing a culture of standardization, problem solving, and continuous learning.
• Partner with R&D leaders to remove barriers, accelerate adoption, and ensure CI is embedded in daily operations.
• Create, maintain, and deploy global CI standards, tools, and expectations for R&D.
• Lead global initiatives for lean, six sigma, TPM, and structured problem‑solving methodologies (A3, Kaizen, VSM).
• Enable leaders to develop and maintain standard work, visual management, and leader routines
• Manage a global community of practice to ensure consistency, knowledge sharing, and continuous refinement of CI methods for R&D and in partnership with other CI leaders.
• Identify and prioritize high‑impact improvement opportunities using data, value stream analysis, and performance metrics.
• Support and guide global R&D teams in executing improvement initiatives that deliver measurable results
• Lead global best‑practice sharing and knowledge transfer to accelerate adoption and performance improvement.
• Establish and maintain R&D CI KPIs, including leading and lagging indicators tied to cost, productivity, quality, and delivery.\
• Maintain CI governance processes, project tracking, and benefits realization frameworks.
• Report progress, results, and ROI to R&D leadership on a regular cadence.
• Ensure consistent use of CI tools, documentation, and performance measures within R&D.
• Build CI capability across all levels, from frontline leaders to operations leadership.
• Provide expert guidance on lean tools, kaizen, VSM, A3, six sigma, visual controls, and MBS behaviors.
• Demonstrated experience in process improvement using lean methods, and tools.
• 7 years of experience in Operational Excellence, Lean Manufacturing, or CI leadership.
• Demonstrated success leading CI strategy, driving cost savings, and improving operational performance.
• Strong communication, influencing, and relationship‑building skills across global and matrixed environments.
• Proven ability to manage multiple concurrent projects across global sites while thriving in a fast‑paced, high‑energy environment.
• Strong communication and influencing skills, demonstrating credibility and connection with stakeholders at every level of the organization, including frontline operators, plant leaders, and senior executives.
• Experience facilitating workshops, kaizen events, and improvement activities in manufacturing environments.
• Deep knowledge of lean tools and methodologies (Heijunka, JIT, Kanban, SMED, TPM, Jidoka, Shingijuitsu, Takt time, etc.).
• Strong analytical, problem‑solving, planning, and organizational skills.
• Experience in influencing stakeholders and leaders and driving alignment across departments.
• Proven ability to coach and develop others.

Experience preferred:

• Experience in SAP, Excel, Power BI, PLM
• Experience in world‑class lean (Operational Excellence) environments
• Experience in Back-office lean, engineering or change management

 Education Required:

 Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Change Management

 Education Preferred:

 Master’s degree in Engineering or Business

• PMP or Lean Certification
• Six Sigma Black Belt

 Travel up to 10%

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