Continuous Improvement Manager Jobs in California

The Continuous Improvement Manager is responsible for leading and driving process improvement initiatives across warehouse, distribution, and transportation operations to enhance safety, quality, productivity, and customer service. This role partners closely with operations leadership to identify opportunities for improvement, analyze performance data, and implement sustainable solutions that reduce waste, improve efficiency, and support the achievement of business objectives. The Continuous Improvement Manager serves as a change agent, fostering a culture of operational excellence and continuous learning throughout the facility.
This position utilizes Lean, Six Sigma, and other continuous improvement methodologies to evaluate current processes, streamline workflows, and optimize resource utilization. The Continuous Improvement Manager leads cross-functional projects, facilitates root cause analysis, develops corrective action plans, and monitors key performance indicators to ensure measurable results. The role is also responsible for identifying best practices, standardizing processes, and supporting the implementation of new technologies and systems that improve operational performance.
In addition to project leadership, the Continuous Improvement Manager coaches and develops leaders and frontline employees on continuous improvement principles and problem-solving techniques. The successful candidate will build strong relationships across departments, influence organizational change, and ensure improvement initiatives align with company goals and customer expectations. This role requires a strategic mindset, strong analytical skills, and the ability to translate complex operational challenges into practical, results-driven solutions that deliver long-term value to the organization.
Additional Information
Monday - Friday, 8:00AM - 4:30PM
Travel: 10%
This position is also eligible for bonus based on performance and subject to the terms of the Company's applicable plans.
This position is eligible for health benefits, such as medical, dental and vision coverage, Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs), disability coverage, security, retirement and saving benefits. Additional benefits include a generous time away from work package, including personal leave, paid parental leave, medical leave, vacation, and holidays.
Job duties include contact with other employees and access confidential and proprietary information and/or other items of value, and such access may be supervised or unsupervised. The Company therefore has determined that a review of criminal history is necessary to protect the business and its operations and reputation and is necessary to protect the safety of the Company's staff, employees, and business relationships.
Responsibilities
• Providing guidance and acting as a resource to Continuous Improvement teams on the selection and project management of Six Sigma, Focused Factory/Lean and General Improvement projects.
• Be a resource for and support Division and Corporate continuous improvement initiatives
• Personally leading projects for improvement results that can be leveraged across facilities, functions, and Divisions.
• Ensuring continuous improvement training, tools, best practices and resources are available to employees at all levels and are being utilized appropriately and effectively.
• Involvement in the validation and long-term sustainability of the site continuous improvement projects.
• Guide teams in effectively utilizing the tools of Six Sigma and Lean Manufacturing to complete projects that will eliminate waste and non-value-added activities and improve performance in the five focus areas of Operational Excellence (Safety, Cost, Quality, Productivity and People).
• Develop measurement systems to accurately quantify improvement activities and performance.
• Review and validate performance results achievement of continuous improvement projects.
• Develop and implement post-project audit activities designed to monitor sustainability of performance improvement results over time.
• Provide input for long-range capital needs resulting from project implementation.
• Develop and implement site level training in the continuous improvement tools.
• Guide and direct Green Belts and Champions in effective team leadership.
• Personally, complete projects that contribute to the performance of the site and/or GSC Division, including Six Sigma projects and CIP projects.
• Guiding the site's safety, quality, cost, productivity, and people continuous improvement projects and initiatives.
• Meet or exceed site cost savings objectives.
• Support and achieve plant and/or division goals.
• Coordinate integration of continuous improvement tools and resources.
Qualifications
Minimum Requirements:

• Must be at least eighteen (18) years of age
• Must be legally authorized to work in the country of employment without needing sponsorship for employment work visa status now or in the future
• Must have a bachelor's degree or higher or have at least four (4) years of work experience in a manufacturing and/or distribution facility or in an operations environment
• Must have completed formal training in and/or have at least one (1) year of work experience applying continuous improvement tools such as Six Sigma, 5-S, Lean Manufacturing, Transactional Lean, Kaizen events, etc.
• Must have at least three (3) years of experience working in a manufacturing and/or distribution facility or in an operations environment

Preferred Qualifications:

• Have at least five (5) years of experience working in a manufacturing and/or distribution facility or in an operations environment
• Have a Six Sigma Certification (Green Belt, Black Belt, etc.)
• Have prior work experience with Oracle (R12 or 11i), QAD, Product Vision, AOM, Monarch, or SAP BusinessObjects

About Us
At Sherwin-Williams, our purpose is to inspire and improve the world by coloring and protecting what matters. Our paints, coatings and innovative solutions make the places and spaces in our world brighter and stronger. Your skills, talent and passion make it possible to live this purpose, and for customers and our business to achieve great results. Sherwin-Williams is a place that takes its stability, growth and momentum and translates it to possibility for our people. Our people are behind the strength of our success, and we invest and support you in:
Life ... with rewards, benefits and the flexibility to enhance your health and well-being
Career ... with opportunities to learn, develop new skills and grow your contribution
Connection ... with an inclusive team and commitment to our own and broader communities
It's all here for you... let's Create Your Possible
At Sherwin-Williams, part of our mission is to help our employees and their families live healthier, save smarter and feel better. This starts with a wide range of world-class benefits designed for you. From retirement to health care, from total well-being to your daily commute-it matters to us. A general description of benefits offered can be found at http://www.myswbenefits.com/. Click on "Candidates" to view benefit offerings that you may be eligible for if you are hired as a Sherwin-Williams employee.
Compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case and will impact where actual compensation may fall within the stated wage range. The wage range listed for this role takes into account the wide range of factors considered in making compensation decisions including skill sets; experience and training; licensure and certifications; and other business and organizational needs. The disclosed range estimate has not been adjusted for the applicable geographic differential associated with the location at which the position may be filled. The wage range, other compensation, and benefits information listed is accurate as of the date of this posting. The Company reserves the right to modify this information at any time, with or without notice, subject to applicable law.
Qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws including with the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers and the California Fair Chance Act where applicable.
Sherwin-Williams is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. All qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, age, pregnancy, genetic information, creed, marital status or any other consideration prohibited by law or by contract.
As a VEVRAA Federal Contractor, Sherwin-Williams requests state and local employment services delivery systems to provide priority referral of Protected Veterans.
Please be aware, Sherwin-Williams recruiting team members will never request a candidate to provide a payment, ask for financial information, or sensitive personal information like national identification numbers, date of birth, or bank account numbers during the application process.