Continuous Improvement & Training Program Coordinator

Hands-on ownership of operational excellence, workforce capability, and sustainable standard work DEPARTMENTEngineering / Continuous Improvement | LOCATIONDanville, Virginia REPORTS TOVP of Engineering, Maintenance and Continuous Improvement | CLASSIFICATIONFull-time, Exempt ROLE TYPEHands-on program manager / individual contributor | TRAVELLimited; as business needs require DIRECT REPORTSNone initially | EFFECTIVE DATETo be determined Position Summary The Continuous Improvement & Training Program Coordinator builds the systems that help the Danville site perform safely, consistently, and efficiently. The role leads structured improvement work, develops site capability in problem solving, and establishes a disciplined training-management system that supports onboarding, qualification, cross-training, and sustained adherence to standard work. This is a highly visible, hands-on role. The manager works on the floor with operations, maintenance, engineering, sanitation, food safety, supply chain, and people leaders to identify losses, convert improvements into practical standards, and verify that employees can perform work safely and correctly. Success depends on influence, facilitation, analytical rigor, and follow-through rather than formal authority. ACCOUNTABILITY MODELThis role owns the CI and training systems. Functional leaders remain accountable for technical content, assigning qualified trainers, employee qualification, and day-to-day adherence within their departments. Primary Responsibilities ## 1. Training System Development and Management - Design and administer a site-wide training framework covering new-hire onboarding, role qualification, refresher training, cross-training, process changes, and retraining after significant deviations or incidents. - Create and maintain role-based training matrices that identify required curricula, qualification status, renewal frequency, proficiency gaps, and coverage risks for each department and shift. - Establish document and record controls for training materials, including revision approval, effective dates, obsolete-version removal, attendance, assessments, qualification sign-off, and retraining triggers. - Partner with subject-matter experts to convert SOPs, work instructions, one-point lessons, troubleshooting guides, and safety requirements into clear, practical learning content. - Develop and coach a network of qualified trainers and assessors; standardize train-the-trainer expectations and periodically verify trainer effectiveness. - Implement blended learning methods such as structured on-the-job training, demonstrations, job aids, short classroom modules, knowledge checks, and observed performance assessments. - Report training compliance, overdue qualifications, cross-training coverage, time-to-competency, and training effectiveness to site leadership; escalate material capability risks. - Coordinate training readiness for equipment installations, process changes, product launches, and corrective actions before operational handoff. ## 2. Continuous Improvement System Leadership - Develop and maintain the site continuous improvement operating system, including opportunity intake, prioritization, project charters, action tracking, benefit validation, and sustainment reviews. - Facilitate structured problem solving using methods such as Kaizen, A3, PDCA, 5 Why, fishbone analysis, Pareto analysis, process mapping, standard work, visual management, and mistake-proofing. - Lead cross-functional improvement events and targeted projects addressing safety, quality, yield, labor productivity, throughput, downtime, changeover, sanitation effectiveness, material flow, and cost. - Coach supervisors, technicians, engineers, and operators in daily problem solving and practical Lean behaviors; build local ownership rather than creating dependence on the CI function. - Ensure follow through with plant leadership and supervision to ensure consistent execution to all processes and standards. - Ensure improvements are embedded in controlled documents, training, visual standards, leader routines, and verification checks so gains are sustained. ## 3. Performance Management and Analytics - Build trusted performance views using OEE, availability, performance, quality, yield, labor, downtime, waste, training, and other operational data. - Validate data definitions and establish a consistent loss tree so teams focus on the largest controllable constraints. - Support daily and weekly operating reviews with concise analysis, root-cause follow-up, countermeasure status, and verified benefits. - Translate analysis into floor-level action and communicate results in clear financial, operational, and workforce-capability terms. ## 4. Project Execution and Change Adoption - Manage selected improvement initiatives from problem definition through implementation, validation, training, and sustainment. - Develop stakeholder plans, facilitate decisions, clarify ownership, and remove barriers across departments and shifts. - Coordinate trials and pilots with appropriate safety, food-safety, quality, maintenance, and operational controls. - Confirm that process changes have an accountable owner, approved standard, trained users, measurable success criteria, and a post-implementation audit plan. Decision Rights and Working Relationships - May establish:site CI and training governance, standard templates, reporting cadence, project stage gates, qualification methods, and minimum documentation requirements, subject to applicable company policies. - May pause or escalate:a rollout or qualification when training, documentation, validation, or change-control requirements have not been met. - Partners closely with:Operations, Maintenance, Engineering, Food Safety/Quality, EHS, Sanitation, Supply Chain, Human Resources, and Finance. - Does not replace:functional ownership of SOP accuracy, technical approval, daily supervision, employee accountability, or legally required authorization by designated competent persons. Required Qualifications - Three or more years of experience in continuous improvement, manufacturing operations, engineering, quality, maintenance, training, or a related operational environment. - Demonstrated experience leading cross-functional improvement projects and facilitating structured root-cause problem solving. - Experience building, administering, or materially improving an employee training, qualification, or competency-management process. - Working knowledge of Lean principles, standard work, process mapping, visual management, and change management. - Strong analytical capability with Excel and operational reporting tools; able to validate data and translate findings into action. - Strong facilitation, instructional, writing, coaching, and presentation skills across frontline through executive audiences. - Ability to work in an active food-production environment and spend substantial time on the manufacturing floor across shifts as needed. Preferred Qualifications - Bachelor's degree in engineering, operations, industrial technology, organizational development, education, or a related field; equivalent relevant experience may be considered. - Lean Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt, or comparable evidence of applied improvement capability. - Experience in food, beverage, agriculture, pharmaceutical, medical-device, or another regulated manufacturing environment. - Experience with learning management systems, electronic training records, document control, or skills-matrix platforms. - Familiarity with OEE, maintenance and reliability, automation, sanitation, food safety, labor standards, and capital-project operational readiness. - Training or certification in adult learning, instructional design, Training Within Industry (TWI), Prosci/change management, or project management. Core Competencies Competency | What strong performance looks like Systems builder | Creates practical governance, ro