Continuous Improvement Manager

Northvolt has an exciting job offer for a Continuous Improvement Manager to join our Skellefteå team.

In joining us you will play an important part from the very start in developing a new generation of large-scale European battery factories. Northvolt will play an important role in the transformation to a carbon-free society, and this is your opportunity to take part in leading those efforts and help drive us to success.

A Continuous Improvement Manager:

• Directs the development and implementation of activities in production area(s) to meet production goals, quality, and cost objectives.
• Prioritizes production schedules based on product introduction, equipment efficiency, and materials supply.
• Plans and administers procedures and budgets. Makes budgetary recommendations and at higher levels, controls capital expenditures and direct/indirect labour.
• Develops schedules and manpower requirements for assigned areas.
• Selects, develops, and evaluates personnel to ensure the efficient operation of the function.

Key responsibilities

• Display a commitment to health, safety, environmental responsibility and sustainable development.
• Responsible for coordination of Northvolt Production System within department with their counterparties in other areas and working closely with NES Team.
• Responsible for training small operational in Northvolt Production System, Problem solving, 5S, Value Stream Mapping and follow-up of knowledge levels.
• Establish work measurement programs and analyze work samples to develop workload utilization standards.
• Develop standard work principles and ensure high level of understanding and implementation, e.g. SOPs/Wis, processes, one-point lessons etc.
• Leads & tracks continuous improvement for assigned area (e.g. System CIP Workshops, System CIP Management Review etc.)
• Prepare data visualization for CIPS
• Support on pipeline feeding from the area
• Participate in weekly meeting for Continuous Improvement Rounds with other CIRs
• Implement & train people on lean principles in shopfloor
• Ensuring planning and systematic approach on 5S related topics for responsible areas
• Developing and maintaining tools and templates to support the framework within Northvolt CI team together with Site & CI leadership.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in industrial engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Operations Management, Business Administration, or a related field.
• Advanced degrees or certifications in Lean Six Sigma (Green Belt, Black Belt), Project Management (PMP), Kaizen, or Operational Excellence are highly desirable.
• 5-8+ years of experience in a continuous improvement, process optimization or operations management role, ideally in a manufacturing or automotive environment.
• Experience with value stream mapping, root cause analysis, and the development of standard work practices.
• Demonstrated experience with change management and driving a continuous improvement culture across multi-functional teams.

Specific skills

• Lean Six Sigma Methodology: Deep understanding and application of Lean Six Sigma principles (DMAIC, waste reduction, process mapping, etc.).
• Quality and Compliance Standards: Familiarity with automotive and manufacturing industry standards (e.g., ISO 9001, IATF 16949) and regulatory requirements
• Continuous Improvement Frameworks: Knowledge of improvement frameworks like Kaizen, 5S, TQM (Total Quality Management), and TPM (Total Productive Maintenance).
• Root Cause Analysis: Expertise in problem-solving techniques, such as Fishbone Diagram, 5 Whys, and Pareto Analysis, to identify and eliminate root causes.

Personal success factors

• Change Leadership: Strong ability to lead and manage change, inspiring a culture of continuous improvement within the organization.
• Systems Thinking: Ability to understand the broader impact of improvements and optimize systems to achieve long-term organizational goals.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Skilled at working with multiple departments, including production, quality, engineering, and finance, to ensure aligned improvement efforts.
• Goal-Oriented Mindset: Strong focus on achieving measurable results, with the persistence to drive projects to completion despite obstacles

Apply with CV in English or your complete LinkedIn profile.

Full time employment, fixed salary.

Planned starting date is ASAP.