Lean Program Manager
Freudenberg · Bristol, NH
- Level
- Manager
- Team
- Lean / CI
- Degree
- Required
- Experience asked
- 5+ years
- Industry
- Industrial
- Posted
- 2 days ago
The role in 30 seconds
A management continuous improvement role at Freudenberg (industrial) in Bristol, NH. Lead Lean transformation initiatives across manufacturing operations to improve safety, quality, delivery, cost, productivity, and overall operational performance.
- They ask for
- 5+ years · degree required
- Tools it names
- Lean, Six Sigma, Kaizen, 5S, Value stream mapping, Root cause
Read from the posting. The full description is below.
From the plant jobs report · week of November 2, 2026
Continuous Improvement roles in the US: typical posted base $105k–$152k.
Median of the low and high ends of 126 live postings that list pay, out of 326 continuous improvement openings in the US, read from manufacturers' own careers sites.
New Hampshire plant jobs report →Pay by team and state →What moves pay →
How this role compares
Against 325 other live lean / ci postings in the US.
- Base pay
- Not listed in this posting
- Experience asked
- Typical (5+ years)
Typical $103k–$149k, from 113 postings that list pay.
Similar roles usually ask 5+ years.
Skills these teams ask for most
- ✓ Lean 86%
- ✓ Six Sigma 55%
- ✓ Value stream mapping 49%
- ✓ Kaizen 49%
- ✓ Root cause 44%
- ✓ 5S 32%
✓ = this posting asks for it too. % = share of similar postings that mention it.
Stands out: this posting asks for DMAIC, which few similar roles mention. If you have it, lead with it.
At a glance
Pulled from the posting text. If it's not listed here, the posting didn't say.
How to get in at this plant
Five moves over a week or two. The first one takes ten minutes.
- 1
Pick 2–3 people on the Lean / CI team at Freudenberg
Engineers who joined in the last year or two reply the most. Use the team search on this page to find them.
- 2
Send a short, curious note
One real question about their work. No favors yet. Each person gets a different note, written for this role.
- 3
Turn a reply into a short call
Questions worth asking about this team:
- What does a normal week look like on your team?
- Is CI run from the plant floor or from a corporate OpEx group?
- Which metrics does leadership actually watch: OEE, scrap, cost per unit?
- How did you land the job? What stood out in your interviews?
- 4
Apply with someone vouching for you
If the call went well, ask whether they’d pass your résumé to the hiring manager. Send your résumé link, apply that day, and let them know.
- 5
Bring proof to the interview
One page of before-and-after numbers from projects you led: scrap, OEE, cycle time, cost. Plant managers hire on results.
This plant: Freudenberg in Bristol
6 other open roles at this site.
- Quality Manager (Leadership Development Opportunity) · Quality · Manager
- Manufacturing Process Engineer - Rubber Molding · Process
- Quality Engineer · Quality
- Rubber Process Engineer · Process
- Regional Director – Metal Stamping Engineering, North America · Manufacturing · Director+
- Preventative Maintenance Technician · Reliability · Technician
Full description from FreudenbergAs posted on their careers site.ShowHide
Responsibilities
- ◆Lead Lean transformation initiatives across manufacturing operations to improve safety, quality, delivery, cost, productivity, and overall operational performance.
- ◆Plan and facilitate Kaizen events, value stream improvements, and structured problem-solving activities that deliver measurable and sustainable results.
- ◆Own high-impact improvement projects from opportunity identification through implementation, establishing clear objectives, timelines, KPIs, financial impact, and sustainment plans.
- ◆Partner across Operations, Engineering, Quality, Supply Chain, and other functions to solve complex operational challenges and influence change without direct authority.
- ◆Strengthen operational discipline through Lean practices including daily management, standard work, visual management, 5S, root-cause analysis, and continuous improvement systems.
- ◆Build Lean capability throughout the organization by coaching leaders and employees, delivering training, and creating accountability and ownership for continuous improvement.
- ◆Develop toward future operations leadership opportunities through hands-on exposure to plant performance, cross-functional decision-making, business priorities, and strategic operational initiatives.
Qualifications
- ✓Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Operations, Business, Supply Chain, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant manufacturing experience.
- ✓5+ years of progressive experience in manufacturing operations, Lean, Continuous Improvement, Operational Excellence, Engineering, or a related discipline, with demonstrated measurable results.
- ✓Proven ability to lead complex projects from problem identification through implementation, measurement, and long-term sustainment.
- ✓Hands-on knowledge of Lean manufacturing and structured problem-solving methods such as Kaizen, value stream mapping, standard work, 5S, root-cause analysis, visual management, and Six Sigma/DMAIC.
- ✓Strong leadership, facilitation, and influencing skills with the ability to engage production teams, technical functions, and business leaders and drive change without direct authority.
- ✓Strong analytical and business acumen with the ability to use operational and financial data to prioritize opportunities, quantify impact, and communicate results.
- ✓Demonstrated learning agility, leadership potential, and career ambition to grow beyond Lean/Continuous Improvement into broader manufacturing and operations leadership roles.
Freudenberg-NOK General Partnership
Show full description ↓Show less ↑
Working at Freudenberg: We will wow your world!