Continuous Improvement/Operational Excellence Specialist
Morgan Advanced Materials · Fostoria, OH
- Level
- Specialist
- Team
- Lean / CI
- Degree
- Required
- Experience asked
- 7+ years
- Certification
- Black Belt required
- Industry
- Industrial
- Posted
- Recently
The role in 30 seconds
A specialist continuous improvement role at Morgan Advanced Materials (industrial) in Fostoria, OH.
- They ask for
- 7+ years · degree required · Black Belt required
- Tools it names
- Lean, Six Sigma, Black Belt, Green Belt, Kaizen, Value stream mapping
Read from the posting. The full description is below.
From the plant jobs report · week of November 9, 2026
Continuous Improvement roles in Ohio: typical posted base $113k–$165k.
Median of the low and high ends of 10 live postings that list pay, out of 34 continuous improvement openings in Ohio, read from manufacturers' own careers sites.
Ohio plant jobs report →Pay by team and state →What moves pay →
How this role compares
Against 33 other live lean / ci postings in Ohio.
- Base pay
- Not listed in this posting
- Experience asked
- Less than usual (7+ vs 8+)
Typical $108k–$152k, from 8 postings that list pay.
Similar roles usually ask 8+ years.
Skills these teams ask for most
- ✓ Lean 88%
- ✓ Six Sigma 76%
- ✓ Root cause 56%
- ✓ Value stream mapping 47%
- ✓ Kaizen 44%
- ✓ Black Belt 38%
✓ = this posting asks for it too. % = share of similar postings that mention it.
Stands out: this posting asks for OEE, PLC, MES, 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 Morgan Advanced Materials
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?
- The posting mentions a Black Belt. Does the company sponsor certification?
- 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: Morgan Advanced Materials in Fostoria
2 other open roles at this site.
- Night Shift Production Supervisor · Production · Supervisor
- Continuous Improvement Manager Materials · Lean / CI · Manager
Full description from Morgan Advanced MaterialsAs posted on their careers site.ShowHide
Responsibilities
Please be advised that there is no sponsorship available for this role.
Continuous Improvement (CI) / Operational Excellence (OPEX) Specialist
Location: Fostoria, OHManufacturing runs on people, processes, and data. When one of those isn't working as it should, costs creep up, productivity stalls, and opportunities get missed. That's where this role comes in. At Morgan Advanced Materials, you'll help turn operational data into meaningful improvements across the plant. You'll work closely with production, engineering, quality, maintenance, and supply chain teams to identify problems, remove waste, and make things work better, safer, and more efficiently. In short, you'll help drive real change, not just build reports about it.
The Role
This is a hands-on Operational Excellence position with a strong data analytics component. Part of your week might be out on the manufacturing floor mapping processes and leading improvement events. The other part might involve building Power BI dashboards, analyzing performance trends, and helping leaders make smarter decisions. You'll be the person connecting what the data says with what actually happens on the shop floor.
What You'll Do
- ◆Lead Lean Manufacturing and Continuous Improvement initiatives across the facility
- ◆Facilitate Kaizen events, problem-solving workshops, and cross-functional improvement projects
- ◆Conduct value stream mapping and process observations to identify waste, bottlenecks, and inefficiencies
- ◆Use Lean, Six Sigma, Root Cause Analysis, 5 Why, A3, and other improvement tools to solve operational challenges
- ◆Develop and maintain Power BI dashboards, KPI scorecards, and reporting tools
- ◆Analyze manufacturing data to identify trends impacting safety, quality, delivery, productivity, and cost
- ◆Track and improve key operational metrics including OEE, throughput, scrap, downtime, yield, and on-time delivery
- ◆Partner with production, engineering, maintenance, quality, and supply chain teams to implement sustainable improvements
- ◆Create and maintain standard work, process documentation, and best practices
- ◆Lead improvement projects from concept through implementation and long-term sustainment
- ◆Measure and report cost savings, productivity gains, and operational performance improvements
- ◆Support automation and reporting enhancements using Microsoft's Power Platform tools
Requirements
Due to the nature of the products and customers supported, applicants must qualify as a U.S. Person under 22 CFR 120.15. This role may involve work with Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) and is subject to ITAR, EAR, and NRC regulations.
Show full description ↓Show less ↑
Overview
At Morgan Advanced Materials , our rich history and dedication to innovation define who we are. Since our establishment in the UK in 1856, we have expanded globally, now operating across 70 sites in 18 countries. Our goal is to create a more sustainable world and enhance quality of life. We actively pursue this purpose through the development and production of advanced materials.
Within our business unit, we specialise in innovating cutting-edge carbon, graphite, and carbide products that deliver outstanding performance. We use our expertise to tackle complex challenges across many diverse industries to provide effective solutions for our valued customers.
Our products are shaping a better future; from enabling electric cars to charge faster and drive longer distances to maximising the operational efficiency of wind turbines. We are proud to help generate power for billions of people, deliver water to drought-stricken regions, improve the efficiency of industrial pumps, and protect lives both on the land and in the air.
Key Figures: Revenue £1,100.7m (2024), ~8,000 employees, manufacturing in 20+ countries, and a global customer portfolio. A UK PLC with head office located in Windsor, Berkshire UK. Listed on London Stock Exchange; Member of the FTSE 250 Index.
About You
- •Bachelor's degree in Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Operations Management, Supply Chain, Data Analytics, Business, or a related field
- •3-7 years of experience in manufacturing, Continuous Improvement, Operational Excellence, Industrial Engineering, or a similar role
- •Proven experience leading Lean Manufacturing and process improvement initiatives
- •Strong Power BI skills including data modeling, DAX, Power Query, dashboard development, and KPI reporting
- •Comfortable working with manufacturing data and performance metrics
- •Strong Excel skills and experience turning data into actionable insights
- •Familiarity with ERP and/or MES systems
- •Working knowledge of SQL and database concepts is a plus
- •Experience with Power Automate and Power Apps would be beneficial
- •Lean Six Sigma Green Belt required; Black Belt preferred
- •Strong project management and stakeholder management skills
- •Someone who enjoys getting into the details, asking "why?" five times, and occasionally discovering the answer was hiding in plain sight
What You'll Get
- •Opportunity to lead meaningful operational improvement initiatives with visible business impact
- •Exposure to plant leadership and cross-functional teams
- •A mix of shop floor engagement and data-driven analysis
- •Professional development opportunities including Lean, Operational Excellence, and analytics tools
- •Competitive compensation and benefits package
- •Stable manufacturing environment where your work directly influences business performance and results
If you're someone who enjoys improving processes, solving operational problems, and using data to make better decisions, we'd like to hear from you. Additional