Continuous Improvement Director
iTradeNetwork, Inc.
$175,000 - $225,000 / year
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Description
About iTradeNetwork
At iTradeNetwork, we provide advanced supply chain software and insights tailored to the food & beverage industry. Our mission is clear and ambitious: To feed the world. From the start, we’ve been dedicated to tackling the most pressing challenges within food and beverage supply chains, delivering innovative solutions and expert support that make a measurable impact.
Our cutting-edge technology helps businesses streamline complex procurement and fulfillment processes, minimize food waste, optimize inventory, manage compliance risk, and scale profitably. We’re proud to serve an elite customer base, including 13 of the top 25 North American grocers, 8 of the top 10 foodservice distributors, and 8 of the top 10 global food and beverage manufacturers.
Today, we're building an AI-first company — meaning AI isn't a feature we bolt on, it's the foundation for how we design products, make decisions, and ship software. Cerena is proof of that in action: powered by the most connected supply chain network in food and beverage, iTradeNetwork's Solution Suite replaces error-prone manual workflows with faster, smarter tools — driving real results for our customers, and ultimately, for the consumers who depend on them.
iTradeNetwork's Leadership Principles
iTradeNetwork’s purpose is to feed the world — and everything we do is guided by the principles below. Every team member is expected to embody and champion these principles across the organization.
Bias for Action
We value speed and avoid analysis paralysis. We develop conviction, make informed decisions quickly, and take calculated risks to maintain momentum — knowing that swift progress is essential for innovation and growth.
Customer Obsession
We work relentlessly to delight our customers. We work backward from their needs to solve pain points and create solutions that surprise and earn their loyalty. We obsess over customers, not competitors.
Data & Metrics Driven
We operate with facts, not opinions. We dive deep into data and use metrics to measure progress, ground every decision in rigorous analysis, and push for clarity and measurable outcomes.
Raise the Bar
We continuously push for improvement — in ourselves, our teams, and the company. We hire and develop exceptional talent, setting ever-higher standards that elevate performance and drive excellence.
Operational Excellence Through Process
We build lasting processes that optimize for efficiency. By developing, testing, and documenting each process, we create consistency and scale through automation, enabling continuous improvement across the business.
Ownership Mindset
We take responsibility for our work and aim for long-term success. We use resources wisely, stay accountable, and roll up our sleeves to get things done — no task is beneath us.
Earn Trust
We build trust through integrity, transparency, and mutual respect. We communicate openly, own our mistakes, listen actively, and remain open to feedback as an opportunity for growth.
JOB SUMMARY
We are seeking a Continuous Improvement Director to work directly alongside cross-functional teams—Product, Engineering, Customer Support, Operations, and Corporate functions—embedding structured, repeatable continuous improvement practices at the team level. Rather than defining strategy from the top down, you will roll up your sleeves with teams to run Kaizen events, structured problem-solving, and process mapping, coaching them until that thinking becomes second nature and the work outlasts your involvement. You will bring practical AI tools into the process-improvement work you lead where they genuinely help, and you will translate leadership's priorities into clear, actionable project plans that teams can execute with confidence.
Key Responsibilities:
Cross-Functional Project & Portfolio Leadership
- Partner directly with cross-functional teams (Product, Engineering, Customer Support, Operations, and Corporate) to plan, run, and deliver a portfolio of continuous improvement projects.
- Take priorities set by leadership and translate them into actionable, structured project plans with clear owners, milestones, and measurable outcomes.
- Manage project intake, prioritization, and resourcing across the CI portfolio, keeping initiatives moving and unblocked.
- Act as an embedded thought partner to team leads and managers, coaching them through structured problem-solving rather than directing from above.
Continuous Improvement / Operational Excellence
- Facilitate Kaizen events, workshops, and root-cause analysis sessions, guiding teams toward running these independently over time.
- Champion structured problem-solving as the core, repeatable approach teams use to diagnose issues and drive improvement, working directly alongside them.
- Coach team members and managers on structured problem-solving so the habit becomes self-sustaining, rather than dependent on this role.
- Map and redesign end-to-end value streams and processes together with the teams that own them, eliminating waste and reducing cycle time.
- Establish standard work and lightweight process controls so improvements stick after your engagement with a team ends.
- Work within each function's Business Operating System (BOS) at the team level, helping them track metrics, problem-solve when metrics are missed, and build charters and action plans for initiatives.
AI-Enabled Process Improvement
- Bring practical AI and GenAI tools into active CI projects where they can remove friction or accelerate root-cause analysis, prototyping alongside the team.
- Identify opportunities within in-flight improvement projects to pilot lightweight automation or AI-assisted workflows, in partnership with Technology, Data, and Product.
- Run hands-on workshops that build AI fluency within the specific teams currently engaged in CI work, grounding adoption in real project use cases.
- Apply the organization's responsible-AI guidelines (data privacy, model oversight) when introducing AI tools into a team's workflow.
- Track the adoption and impact of AI-assisted process changes as part of standard project outcome reporting.
Change Leadership & Culture-Building
- Lead change management within individual CI projects: stakeholder analysis, readiness assessment, communication, and training to drive team-level adoption.
- Build buy-in with team leads and frontline staff without formal authority, meeting teams where they are.
- Convert successful project outcomes into simple, reusable playbooks and toolkits that other teams can pick up.
- Model and reinforce structured problem-solving in day-to-day team interactions so it becomes the team's default way of working.
Metrics, Reporting & Culture
- Support enterprise KPI frameworks (baseline → target → control plan) by ensuring the projects and teams you work with feed accurate, timely data into them.
- Contribute project and initiative updates into the monthly MBR process, ensuring the work you lead is represented with rigor and accuracy.
- Translate project-level outcomes into clear, simple before/after impact stories for the teams and their leadership.
- Support the CI culture-building efforts led by executive leadership by demonstrating and reinforcing the mindset at the team level.
- Help train and mentor CI champions embedded within the teams you work with.
What you’ll need:
- Bachelor’s degree in Business, Engineering, Operations, Computer Science, or a related field (advanced degree strongly preferred).
- 8-10+ years of progressive experience leading continuous improvement and operational excellence initiatives in technology/SaaS, manufacturing, supply chain, or high-volume operations environments.
- Demonstrated facilitation expertise in Kaizen events and structured problem-solving methodologies (e.g., A3, PDCA, root-cause analysis), with a relevant certification or equivalent hands-on track record.
- Deep expertise applying Kaizen, structured problem-solving, and process mapping to both knowledge-work and cross-functional processes, not just traditional operations optimization.
- Proven track record of hands-on change management, with the ability to influence without formal authority, motivate cross-functional teams, and build trust at every level of the organization.
- Strong analytics and business acumen: ability to define metrics, quantify impact, and translate data into clear, practical recommendations for the teams you work with.
- Exceptional written and verbal communication, coaching, and facilitation skills (clear status updates, crisp storytelling, and leading cross-functional workshops).
- Ability to thrive on solving complex problems, translating priorities into action with precision and follow-through.
Nice-to-Have Qualifications:
- Experience standing up new Continuous Improvement or Operational Excellence functions from the ground up.
- Experience improving SaaS delivery and reliability using Agile/DevOps and service management practices (e.g., incident/problem/change management, continuous delivery).
- Familiarity with digital collaboration tools (e.g., Miro, Lucidchart), work and service management tooling (e.g., Jira, ServiceNow), and BI/analytics platforms (e.g., Power BI, Tableau).
- Experience scaling execution through workflow automation (low-code/RPA) and/or AI-assisted operational decisioning.
- Experience applying AI/GenAI tools within process-improvement or operational workflows.
- Familiarity with responsible-AI practices (data privacy, model oversight) when introducing AI tools into a team's workflow.
- Experience contributing to or supporting an internal AI community of practice or champions network.
- Familiarity with agentic workflows and human-in-the-loop AI system design.
- Lean Six Sigma or other structured-methodology credential, change management training/certification (e.g., Prosci/ADKAR), and/or a program management credential (e.g., PMP).
If you are a highly motivated and results-driven individual, with a passion for driving growth in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment, we encourage you to apply for this exciting opportunity. We offer a competitive salary, comprehensive benefits package, and a dynamic work culture that values collaboration, innovation, and personal development.
Base Compensation: $175,000 - $225,000/year
Why you will love working here:
- Competitive salary packages
- Comprehensive medical, dental, vision, and life insurance benefits for you and your family
- Flex PTO for exempt employees and competitive PTO for non-exempt
- Paid parental leave for eligible employees
- 401(k) matching
- Tuition reimbursement on approved programs
- Great health & well-being benefits including Teladoc for general medical and mental health care
Benefits are only applicable to full-time employees, those who work 30 hours or more weekly.
All iTradeNetwork positions are hybrid unless listed otherwise; candidates must be located in the hub(s) listed.
Additional Requirements:
- Must be able to demonstrate lawful ability to work in the United States
iTradeNetwork, Inc. provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, amnesty, or status as a covered veteran by applicable federal, state and local laws. We especially invite women, minorities, veterans, and individuals with disabilities to apply. EEO/AA/M/F/Vet/Disability
Benefits
- health insurance
- 401(k)
- paid time off
- parental leave
- tuition reimbursement
- life insurance
About this role
iTradeNetwork is building an AI-first supply chain software company serving the food and beverage industry's largest players. As Continuous Improvement Director, you'd embed yourself within cross-functional teams—Product, Engineering, Customer Support, Operations, and Corporate—to establish structured problem-solving and process improvement as a self-sustaining capability rather than a top-down mandate. The role balances coaching and hands-on facilitation: you'll run Kaizen events and root-cause analysis sessions, map value streams, and guide teams through structured problem-solving until the discipline becomes their default approach. Leadership will set priorities; you translate those into clear project plans with defined owners and measurable outcomes, then manage the portfolio to keep initiatives moving and resourced.
The AI dimension sets this apart from traditional continuous improvement work. You'll identify where practical AI and GenAI tools can genuinely accelerate improvement projects—whether removing friction in workflows or speeding root-cause analysis—and run workshops that build AI fluency within the teams you're working alongside. This isn't about bolting AI onto processes; it's about recognizing where it fits naturally into the work teams are already doing. You'll operate within each function's Business Operating System, helping them track metrics, problem-solve when targets slip, and build charters that stick after you move on.
This is a full-time, in-office role in Charlotte paying $175,000–$225,000. The position demands someone equally comfortable facilitating a workshop, coaching a manager through structured thinking, and translating executive priorities into executable plans. Success means building a culture where continuous improvement outlasts your direct involvement—teams own the thinking, not just the outcomes.
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Pay for this role
$175,000 to $225,000 per year
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