Continuous Improvement Leader

Xylem is a Fortune 500 global water solutions company dedicated to advancing sustainable impact and empowering the people who make water work every day. As a leading water technology company with 23,000 employees operating in over 150 countries, Xylem is at the forefront of addressing the world's most critical water challenges. We invite passionate individuals to join our team, dedicated to exceeding customer expectations through innovative and sustainable solutions.

The Continuous Improvement (CI) Leader Emmaboda Plant is responsible for driving the Lean Value Stream Transformation in the Xylem Factory of Emmaboda by leading a team of CI Specialists and partnering cross-functionally with Operations, Supply Chain, Quality, Engineering, all the support functions, internal and external stakeholders. Emmaboda Plant is Xylem´s largest factory and it manages the entire end-to-end manufacturing process to produce the finished goods. The manufacturing process technologies at Emmaboda Plant represent a state-of-the-art application, integrating the latest innovations to achieve top-tier performance and quality.

As part of this this, The CI Leader plays a critical role to ensure that Lean principles and tools are embedded into daily operations, that the organization progresses toward world-class performance through systemic improvements, implementation of visual management, and to deploy a culture of problem solving.

The role reports to the CI Leader of Operations of Xylem Water Infrastructure and acts as primary reference point for the Site Leader of Emmaboda for the implementation of the Site Values Streams Transformations at the factory.

Key responsibilities

• Value Stream Transformation: Drive the execution of future-state value stream maps, and Lean Materials flow ensuring alignment to business objectives and On-time execution of Transformation tasks.
• Coach and Development of CI Specialists: Provide leadership, mentorship, and technical guidance to a team of CI specialists. Set priorities, monitor progress, and build Team expertise in Lean methodologies.
• Implementation of Flows & Material Systems: Promote, lead and sustain initiatives to deploy of “Standard Work”, “Creating Continuous Flows” (CCF), “Making Materials Flows” (MMF) and “Plan for Every Part” (PFEP).
• Strengthening Daily Management Systems: Design, implement, and sustain visual management tools and daily management Standard Work that make performance visible, enable frontline problem solving, and support escalation and accountability processes.
• Champion Problem Solving Culture: Train and coach teams in root cause analysis (A3, 5-Why, PDCA). Ensure consistent application of problem-solving methods and follow-through on corrective actions.
• Drive Measurable Results: Track CI initiatives and value stream metrics, ensuring projects deliver targeted improvements in safety, quality, delivery, cost, and employee engagement. Present progress to leadership and recommend adjustments as needed.
• Collaboration and Influence: Partner with leaders at all levels to identify opportunities, remove barriers to change, and reinforce Lean behaviours. Build strong relationships that support cross-functional alignment and sustainment of improvements.

Qualifications

We are looking for a senior leader with an engaged and coaching mindset and solid experience from an international organization. Your leadership is characterized by clear communication, and you can influence across functions and drive engagement at all organizational levels.

We are also looking for candidates who have:

• A bachelor’s degree in engineering, Operations, or a related field; an advanced degree is preferred.
• Minimum 5 years of experience in Continuous Improvement, Lean Manufacturing, or Operational Excellence roles.
• Demonstrated success in leading Lean transformations, including value stream mapping and flow transformations.
•  Strong knowledge of Lean tools such as 5S, Standard Work, Value Stream Mapping (VSM), PFEP, visual management, root cause analysis, and material flow systems.
• Highly proficient in Swedish and English, both in spoken and written form

Application

We look forward to receiving your application in English. Please note that we will be interviewing continuously, which means that we may close the application process if we find the right candidate.

If you have any questions regarding this position, please contact Corporate Recruiter Daniel Långberg, daniel.langberg@xylem.com.

Representative of Unionen is Anna Skansfors, Representative of Sveriges ingenjörer/Akademikerna is Jenny Johansson, Representative of Ledarna is Martin Johansson 0471-24 70 00.

Join the global Xylem team to be a part of innovative technology solutions transforming water usage, conservation, and re-use. Our products impact public utilities, industrial sectors, residential areas, and commercial buildings, with a commitment to providing smart metering, network technologies, and advanced analytics for water, electric, and gas utilities. Partner with us in creating a world where water challenges are met with ingenuity and dedication; where we recognize the power of inclusion and belonging in driving innovation and allowing us to compete more effectively around the world.