Continuous Improvement Lead

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.

Continuous Improvement (CI) Lead – Transactional Excellence

Travel: Up to 50%

About Xylem

Xylem is a global water technology company committed to creating innovative and sustainable solutions to the world’s water challenges. Across more than 150 countries, our people are united by a purpose: to build a more water‑secure world through technology, collaboration, and continuous improvement.

The Opportunity

Xylem is seeking a Continuous Improvement (CI) Lead to help accelerate enterprise‑wide performance through Lean transformation in transactional and service environments. This role is designed for a CI leader who thrives beyond the factory floor and is passionate about improving how businesses operate across functions such as Finance, Sales, IT, Customer Service, and Operations.

Reporting into the Water Solutions and Services (WSS) organization, the CI Lead partners closely with functional and site leadership to improve end‑to‑end business processes, enhance customer value, and deliver measurable financial impact. This role blends strategic influence, hands‑on execution, and coaching to embed Lean thinking as a sustainable way of working.

What You Will Do

The CI Lead enables teams across multiple sites and functions to adopt Lean principles and continuous improvement mindsets. This includes leading and coaching transactional improvement initiatives, building CI capability, and standardizing processes and methodologies that drive simplicity, flow, and performance.

Responsibilities include partnering with business and functional leaders to identify improvement opportunities across key transactional value streams such as order‑to‑cash, quote‑to‑order, procure‑to‑pay, record‑to‑report, IT service management, and customer experience. CI initiatives are aligned to strategic priorities and focused on delivering meaningful, quantifiable results for customers and the business.

The role facilitates cross‑functional improvement events, mentors teams in Lean tools such as process mapping, value stream mapping, problem solving, and standard work, and supports teams in sustaining gains over time. The CI Lead also analyzes operational and financial performance metrics, identifies trends and root causes, and helps leaders translate insights into action.

In addition, this role plays a key part in sharing best practices and lessons learned across the organization, helping build enterprise‑wide consistency and maturity in Continuous Improvement. The CI Lead actively models Xylem’s values and Growth Enabling Behaviors by fostering accountability, empowerment, and a culture of learning and innovation.

What You Bring

A successful candidate brings deep experience in Continuous Improvement and Lean methodologies, particularly within transactional, service, or enterprise environments. A bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Business, or a related field is required; a master’s degree is preferred. Lean certification and/or Lean Six Sigma Black Belt certification is strongly preferred.

Typically, this role requires 5–10 years of experience in CI or operational excellence roles, with a demonstrated ability to lead change across functions and influence without direct authority. Experience applying Lean in Finance, Sales, Shared Services, IT, or Customer Operations is essential.

Strong financial acumen is required, including the ability to interpret performance metrics, understand P&L impacts, and connect improvement initiatives to financial outcomes. Excellent facilitation, communication, presentation, and stakeholder‑management skills are critical, along with the ability to balance strategic thinking with hands‑on execution.

This role is well suited for a motivated CI leader who enjoys working in a global, matrixed, and fast‑paced environment and is comfortable traveling up to 50% to support assigned sites and teams.

The estimated salary range for this position is $100,000 to $130,000 plus bonus.   Starting pay is dependent on multiple factors, such as skills, experience and work location, and is not typically at the top of the range.  At Xylem we offer a competitive compensation package with a generous benefit package, including Medical, Dental, Vision plans, 401(k) with company contribution, paid time off, paid parental leave and tuition reimbursement. 

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.

At Xylem, you'll not only contribute to solving water issues but also have the chance to make a difference through our paid Volunteer Program, Xylem Watermark. We prioritize our employees' well-being through inclusion and belonging as well as our Employee Resource Groups (ERG). Proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity (including disability and veterans) and Affirmative Action workplace, Xylem fosters an inclusive environment free from discrimination or harassment. 

Please note that the information in this job description outlines the general nature of the position and is not an exhaustive list of duties. Xylem is dedicated to providing reasonable accommodations to enable all employees to perform their essential job functions. We reserve the right to modify this job description and assign additional duties as needed. Embrace the opportunity to be part of Xylem's transformative journey in shaping the future of water technology! #XylemCareers #GlobalImpact #WaterInnovation