Continuous Improvement Lead
Job Description
Job DescriptionWho we are: Next Century Spirits (NCS), headquartered in Zebulon, North Carolina, is a full-service distilled spirits and marketing company specializing in the development of spirits for its owned brands, private label clients, and bulk supply. The NCS portfolio includes Pocho Fino Tequila, Nue Vodka, Blue Chair Bay Rum, Bear Fight Whiskey, Numbskull – a cool mint and chocolate-flavored whiskey, Creek Water American Whiskey, Caddy Clubhouse Cocktails, Calamity Gin, and Henderson Whiskey. NCS-owned brands have earned over 35 gold medals in industry competitions, and in 2023, the company was named North Carolina Distillery of the Year by the New York International Spirits Competition.
Primary Duty: We are seeking a Continuous Improvement Specialist to identify, design, and drive operational and workflow improvements across Next Century Spirits. This is a cross-functional role with a wide remit — from ERP and system workflows in NetSuite, to production and bottling throughput, to innovation pipeline management and quality processes. The ideal candidate combines analytical rigor with a practical, hands-on approach, and has the credibility and communication skills to drive change across multiple functions and teams.
Responsibilities
- Assess, map, and redesign business processes across operations, bottling, supply chain, R&D, quality, and innovation management to eliminate waste, reduce cycle times, and improve overall efficiency
- Own and optimize NetSuite/ERP workflows — identifying gaps, configuring improvements, and working with functional teams to drive adoption and data integrity across the system
- Drive speed and throughput improvements on the production floor — including changeover reduction, line balancing, scheduling efficiency, and yield optimization
- Improve and standardize the innovation management process — from new product ideation and R&D handoffs to scale-up, commercialization, and post-launch review
- Build and maintain a continuous improvement framework (Lean, Six Sigma, or similar) that creates a culture of process discipline and ongoing optimization across the organization
- Define and track KPIs for operational performance across functions — surfacing bottlenecks, measuring improvement impact, and reporting progress to leadership
- Lead cross-functional process improvement projects from scoping through implementation, managing timelines, stakeholder alignment, and change management
- Collaborate with R&D and Quality teams to streamline product development workflows, testing protocols, and quality management systems
This Job Might Be for You If:
- You enjoy solving problems. You love digging into a broken process, figuring out why it’s broken, and designing something better. You don’t get overwhelmed by complexity — you break it down.
- You take ownership. You drive projects to completion, not just recommendations. You’re not satisfied with a deck full of findings — you want to see the change actually happen.
- You are intellectually curious. You like to understand how things work end-to-end before you try to improve them. You ask good questions, and you’re comfortable learning new systems and processes quickly.
- You are highly collaborative. You know that process change only works if people buy into it. You bring teams along with you rather than handing down solutions from above, and you build trust across functions.
- You are motivated and driven. You volunteer for hard problems. You’re going to make a measurable difference in how this company operates, and that excites you.
- You are comfortable with ambiguity. One week you’re mapping an ERP workflow, the next you’re on the production floor timing changeovers. You adapt quickly and stay focused on impact.
- You thrive in a fast-moving environment. NCS is a growing company, and the processes that got us here aren’t always the ones that will get us to the next level. You’re energized by building, not just maintaining.
- You have strong communication skills. You can present findings and recommendations to a VP or walk through a process map with a line operator. You adjust your approach and you make things clear.
- You want to work in an industry that is a ton of fun . . . with people who are a ton of fun.
Required Skills and Qualifications
- 3+ years of experience in process improvement, operations, or a related analytical role — ideally within manufacturing, food & beverage, CPG, or a similarly operational environment
- Demonstrated ability to map, analyze, and redesign business processes across multiple functions, with measurable results
- Hands-on experience with ERP systems (NetSuite strongly preferred) — including workflow configuration, reporting, and cross-functional adoption
- Strong project management skills — able to scope, plan, and execute improvement initiatives from start to finish while managing competing priorities
- Data-driven mindset — comfortable building dashboards, analyzing operational metrics, and translating data into actionable insights
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills — able to influence without authority and build alignment across teams with different priorities
- Familiarity with Lean, Six Sigma, or similar continuous improvement methodologies
- High attention to detail and a commitment to follow-through — nothing falls through the cracks on your watch
- Bachelor’s degree in operations, engineering, supply chain, business, or a related field (or equivalent practical experience)
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience in spirits, wine, beer, or beverage manufacturing
- Lean or Six Sigma certification (Green Belt or higher)
- Experience with supply chain and/or production planning processes
- Familiarity with innovation stage-gate or product development pipeline management
- Experience with quality management systems (SQF, ISO, GMP, or similar)
- Exposure to R&D or new product commercialization workflows