Quality & Safety Continuous Improvement Technician at Friendship Industries Inc – Harrisonburg, Virginia

Job Title:

Quality & Safety Continuous Improvement Technician

Job Category:

Non-Exempt

Department/Group:

Quality & Safety

Job Code/ Req#:

Location:

801 Friendship Dr

Travel Required:

None

Level/Salary Range:

$23/hour

Position Type:

Full-Time

Job Summary

Within the Mission and Strategic Plan of Friendship Industries, Inc. and Able Solutions, Inc., the Quality, Safety & Continuous Improvement Coordinator plays a critical role in ensuring compliance, driving operational excellence, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement across the organization.

This role balances quality assurance, safety compliance, and continuous improvement leadership, with a strong emphasis on identifying inefficiencies, leading improvement initiatives, and building internal capability through Lean methodologies such as KATA, Kaizen, 5S, and root cause problem-solving.

The Quality and Safety Continuous Improvement Coordinator partners cross-functionally with Operations, Quality, and Leadership to ensure systems are not only compliant—but continuously improving, sustainable, and people-centered.

Core Focus Areas

• Continuous Improvement
• Quality Assurance & Regulatory Compliance
• Training, Coaching & Culture Building
• Safety & Risk Reduction

Essential Responsibilities and Duties

1. Continuous Improvement Leadership (Primary Focus)

• Lead and facilitate continuous improvement initiatives using Lean methodologies (KATA, Kaizen, 5S, visual management, standard work).
• Identify process inefficiencies, waste, and variation; design and implement sustainable solutions.
• Coach leaders and frontline staff in daily improvement practices, including KATA routines and problem-solving thinking.
• Conduct root cause analysis (5 Why, fishbone, etc.) and ensure corrective actions are effective and sustained.
• Develop and track key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure improvement impact (quality, safety, productivity, cost).
• Facilitate Kaizen events and improvement workshops across departments.
• Drive a culture of improvement through structured audits, feedback loops, and engagement.
• Monitor and sustain improvements through audits, standardization, and follow-up.

1. Quality Assurance & Compliance

• Serve as champion of the Quality Management System (QMS), ensuring compliance and continuous enhancement.
• Ensure adherence to FDA, cGMP, and customer-specific requirements across all operations.
• Conduct internal audits and participate in external audits (customer, regulatory, third-party).
• Oversee product inspections and ensure all outputs meet required specifications.
• Manage non-conformance processes, including documentation, investigation, and corrective actions.
• Participate in mock recalls and traceability exercises.
• Maintain accurate documentation, reports, and audit records.
• Investigate customer complaints and implement corrective/preventive actions (CAPA).

1. Safety & Risk Management

• Support and promote compliance with OSHA and internal safety programs.
• Partner with operations to implement risk-based safety and quality strategies.
• Conduct safety audits and support hazard identification and mitigation efforts.
• Lead or support incident investigations using structured problem-solving methods.
• Ensure proper implementation of programs such as Hazard Communication and workplace safety standards.

1. Training & Capability Building

• Develop and deliver training on quality systems, safety standards, and continuous improvement tools.
• Coach employees and leaders on Lean practices and standard work.
• Assess training effectiveness and adjust programs to improve retention and application.
• Build internal capability by empowering teams to identify and solve problems independently.
• Support onboarding and ongoing development related to quality, safety, and process excellence.

1. Systems, Data & Process Optimization

• Analyze operational and quality data to identify trends and improvement opportunities.
• Support effective use of systems (WMS, ERP, tracking tools) to ensure process consistency and visibility.
• Develop dashboards, scorecards, and reports to support data-driven decision-making.
• Audit system and process adherence; identify gaps and implement corrective actions.
• Partner with Operations to optimize workflows, layouts, and material flow.

1. Collaboration & Culture

• Build strong, collaborative relationships across Production, Quality, Safety, and Leadership teams.
• Act as a liaison between departments to align improvement priorities and execution.
• Promote a culture where employees feel valued, respected, and engaged in improvement efforts.
• Serve as a role model of professionalism, ethical behavior, and continuous learning.

Position Impact

This role is critical in shifting the organization from compliance-focused to improvement-driven, ensuring that quality and safety systems are not only maintained—but continuously evolving to support operational excellence and mission impact.

Reporting Structure

Reports to: Quality and Safety Manager