Process Improvement Specialist- Distribution

Process Improvement Specialist
- Transportation

Build Your Career with Ashley Furniture
- Where Innovation Meets Comfort

At Ashley, inspiring the love of home is at the heart of everything we do. As the world's largest manufacturer of home furnishings, we're more than a business — we're a family driven by innovation, competitiveness, and an unwavering commitment to excellence. We persevere through challenges, push beyond the status quo, and constantly seek better ways to deliver an exceptional customer experience.

Our solutions-first mindset and dedication to growth are why Ashley remains #1 in our industry.

If you're ready to grow, you've come to the right place. With a true "Growth Mindset," Ashley Furniture invests in developing future leaders and helps every team member learn from the best in the business.

If you are a current Ashley employee:
Please login to your UKG account and apply using the internal job board.

The Process Improvement Specialist is responsible for identifying, designing, implementing, and sustaining operational improvements across the transportation division. This role partners with operations, safety, maintenance, asset management, customer service, billing, and technology teams to streamline workflows, eliminate waste, improve service performance, and drive standardization. The Process Improvement Manager leads process optimization initiatives, develops operational standards, supports change management, and ensures continuous improvement efforts deliver measurable business results.

This role serves as a catalyst for operational excellence by combining data-driven decision making with practical field execution.

Process Improvement & Optimization

• Analyze business processes to identify inefficiencies, bottlenecks, duplication, and waste across transportation operations
• Lead process mapping, workflow design, and root cause analysis initiatives using Lean, Six Sigma, and other continuous improvement methodologies
• Develop and implement solutions that improve productivity, quality, cost efficiency, and service delivery
• Monitor and report on improvement initiative results, business impact, and ROI to leadership teams
• Facilitate continuous improvement events, kaizen workshops, and problem-solving sessions with cross-functional teams
• Conduct value stream mapping and process analysis to identify improvement opportunities
• Benchmark best practices and industry standards to drive competitive performance

Standardization & Process Governance

• Develop and maintain operational standards, standard operating procedures (SOPs), and work instructions across business units
• Ensure consistency in process execution through standardized workflows, templates, and tools
• Establish governance structures for process ownership, accountability, and continuous monitoring
• Conduct process audits and compliance reviews to ensure adherence to established standards
• Maintain process documentation repositories, best practice libraries, and knowledge management systems
• Create and update process documentation including flowcharts, SOPs, and visual work instructions
• Implement process controls and metrics to sustain improvements over time

Change Management & Implementation

• Develop implementation plans for new processes, operational changes, and transformation initiatives
• Create communication and training strategies to support adoption, engagement, and sustainment
• Support organizational transformation initiatives by managing change impacts and stakeholder resistance
• Partner with operational leaders to drive change readiness and process adherence
• Assess change impacts and develop mitigation strategies for process transitions
• Conduct readiness assessments and post-implementation reviews
• Build change management plans including stakeholder analysis, communication plans, and training strategies

Technology & Digital Process Enablement

• Collaborate with IT and operations business partners to improve business system utilization and optimize technology investments
• Evaluate opportunities for automation, workflow tools, digital transformation, and emerging technologies
• Support testing, implementation, and rollout of system enhancements and new technology platforms
• Serve as a business process subject matter expert for operational technologies including TMS, ELD, fleet management systems, and workflow automation
• Identify opportunities to leverage AI, machine learning, and intelligent automation to enhance processes
• Develop business requirements and use cases for technology solutions

Training & Performance Support

• Collaborate with training teams to develop process-related learning materials, job aids, and training curricula
• Support operational leaders in driving adherence to new standards and process expectations
• Provide ongoing support during process transitions, implementations, and go-live activities
• Develop train-the-trainer materials and certification programs for process champions
• Create performance support tools and resources to enable successful…