IWS / Continuous Improvement Manager
Danone North America, Jacksonville, Florida, United States, 32290
Job Overview
IWS / Continuous Improvement Manager
– Job location: Jacksonville, Florida, US. Key Responsibilities
Lead IWS Strategy & Deployment Owns and manages the overall IWS Program Masterplan in the site, ensuring effective change management, adoption of systems and culture, integration across pillars and functions, and delivery of all result areas Facilitates the phased implementation of IWS Pillars (HSE/Quality/AM/PM/FI/E&T/Org) across all departments Develop and Manage IWS governance routines and reporting structures Facilitate the development of action plans to variances identified through the audit process Champion the digital integration of IWS tools and systems, replacing manual paper-based processes with intuitive, tech-enabled solutions
Capability Building & Coaching Act as an internal partner for the site to lead, define, develop, and coach IWS activities to drive improvement in all result areas and KPIs across all levels Coach pillar owners, area leaders, and line teams on IWS tools and methodologies Facilitate training sessions and workshops to develop deep system understanding and ownership Coaches and facilitates the site strategic planning process with monthly scorecard reporting and gap analysis Coach and mentor CI engineers and Operational Excellence leaders in CI activities
Daily Management Systems Ensure robust execution of DMS at all levels Drive visual management, loss identification, and problem-solving routines that support run-to-target behaviors Conduct regular audits and health checks of the Site CI Program and each pillar
Loss Elimination and Continuous Improvement Identify opportunities for process improvement and lead activities to deliver sustainable change and improve business results Lead site-wide loss analysis to identify chronic and sporadic losses Support and mentor teams on problem-solving to improve safety, quality, and eliminate waste/cost (root cause analysis, Kaizen, and CI events) Own and manage the Focused Improvement Pillar, defining problem-solving capability, tools, and strategy across the site Coach execution, drive countermeasures, and action plans to resolution Track and report improvement project results and ROI Share best practices across the plant and network CI team Simplify complex systems and documentation into clear, scalable standards
Cultural Transformation & Engagement Champion a zero-loss mindset and drive behavioral change Embed systems that promote employee engagement, empowerment, and structured problem solving Enable high levels of team engagement by embedding digital and simplified systems
Metrics and Performance Develop metrics and reports to drive action through the CI program Monitor IWS KPIs and report progress to site and regional leadership Assess system maturity and close capability gaps Manage the site productivity process and pipeline to deliver savings vs. commitments Collaborate with IT, automation and engineering teams to implement digital platforms (dashboards, mobile reporting tools, real-time KPI visibility)
Physical Demands
Ability to travel to all areas in the facility Ability to wear PPE as required Ability to respond to alarms Ability to communicate verbally and in writing Must be able to distinguish colors accurately Required to lift and/or move up to 50 pounds Work Environment
Manufacturing environment with exposure to moderate noise and temperature variations Work schedules could include nights, weekends and/or holidays to support a 24/7 manufacturing environment as needed Engagement in our Integrated Work Systems
Ensure adherence to plant standards and procedures (GMP, AIB, FDA, IWS, Quality, Safety, ISO, etc.). Implement and deploy IWS system and pillars with the objective of owning performance and continuous improvement. Compensation & Benefits
Danone North America offers a performance-based bonus and a strong benefits package including Medical, Dental, Vision, Prescription Drug Coverage, 401k Plan, Wellness Program, Life Insurance, Tuition Reimbursement, Flexible Time Off, and Paid Parental Leave, among other options. About You
The ideal candidate will bring education, experience, and skills to excel in this position. The following qualifications outline required and preferred criteria: Education & Experience
A high school diploma or GED required. A Bachelor’s degree in engineering or science is preferred. A combination of education and experience may be considered in lieu of degree completion. Minimum of 5 years continuous improvement experience in a manufacturing environment (food, beverage, or CPG preferred). Prior IWS experience preferred. TPM experience and knowledge of AM, PM, FI, Education & Training systems/tools required Experience leading problem solving and process improvement efforts required Lean or Six Sigma certification is a plus Knowledge
Knowledge of IWS/CI/Lean/TPM tools Knowledge of process improvement principles and methods Knowledge of business and management principles for strategic planning, resource allocation, leadership, production methods, and coordination Skills
Strong project and program management skills Facilitation and communication skills for problem solving events Excellent multi-tasking, organization, and time-management Analytical reasoning to evaluate solutions Strong business acumen with analytical and judgment skills Power BI, SmartSheet experience; MES tools preferred Influential skills with or without authority Abilities
Strong customer focus with cross-functional partnerships Ability to synthesize information and draw conclusions Strong interpersonal, facilitation, communication, and influencing skills Ability to communicate with all organization levels Ability to move between strategic and tactical problems quickly Ability to drive organizational change Ability to sustain process improvements and standards implementation Ability to support a 24/7 manufacturing environment as needed About Us, What’s Next
Danone U.S. is part of Danone North America, a purpose-driven company with brands including Activia, DanActive, Danimals, Dannon, evian, and more. We operate across 13 production locations in the U.S. and employ about 5,000 people. We are committed to equal opportunity and welcome applicants regardless of protected characteristics. For our EEO policy and rights, see our policy statement.
#J-18808-Ljbffr
IWS / Continuous Improvement Manager
– Job location: Jacksonville, Florida, US. Key Responsibilities
Lead IWS Strategy & Deployment Owns and manages the overall IWS Program Masterplan in the site, ensuring effective change management, adoption of systems and culture, integration across pillars and functions, and delivery of all result areas Facilitates the phased implementation of IWS Pillars (HSE/Quality/AM/PM/FI/E&T/Org) across all departments Develop and Manage IWS governance routines and reporting structures Facilitate the development of action plans to variances identified through the audit process Champion the digital integration of IWS tools and systems, replacing manual paper-based processes with intuitive, tech-enabled solutions
Capability Building & Coaching Act as an internal partner for the site to lead, define, develop, and coach IWS activities to drive improvement in all result areas and KPIs across all levels Coach pillar owners, area leaders, and line teams on IWS tools and methodologies Facilitate training sessions and workshops to develop deep system understanding and ownership Coaches and facilitates the site strategic planning process with monthly scorecard reporting and gap analysis Coach and mentor CI engineers and Operational Excellence leaders in CI activities
Daily Management Systems Ensure robust execution of DMS at all levels Drive visual management, loss identification, and problem-solving routines that support run-to-target behaviors Conduct regular audits and health checks of the Site CI Program and each pillar
Loss Elimination and Continuous Improvement Identify opportunities for process improvement and lead activities to deliver sustainable change and improve business results Lead site-wide loss analysis to identify chronic and sporadic losses Support and mentor teams on problem-solving to improve safety, quality, and eliminate waste/cost (root cause analysis, Kaizen, and CI events) Own and manage the Focused Improvement Pillar, defining problem-solving capability, tools, and strategy across the site Coach execution, drive countermeasures, and action plans to resolution Track and report improvement project results and ROI Share best practices across the plant and network CI team Simplify complex systems and documentation into clear, scalable standards
Cultural Transformation & Engagement Champion a zero-loss mindset and drive behavioral change Embed systems that promote employee engagement, empowerment, and structured problem solving Enable high levels of team engagement by embedding digital and simplified systems
Metrics and Performance Develop metrics and reports to drive action through the CI program Monitor IWS KPIs and report progress to site and regional leadership Assess system maturity and close capability gaps Manage the site productivity process and pipeline to deliver savings vs. commitments Collaborate with IT, automation and engineering teams to implement digital platforms (dashboards, mobile reporting tools, real-time KPI visibility)
Physical Demands
Ability to travel to all areas in the facility Ability to wear PPE as required Ability to respond to alarms Ability to communicate verbally and in writing Must be able to distinguish colors accurately Required to lift and/or move up to 50 pounds Work Environment
Manufacturing environment with exposure to moderate noise and temperature variations Work schedules could include nights, weekends and/or holidays to support a 24/7 manufacturing environment as needed Engagement in our Integrated Work Systems
Ensure adherence to plant standards and procedures (GMP, AIB, FDA, IWS, Quality, Safety, ISO, etc.). Implement and deploy IWS system and pillars with the objective of owning performance and continuous improvement. Compensation & Benefits
Danone North America offers a performance-based bonus and a strong benefits package including Medical, Dental, Vision, Prescription Drug Coverage, 401k Plan, Wellness Program, Life Insurance, Tuition Reimbursement, Flexible Time Off, and Paid Parental Leave, among other options. About You
The ideal candidate will bring education, experience, and skills to excel in this position. The following qualifications outline required and preferred criteria: Education & Experience
A high school diploma or GED required. A Bachelor’s degree in engineering or science is preferred. A combination of education and experience may be considered in lieu of degree completion. Minimum of 5 years continuous improvement experience in a manufacturing environment (food, beverage, or CPG preferred). Prior IWS experience preferred. TPM experience and knowledge of AM, PM, FI, Education & Training systems/tools required Experience leading problem solving and process improvement efforts required Lean or Six Sigma certification is a plus Knowledge
Knowledge of IWS/CI/Lean/TPM tools Knowledge of process improvement principles and methods Knowledge of business and management principles for strategic planning, resource allocation, leadership, production methods, and coordination Skills
Strong project and program management skills Facilitation and communication skills for problem solving events Excellent multi-tasking, organization, and time-management Analytical reasoning to evaluate solutions Strong business acumen with analytical and judgment skills Power BI, SmartSheet experience; MES tools preferred Influential skills with or without authority Abilities
Strong customer focus with cross-functional partnerships Ability to synthesize information and draw conclusions Strong interpersonal, facilitation, communication, and influencing skills Ability to communicate with all organization levels Ability to move between strategic and tactical problems quickly Ability to drive organizational change Ability to sustain process improvements and standards implementation Ability to support a 24/7 manufacturing environment as needed About Us, What’s Next
Danone U.S. is part of Danone North America, a purpose-driven company with brands including Activia, DanActive, Danimals, Dannon, evian, and more. We operate across 13 production locations in the U.S. and employ about 5,000 people. We are committed to equal opportunity and welcome applicants regardless of protected characteristics. For our EEO policy and rights, see our policy statement.
#J-18808-Ljbffr