Continuous Improvement Specialist

Our client is leading Food manufacturer. Responsibilities: Supports continuous improvement efforts company-wide. Provides leadership and strategic thinking for implementing continuous improvement initiatives. Works with others to develop, implement, and sustain a continuous improvement program based on lean principles that support meeting financial goals and objectives. Implements operating processes and systems that deliver consistent year-over-year continuous improvement opportunities. Assists/helps troubleshoot potential production/operations issues that may occur at any given time on the manufacturing floor (i.e., downtime, line stoppage, machinery problems/malfunctions, etc.). Implement and sustain continuous improvement practices and a culture throughout the organization. Supports the organization to identify opportunities and works closely with technical resources to help drive efficiencies and best practices. Teaches and models root cause analysis, problem-solving, and actions to prevent recurrence, standard work, and follow-up. Work directly with the entire continuous improvement and employee development team to ensure cross-functional support occurs. Collaborates with all departments (especially production, maintenance, and quality departments) and individuals impacted by CI projects and defines common grounds for collaboration. Share best practices and build relationships with CI resources. Lead Value Stream Mapping, Standard Work, Visual Management, Kaizen, and other events and projects focused on productivity improvement, waste reduction, and quality improvement to better meet customer and business needs. Participate with management to develop project charters for improvement efforts. Partner with site management to implement new processes or guidelines, determine improvements, identify and track savings, and develop reports, to ensure targets are reached. Train and coach others to build organizational self-sufficiency with basic continuous improvement methods and tools. Identifies training needs appropriate to divisional CI leadership. Other Skills: • Situational leadership and influencing skills. • Capable of building relationships with site personnel within both the floor and leadership ranks, in order to effect change. • Self-starter to lead change and make independent and informed decisions. • Able to become the CI go-to person for the site and build a culture of continuous improvement. • Must have strong verbal and written communication skills to represent site CI activities. • Willingness and capacity to pursue CI certifications and/or proficiency in CI tools and practices. • Strong PC skills; Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook). Demonstrated facility with additional, relevant applications (e.g., Microsoft Project, Minitab) preferred. Education: • 2 or 4 years of experience in science, engineering, management, or a related field is recommended. • 5-10 years combined related work experience in manufacturing/corporate environment/production/operations. • Minimum of 5+ years of in executing continuous improvement/Lean Six Sigma efforts or equivalent, and enabling efficiency, effectiveness, and tangible financial benefit.