Director, Lean Continuous Improvement

Already strong across the Midwest, our client has designs on growing into national brand. With state-of-the-art production facilities, and cited by industry experts as one of the most technically advanced, the company manufactures and packages over 2,000 products in almost every size, shape, style, and flavor imaginable.   Also, in keeping with leading taste and technology trends, our client produces an awesome-tasting line of Splenda-sweetened ice cream. So much to enjoy!

Why Our Client is Different – and Why YOU Should Be Here!

Successful people and organizations hold certain beliefs or values about themselves. One of our client’s most visible and critical values is the belief in work/life balance of team members, an important consideration in today’s hectic world where attention to personal issues and family responsibilities is often sacrificed for corporate objectives. In addition, our client puts a premium on innovation and results rather than bureaucracy. This kind of focus on people and innovation has allowed the company to build a loyal, dynamic and highly productive group of associates at all levels of the organization, resulting in continuing benefits from the successful pioneering efforts of these valued associates.

Critical Mission

Our client’s new Director, Continuous Improvement (Director CI) will take full responsibility for developing an effective CI program which provides tools, techniques and resources to support the organization’s efforts to significantly improve Safety, Quality, Delivery and Cost.              

Specific Responsibilities

·        Provide the organization with standard CI tools and techniques for analysis, quantification, prioritization and realization of sustained performance improvements in the areas of Safety, Quality, Delivery and Cost.

·        Refine CI program design (i.e., philosophy and approach) as needed to ensure alignment with company’s business strategy and accelerated results that are sustained over time.

·        Oversee the professional development of CI team members and refine the capability building process as needed to provide distinctive CI expertise that fully supports the organization’s improvement efforts.

·        Partner with Operations/Supply Chain leaders to develop annual CI Objectives, Strategies and Plans (OSP’s) and then to create revised quarterly plans based on the results and business needs.

·        Ensure proper communication methods are utilized to create a shared CI mindset across the organization and reinforce basic CI principles, highlight Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s) versus goals, share best practices and celebrate individual/team successes.

·        Counsel organization leaders (e.g., product development, sales, marketing, etc…) on developing effective CI program within their business area by creating a tailored approach that adapts CI tools/techniques to fit each function’s operation.

·        Lead improvement projects and/or activities each year that deliver significant sustained annual savings

Requirements

·        Bachelor of Science (preferably technical field, e.g., engineering), MBA optional.

·        Experience applying improvement methodologies (e.g., Lean, 6 Sigma, TPM, etc…) to different operating environments (e.g., continuous flow process, warehouses, suppliers, “back” office, etc…)

·        Expertise in leading the design, launch and roll-out of a corporate improvement program.

·        Ability to build effective CI teams with distinctive CI capabilities.

·        Ability to orchestrate change across the supply chain and within a multi-site plant network.

·        Strong expertise in Lean Manufacturing  (Toyota Production System) and/or Total Productive Maintenance (TPM).

·        Demonstrated skills as effective problem solver, strong communicator (oral & written), advanced operations analyst (e.g., labor, equipment, etc…)

·        Ability to positively influence and motivate others, effective coach/mentor to others, capable of building effective teams.

Compensation

Competitive base salary, performance bonus, benefits and relocation assistance as appropriate.