CI Manager
A leading food manufacturing organization is seeking a Continuous Improvement Manager to support operations at a high‑volume manufacturing facility in California. This role partners closely with plant leadership to expand performance systems, eliminate losses, and drive sustainable improvements across safety, quality, delivery, and cost. The position plays a critical role in building a continuous improvement culture by engaging both hourly and salaried teams, strengthening operational capabilities, and embedding standard work across the site.
Responsibilities:
- Serve as a trusted advisor and coach to plant leadership across multiple performance system pillars
- Own and lead key continuous improvement pillars, including Focused Improvement, Continuous Skills Development, and Autonomous Manufacturing
- Partner with operations, maintenance, quality, engineering, and supply chain teams to identify and execute improvement opportunities across all areas of the facility
- Coach hourly and salaried teams on data analysis, loss identification, project prioritization, and structured problem‑solving methodologies
- Lead cross‑functional improvement initiatives that deliver measurable gains tied to key performance indicators (KPIs)
- Drive standardization and sustainability of improvements through audits, routines, and leader standard work
- Promote continuous improvement principles through daily floor presence, coaching, and engagement at all levels of the organization
- Support the adoption and enhancement of digital tools and data systems to improve visibility, decision‑making, and execution
- Collaborate with enterprise and site‑level CI leaders to share best practices, align standards, and reapply successful solutions across the business
- Foster a culture of accountability, learning, and continuous improvement throughout the facility
Requirements:
- Bachelor's degree required
- 7+ years of plant‑based operations experience within food, beverage, or consumer packaged goods manufacturing
- 7+ years of experience leading TPM‑based continuous improvement initiatives, Lean manufacturing, Six Sigma, or similar operating systems
- Prior people leadership or indirect management experience strongly preferred
- Strong working knowledge of production equipment, manufacturing processes, and plant systems
- Proven ability to drive productivity improvements, cost reduction initiatives, and waste elimination efforts
- Demonstrated success influencing and leading change across multiple levels of an organization
- Strong communication, coaching, and stakeholder management skills
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