Continuous Improvement Manager

Continuous Improvement & Quality Manager Full Time Regular Management Chattanooga, TN, US Core Values Trustworthy – We strive for our actions to match our words in all our relationships. Servant – Hearted – We enable and empower our team to serve the needs of customers, Team members, suppliers and the community. Relational – We aim to build healthy relationships while fostering an environment that promotes compassion, balance, and personal and professional growth. Resourceful – We value strategic insourcing, first looking to create solutions internally, and then looking to apply that knowledge to future opportunities. Primary Responsibility The Quality and Continuous Improvement Manager has a significant organizational impact and is responsible for establishing, leading, and maintaining compliance regarding Quality Management, Continuous Improvement, and Food Safety Compliance. They oversee the implementation, management, and continuous improvement of SCT’s Quality Control programs at all Chattanooga locations. Influences and drives a quality-focused culture that is enthusiastically engaged in upholding and maintaining audit readiness while maintaining best‑in‑class ratings for food safety and industry‑specific certifications. As a leader for Compress and Chattanooga, will be responsible for developing strategic initiatives, programs, and best practices while upholding SCT’s Mission, Vision, & Values. Actively collaborates with leaders, key stakeholders, and plant operations to influence change, increase engagement, and align resources. Essential Duties and Responsibilities Quality Owns the development, implementation, and compliance of Quality System for Chattanooga Develops and deploys adequate internal specifications to meet or exceed customer requirements Conducts investigations into non‑conformities and develops corrective actions to prevent recurrence Reviews and analyzes quality non‑conformances to drive corrective and preventative action and communicates appropriately; partners with Plant Supervisors to communicate customer complaints; trains and coaches operators/plant team members, ensuring adherence to customer specifications. Tracks, analyzes, and leads initiatives for all internal quality and customer complaint issues Actively communicates with sales, customers and vendors in developing and communicating corrective actions promptly; facilitates and manages supplier, subcontractor, and customer audits Leads and develops Root Cause Analysis and rapid response team for quality complaints Acts as liaison between plants and sales teams; engages and communicates with sales teams Develops and implements a Total Quality Management System for all of Chattanooga Establishes acceptable quality limits for defects for all of Chattanooga and communicates across all teams Develops SOPs for quality processes; facilitates and manages supplier, subcontractor, and customer audits Plans and organizes plant‑wide trainings and programs that promote a customer‑centric culture and develop internal “Customer Champions” focused on product quality and reliability Serves as a resource to all manufacturing locations to ensure quality standards are being supported and sustained Collaborates closely with Corporate Shared Services to align and promote org‑wide initiatives and utilization of resources for quality and food‑safety standards and expectations Supports all SCT locations with developing, supporting, and maintaining quality and food‑safety standards and expectations Maintains an internal audit system Acts as gatekeeper of document control system Leads, coaches, and supervises a team of quality support specialists Food Safety Compliance Overall responsibility for compliance with guidelines established by Local, State & Federal mandates or programs related to Food Safety, Good Manufacturing Practices, HACCP, BRC certification, Workplace Safety and OSHA Establishes proactive measures to maintain a clean and hygienic environment that adheres to the regulations and food‑safety requirements necessary to produce safe quality packaging Develops and delivers effective monthly trainings using various learning methodologies; establishes methods to evaluate comprehension and effectiveness; communicates and educates team members in Food Safety including onboarding new hires Develops and maintains a robust internal audit system while influencing organizational adherence to SCT’s Quality Management System and compliance with all GMP and food‑safety certification guidelines Actively participates in activities to remain current and informed on certification changes, updates, and industry best practices while effectively communicating to all stakeholders Continuous Improvement Functions as in‑house expert in Lean Six Sigma Methodology and acts as change agent to instill a quality‑driven culture throughout the organization Leads Continuous Improvement activities focused on operational excellence to drive results across production, quality, and safety while reducing costs and eliminating non‑value add activities Utilizes Project Management principles and Lean Methodology to lead projects across all areas of the plant; promotes and drives participation of cross‑functional, continuous‑improvement and 5S teams Actively coaches and trains team members in aspects of lean manufacturing and continuous improvement; conducts Yellow Belt training and certification of team members Facilitates and coaches projects for yellow belts and green belts Works with operators on the floor to identify potential continuous improvement projects – updates and follows through Communicates projects up and out, incl. improvements, cost savings, and future recommendations Leads 5S initiatives to facilitate improvement in processes, productivity and quality Experience / Qualifications Bachelors degree in Manufacturing / Industrial Engineering, Business, or related field preferred Minimum 5 years of directly‑related experience in a manufacturing, production or operations role; folding carton/paperboard packaging experience strongly preferred Demonstrated working knowledge and direct experience with GMP, food‑safety and quality certifications (BRC, SQF, AIB, etc.) Six Sigma and/or other professional Lean Manufacturing training and/or certifications required; Black Belt certification a plus Highly relational with ability to engage and influence others towards change within a 24‑hour production facility Excellent presentation and training skills Must be willing to travel as needed up to 10‑20% Print experience a plus Authority Must have the ability to lead people to execute the demands of production departments efficiently and to respond to oral instructions from his/her supervisor and other written instructions. Language Skills Must have the ability to read, understand, and communicate to others the meaning of complex documents including legal documents, letters, etc. and write legibly in English. Must be able to understand and speak clearly, and communicate in English. Shift & Location 1st Shift - Monday - Friday 8:00am to 5:00om Downtown Plant - 220 Compress St, Chattanooga, TN 37405 #J-18808-Ljbffr