Continuous Improvement Manager

This position pays between $90,000 to $150,000 depending on experience. FreshRealm At FreshRealm, we aspire to be the most optimized fresh meals solutions platform in the world. Fresh meals are our focus, and we are passionate about transforming this rapidly growing category, bringing fresh to everyone, every day, everywhere. FreshRealm develops, sources, commercializes and assembles fresh meals, including meal kits, ready-to-heat and ready-to-cook offerings. We partner with leading direct-to-consumer brands, national grocers, and top convenience, club, and food service companies to deliver the very best meals to their customers. Our customer's success is our success. If you are a growth-minded leader who thrives in an entrepreneurial environment at a company transforming an industry, FreshRealm is the perfect fit for you. General Job Description The FreshRealm Business System (RBS) will be an integral part of the way we run our manufacturing sites & functional areas and serve every customer, every day, everywhere. Under the direction of the Vice President RBS, this role has a mission to focus on creating, supporting and assisting the improvement efforts tied to the company's most critical business processes. Primary areas of focus will be the improvement within our manufacturing site. Deep analyzing of processes, diagnosing operational challenges, and implementing process and system changes to drive continuous improvement and breakthrough performance. Our operating model's goal is to positively impact our results and culture by establishing standards, institutionalizing daily management processes, adopting consistent problem solving methods and learning by doing. As part of the RBS program of Lean Management, the candidate will build an action plan to implement tools, identify opportunities and launch processes at the site level. In addition, this role will develop the kaizen and project funnel prioritizations for the sites he/she is responsible for and ultimately is part of the team that defines the lean culture and activities/change management programs to embed in the organization. The candidate will drive implementation of the RBS including daily management, metrics, and problem solving cadence. He/she will work with the sites to address KPI's and alignment to CVD (core value drivers) implementing lean tools and training programs to enable problem solving/action planning. This position will also drive the implementation of lean principles and practices, serve as a benchmark for FreshRealm's achievements, and ensure a common roadmap for continuous improvement and workforce development. Major Duties and Responsibilities Assist site and functional leadership in the development of an RBS Roadmap (i.e., how to use the RBS tools to drive sustainable improvement into all parts of our business and making it a way of life). Be an integral part of FreshRealm's team that designs and creates the infrastructure to make the RBS a benchmark in the industry. Lead, facilitate and co‑facilitate targeted, kaizen events, improvement workshops and projects that are tied to our Key Performance Indicators (KPI) to drive significant sustainable business results across the organization by leveraging Lean tools, people skills, and change management processes. Ensure successful kaizen events by installing and ensuring compliance to the kaizen process (includes; (1) planning of kaizens through a funnel process tied to GD, KPIs, and business needs, (2) kaizen execution and (3) sustainment of kaizens) Work closely with cross functional teams to proactively identify gaps and systematic opportunities for improvement (OFI) for the assigned plant and define and drive them through to completion as effectively and quickly as possible utilizing lean toolsets. Partner with all functions at the site to identify and create world class processes throughout the organization and define process capabilities, assess gaps and develop gap closure plans. Train and lead effective problem solving methods from plant leadership to line associates. Build and deliver breakthrough levels of improvement in process capability, reengineer business processes to reduce cost and increase productivity, and attain world‑class levels of quality. Define and implement process improvements on key initiatives that result in significant improvements in service delivery, increasing organizational effectiveness. Mentor, influence and develop potential lean practitioner candidates through their Kaizen events and projects driving business change. Engage the plant team in setting specific goals around Lean initiatives. This includes working with leadership to drive lean daily management in key areas of Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost and People. Facilitate, train, and coach team members in the use of the Business System tools (Lean Six Sigma tools). Identify and share best practices across the organization; incorporate benchmarks and best practices from other FreshRealm locations. Partner with Finance to incorporate kaizen and project savings into long‑range financial plans and operating budgets. Skills and Requirements Prior experience with deploying lean methods in operations and functions. Experience leading and developing training, processes and systems using kaizens, Problem solving, X Matrix, daily management and lean toolsets. Ability to create, lead, manage, and coordinate multiple kaizens and projects simultaneously. Ability to work both as a member of a team, a team leader or as a Kaizen event leader. Led and participated in developing and managing KPIs preferred. Very customer focused with a strong ability to influence and communicate effectively at all levels of the organization from senior site management to hourly employees. Active, aggressive, externally focused and future‑oriented. Independent worker, capable of operating in a fast‑moving, ever changing environment and able to effectively deal with difficult situations. Possess strong functional experience and commercial business acumen. Excellent training, consulting and change management skills. Keen listener, open‑minded, and have strong interpersonal skills and the intellectual horsepower to establish deep relationships at all levels. Quick study who can rapidly adapt to FreshRealm's culture and gain the confidence of the organization. Visibly demonstrates a sense of urgency and strong personal ownership to business performance. Hands‑on and detail‑oriented but also able to see the big picture. Great interpersonal skills, ability to build effective relationships, collaborate productively with others and drive teams to successful outcomes. Experience / Education 7+ years of relevant business experience. Bachelor's degree, preferably in a related discipline. MBA is a plus. Manufacturing sector with directly related experience in a business to business environment. High degree of proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, Power BI, ERP System(s). Green Belt or higher certification preferred. PMP certification preferred. Food manufacturing experience preferred. What We Offer Comprehensive benefits package for full‑time employees including medical, dental, vision, pet insurance and legal insurance. 401(k) with company match that is immediately vested. Life and ADD insurance. Opportunities for career growth with a dynamic company. Time away from work. Our Values at Work We believe that ACTIONS speak louder than words and our company values align to those ACTIONS. ACCOUNTABILITY: Set clear objectives and prioritize your tasks. Hold yourself and your teams accountable for meeting deadlines. Learn from your mistakes and use them as learning opportunities. CURIOSITY: Collaborate with others and explore different perspectives when accomplishing a task or solving a problem. Set learning goals for yourself and your team, and have a growth mindset: read books, subscribe to magazines, listen to podcasts, ask for recommendations, on how to grow professionally and personally. Don’t slap a band‑aid on a problem – dig deep and determine the root cause of an issue. TRANSPARENCY & HONESTY: Maintain open and consistent communication. Admit mistakes and take ownership. Document decisions to help avoid misunderstandings. INNOVATION: Work with the end‑user in mind and create solutions that will add value. Question existing norms, assumptions, and best practices. Experiment and take calculated, data‑driven risks. OBJECTIVENESS: Utilize data and make data‑driven decisions at every opportunity. NIMBLENESS: Utilize time management to help stay focused and on task with urgency. Continuously evaluate the effectiveness of current strategies and make adjustments accordingly. Delegate and trust others to handle specific responsibilities with resources and support. SUCCESS THROUGH OUR CUSTOMERS: Know your audience and the type of work they expect to receive as the end‑result of a project, initiative, or task. Seek feedback at different stages to ensure you are on the right track. Foster collaboration among cross‑functional teams to ensure you are providing the best experience and service to our consumers. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. Job Details Job Family: Corporate Job Function: Manager Pay Type: Salary #J-18808-Ljbffr