Continuous Improvement Manager

Job Description

Job Description

Overview

The Continuous Improvement Manager supports the Hermitage location, with time split between the Cookie and Cone plants and reporting to the Director of Operations. The position combines the leadership scope of a CI Manager with the analytical, problem-solving, and line-side execution of a CI Engineer/Specialist, providing end-to-end ownership of the improvement pipeline. Responsibilities include establishing loss baselines, leading structured problem solving and Design of Experiments (DOE), tracking performance and improvement results, and partnering with Finance to validate and realize savings. The role will establish sustainable CI standards and best practices at Hermitage that can be replicated and scaled across the Flagstaff and Le Mars facilities once proven.

Responsibilities

• Establish and lead the Continuous Improvement function at Hermitage, setting a consistent improvement operating rhythm across the Cookie and Cone plants
• Own the improvement pipeline end to end, from identifying and prioritizing losses through project execution, stage gates, performance tracking, and Finance-validated savings realization
• Build CI capability across the organization by coaching Supervisors, Mechanics, and Operators in structured problem solving, root cause analysis, and effective feedback rather than solving problems independently
• Lead the plant’s CI governance and communication cadence, providing leadership with clear visibility into progress, barriers, resource needs, and realized benefits while coordinating trial and investment approvals
• Facilitate Kaizen and rapid improvement events and establish a hands-on Gemba culture focused on solving problems where the work happens
• Establish and maintain the plant loss baseline, quantifying repeat losses by line and failure mode including frequency, duration, and cost to create a prioritized register of addressable opportunities
• Lead structured experiments and Design of Experiments (DOE) on the highest-priority losses, partnering with Operations and Quality to develop trial protocols, obtain approvals, and translate results into sustainable process improvements
• Drive improvement across key performance levers, including scrap reduction, unplanned downtime, changeover time, and, over time, direct labor through process and operating improvements
• Establish data standards and improve data integrity, defining capture points, ownership, metrics, and review routines while working within existing systems, including AS400, until standardized data collection is implemented
• Lead changeover reduction initiatives using SMED principles and strengthen run-to-centerline practices in partnership with Operations and Maintenance
• Standardize and sustain improvements by documenting processes, SOPs, training materials, and best practices, ensuring successful improvements are replicated across lines and not dependent on individual knowledge
• Analyze plant performance data and translate insights into action, using Excel and available systems to identify trends, quantify opportunities, and provide clear recommendations to plant and operations leadership
• Coordinate cross-functional improvement efforts across Maintenance, Quality, Planning, Operations, and Finance, including the effective use of contractors and external vendors when required

Qualifications

• Secondary Education (Bachelor’s or Technical/Associate ’s Degree) Required
• Degree in Engineering, Business Management, Organizational Development, or other related field preferred
• Minimum 5 years of manufacturing experience
• Minimum 5 years' experience in a Continuous Improvement environment – TPIM, Lean, Six Sigma, or related process improvement systems
• Demonstrated Design of Experiments (DOE) and structured problem-solving experience is required
• 3+ years mentoring individuals and facilitating teams; overseeing root-cause analysis, data collection, and "Why-Why / How-How" thinking
• Working knowledge of production equipment, systems, and maintenance activities
• Experience building a loss baseline and tracking system from scratch preferred
• Computer proficiency required with strong background in PowerPoint and MS Office and advanced proficiency in Excel