Continuous Improvement Specialist
Dakota
Description

Responsibilities:

  • Supports continuous improvement efforts company-wide. Provides leadership and strategic thinking for implementing continuous improvement initiatives.
  • Works with others to develop, implement, and sustain a continuous improvement program based on lean principles that support meeting financial goals and objectives.
  • Implements operating processes and systems that deliver consistent year-over-year continuous improvement opportunities.
  • Assists/helps troubleshoot potential production/operations issues that may occur at any given time on the manufacturing floor (i.e., downtime, line stoppage, machinery problems/malfunctions, etc.).
  • Implement and sustain continuous improvement practices and a culture throughout the organization.
  • Supports the organization to identify opportunities and works closely with technical resources to help drive efficiencies and best practices.
  • Teaches and models root cause analysis, problem-solving, and actions to prevent recurrence, standard work, and follow-up.
  • Work directly with the entire continuous improvement and employee development team to ensure cross-functional support occurs.
  • Collaborates with all departments (especially production, maintenance, and quality departments) and individuals impacted by CI projects and defines common grounds for collaboration.
  • Share best practices and build relationships with CI resources.
  • Lead Value Stream Mapping, Standard Work, Visual Management, Kaizen, and other events and projects focused on productivity improvement, waste reduction, and quality improvement to better meet customer and business needs.
  • Participate with management to develop project charters for improvement efforts.
  • Partner with site management to implement new processes or guidelines, determine improvements, identify and track savings, and develop reports, to ensure targets are reached.
  • Train and coach others to build organizational self-sufficiency with basic continuous improvement methods and tools. Identifies training needs appropriate to divisional CI leadership.

Other Skills:

• Situational leadership and influencing skills.

• Capable of building relationships with site personnel within both the floor and leadership ranks, in order to effect change.

• Self-starter to lead change and make independent and informed decisions.

• Able to become the CI go-to person for the site and build a culture of continuous improvement.

• Must have strong verbal and written communication skills to represent site CI activities.

• Willingness and capacity to pursue CI certifications and/or proficiency in CI tools and practices.

• Strong PC skills; Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook). Demonstrated facility with additional, relevant applications (e.g., Microsoft Project, Minitab) preferred.


Education:

• 2 or 4 years of experience in science, engineering, management, or a related field is recommended.

• 5-10 years combined related work experience in manufacturing/corporate environment/production/operations.

• Minimum of 5+ years of in executing continuous improvement/Lean Six Sigma efforts or equivalent, and enabling efficiency, effectiveness, and tangible financial benefit.

60-85k (based on experience). Full benefits: 401k, Medical, Dental, and vision.

Note: This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive. An employee may perform other related duties as needed to meet Berner Food & Beverage’s ongoing needs.