Continuous Improvement Manager

Position Overview

You may know us for our delicious cheesecakes…and for being recognized by Fortune Magazine as one of the “100 Best Companies to Work For®” 12 years in a row!

Responsibilities

• Partner with executive level champions to deliver measurable business results.
• Develop and execute CI strategies and initiatives.
• Lead cross-functional teams to evaluate and improve processes.
• Analyze data to assess performance and identify improvement opportunities.
• Collaborate with teams to streamline workflows and eliminate inefficiencies.
• Facilitate CI training sessions and workshops.
• Track, report, and sustain progress on improvement initiatives.
• Apply Lean, Six Sigma, and related methodologies to drive results.
• Prioritize projects aligned with business objectives.
• Provide CI guidance, develop culture, and build team capability.
• Map processes, assess gaps, and identify improvement opportunities.
• Able to develop, implement and sustain CI culture in facilities.
• Develop/train team members to perform root cause analysis.
• Process map process and identify gaps.

Requirements

• A minimum of 5+ years of proven experience leading Continuous Improvement initiatives in an operational or manufacturing environment.
• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, business, or a related field.
• Strong knowledge of Lean, Six Sigma, and other CI methodologies.
• Demonstrated ability to partner with executive leadership to deliver measurable business results.
• Experience leading cross functional teams through process improvement projects.
• Experience analyzing data, interpreting performance metrics, and identifying improvement opportunities.
• Skilled in process mapping, gap analysis, and workflow optimization.
• Ability to develop, implement, and sustain a CI culture across facilities.
• Strong facilitation skills for CI training, workshops, and coaching.
• Ability to train teams in root cause analysis and structured problem solving.
• Excellent communication, collaboration, and stakeholder management skills.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to prioritize initiatives aligned to business objectives.

Preferred

• Leverage Lean, Six Sigma, or related certification (e.g., Green Belt, Black Belt).
• Experience building a multi year CI value pipeline.
• Background in manufacturing, operations, or supply chain environments.
• Experience implementing enterprise level CI strategies.
• Familiarity with change management methodologies.

What We Offer

• Eligible for annual bonus
• Vacation and sick time
• Medical, Dental & Vision
• 401K with company match
• 25%-35% discount when dining as a guest
• Discounted cheesecake purchase program
• Annual stipend for dining in our restaurants

About the Company

The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated operates more than 350 full-service, casual dining restaurants throughout the U.S. and Puerto Rico. The Cheesecake Factory Bakery is headquartered in beautiful Calabasas, California with more than 600 staff members working in our manufacturing facilities in Calabasas, CA and Rocky Mount, NC. We create all of the delicious desserts on the menu at The Cheesecake Factory restaurants and we offer The Cheesecake Factory Bakery and The Cheesecake Factory Bakery at Home branded cheesecakes and desserts in retail and food service outlets nationwide.