Operational Excellence Specialist

Main Responsibilities

• Establish collaborative working relationships with cross-functional teams in promoting plant-wide improvements.
• Identify and implement improvement opportunities.
• Focus on eliminating waste and improving process efficiencies to increase throughput.
• Lead projects and coordinate internal resources for execution of projects.
• Develop project scopes, objectives, risk management plan and detailed project schedules, involving all relevant stakeholders and ensuring technical feasibility.
• Promote sustainability and smooth transition of projects using management of change (MOC) methodologies.
• Assist operations in reducing product variation, improve yield, improve quality, help meet our customer’s needs and achieve plant goals.
• Contribute to Capital Expenditure Authorization Requests (CEAR), including the planning, justification, and implementation of projects.
• Be able to use the DMAIC model to see projects from beginning to end. Identify and communicate with stakeholders throughout the project and through implementation/completion.
• Develop and maintain comprehensive project documentation and tools, including tracking systems.
• Provide technical support for inter-departmental groups including management, maintenance, production, packaging, and distribution in addition to outside vendors and contractors.
• Facilitate improvements to production and packaging processes from PIT Team improvements.
• Evaluate alternative solutions to design issues as determined by testing and experience.
• Track, monitor, and report on all aspects of plant projects, including cost savings, improvement activities, and milestones.
• Evaluate alternative solutions to design issues as determined by testing and experience.
• Coordinate continuous improvement efforts with management and all plant departments.
• Partner with Operational Excellence Manager (OEM) to lead Kaizen events for process improvements.
• Coach and mentor others to ensure that all projects are delivered on-time, within scope and within budget.
• Evaluate alternative solutions to design issues as determined by testing and experience.
• Evaluate alternative solutions to design issues as determined by testing and experience.

Qualifications/Required Skills

• B.S. in chemical engineering, mechanical engineering, industrial engineering, or food engineering preferred.
• Fundamental knowledge of food processing and packaging.
• Intermediate to Advanced (1-5 years) knowledge of project management methodologies, tools and best practices.
• Leverage lean manufacturing and Six Sigma principles.
• Strong interpersonal communication skills.
• Team player who can positively influence change.
• Working knowledge and ability to use Microsoft Word, Teams, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
• Aptitude for navigating of ERP systems preferred.
• Dynamics 356 experience.
• Mini Tab experience a plus.