Continuous Improvement Manager

Job Title: Continuous Improvement and Manufacturing Excellence LeaderJob Description

This role leads the continuous improvement agenda and executes the site's Manufacturing Excellence Master Plan, aligning business priorities with long-term performance and capability goals. The position champions the deployment and maturity of World Class Manufacturing (WCM) and UMS systems, driving operational effectiveness, loss elimination, and sustainable business results in a high-speed food manufacturing environment.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development and execution of the site's Manufacturing Excellence Master Plan, ensuring alignment between business priorities, long-term performance targets, and capability-building goals.

• Champion the deployment, integration, and maturity of World Class Manufacturing (WCM) and UMS systems across the factory.

• Partner with site leadership to identify strategic opportunities that improve operational effectiveness and deliver sustainable business results.

• Serve as a key advisor and change leader during major transformation initiatives, guiding stakeholders through planning, implementation, and stabilization.

• Lead site-wide loss analysis and elimination efforts across safety, quality, productivity, reliability, and cost.

• Deliver measurable improvements in key performance indicators including Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE), Manufacturing Performance (MP), Output Reliability (OR), and Cost per Tonne (CPT).

• Establish and maintain a disciplined governance process that drives accountability and ensures continuous delivery of improvement initiatives.

• Identify, evaluate, and implement best practices, emerging technologies, and innovative manufacturing solutions to enhance performance.

• Create and sustain a culture where continuous improvement, problem solving, and operational excellence are embedded into daily work at all levels of the organization.

• Coach leaders, managers, and frontline teams in Lean, WCM, TPM, and structured problem-solving methodologies.

• Lead capability-building strategies that strengthen technical expertise and accelerate organizational performance across the site.

• Develop and manage site maturity roadmaps that move the factory toward world-class manufacturing benchmarks.

• Lead the site's Manufacturing Training Platform and overall capability development strategy.

• Ensure learning systems, certification processes, and technical development programs directly support operational priorities and loss elimination goals.

• Drive adoption of modern learning methods, digital tools, structured certification pathways, and skills-based development frameworks.

• Partner closely with HR and global learning teams to build a highly capable, adaptable workforce.

• Collaborate with Site Leadership, Supply Unit Directors, Engineering, R&D, and Global Manufacturing Excellence (MANEX) teams to align operational and innovation priorities.

• Provide strategic guidance to Category Engineering to ensure manufacturing excellence principles are incorporated into future technologies and innovations.

• Champion the sharing of best practices across factories and regions, helping scale successful approaches throughout the broader manufacturing network.

• Focus on OEE improvement, waste reduction, equipment reliability, and process optimization within high-speed food manufacturing operations.

Essential Skills

• Bachelor's Degree required in Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations, or a related field.

• Master's Degree preferred in Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations, or a related discipline.

• 5+ years of experience in manufacturing, engineering, supply chain, continuous improvement, or operational excellence.

• Demonstrated success leading large-scale performance improvement initiatives and delivering measurable business results.

• Deep expertise in Manufacturing Excellence, Lean Manufacturing, Continuous Improvement, World Class Manufacturing (WCM), Total Productive Maintenance (TPM), or related operational excellence methodologies.

• Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities with the ability to convert insights into practical, actionable solutions.

• Proven ability to influence leaders and drive change within complex manufacturing environments.

• Exceptional coaching, stakeholder management, and leadership skills with the ability to engage and develop teams at all levels.

• Ability to balance long-term transformational strategy with day-to-day operational execution.

• Experience with OEE improvement, waste reduction, equipment reliability, and process improvement in manufacturing settings.

• Background in food manufacturing and high-speed manufacturing operations.

• Strong leadership skills with a track record of building and developing high-performing teams.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Experience deploying and maturing WCM, UMS, Lean, and TPM systems across manufacturing sites.

• Proficiency in structured problem-solving methodologies and root cause analysis.

• Ability to design and implement capability-building programs, training platforms, and certification processes.

• Comfort working with digital learning tools, modern training methods, and skills-based development frameworks.

• Experience collaborating with cross-functional teams including HR, Engineering, R&D, Supply Chain, and global excellence functions.

• Strong communication skills with the ability to clearly articulate strategies, priorities, and performance expectations.

• Motivation to develop and grow a high-performing team within a well-established food manufacturing organization.

• Ability to champion best practice sharing across multiple sites and regions to drive network-wide improvements.

Work Environment

This is an on-site role in a food manufacturing facility, with time spent both on the production floor and in an office setting. The environment includes high-speed manufacturing equipment and requires close collaboration with operations, engineering, and leadership teams. The role involves frequent presence on the factory floor to observe processes, engage with frontline teams, and support continuous improvement activities, as well as office-based work for analysis, planning, training design, and governance activities.

Job Type & Location

This is a Permanent position based out of Independence, MO.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $100000.00 - $150000.00/yr.

Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.

Medical, dental, and vision benefits provided with this direct hire opportunity. 15% annual performance bonus.

Workplace Type

This is a fully onsite position in Independence,MO.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Oct 23, 2026.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email [email protected] for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.