Continuous Improvement Manager

Joining Kings Hawaiian makes you part of our ohana (family). We are a family-owned business for over seventy years respecting our roots while thinking about our future as we continue to grow and care for our customers and the communities we serve. Our ohana members build an environment of inclusivity as they freely collaborate pursue learning through curiosity and explore innovation as critical thinkers. Beyond that we are also passionate about supporting the long-term health and well-being of our employees and their families. If youre excited to rise with our team come and join our ohana!

As a leader for Kings Hawaiian California Operations reporting to the Plant Director the Continuous Improvement (CI) Manager plays a pivotal role in enhancing manufacturing processes ensuring irresistible product quality and implementing cost-saving measures. This role leads the Continuous Improvement organization in delivering multiple projects of varying complexity in alignment with our strategic business goals. This role is responsible for shepherding the growth of Continuous Improvement culture for California Operations and developing the skill level and future success of the CI Team. Success in this position is defined as leading the CI organization to deliver measurable process improvements across safety quality productivity and cost metrics as well as partnering with various stakeholders including production R&D and marketing teams to deliver new capabilities and products that drive the business strategy. Employees in this position may interact with their leader daily to receive guidance and feedback. Most non-routine activities may require their leaders advance approval but routine decisions within the general scope of the role may be made independently.

ESSENTIAL JOB DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Develop and oversee a comprehensive Continuous Improvement strategy for Kings Hawaiian California Operations that aligns with the broader Operational Excellence strategy to deliver measurable meaningful performance improvement across Safety Quality Productivity and Cost Metrics
• Coordinate with cross-functional teams to understand their needs and deliver value through the identification of improvement opportunities solution implementation and ongoing support.
• Own the roadmaps and glidepath for CA Operations Performance to inform Capacity Planning
• Own manufacturing data and Performance Reporting striving for flawless available accessible data for users throughout CA Operations
• Tailor the Technical Learning & Development strategy to California Operations needs and lead deployment to ensure a safe compliant and highly capable Manufacturing staff
• Lead the Gross Margin Improvement process for CA Operations ensuring efficient use of resources by coordinating and driving delivery of Yield Overhead Expenditure and Direct Labor Improvements
• Coordinate with Engineering and Operations Excellence in the CAPEX planning for California Operations
• Own and shape plant cadences to ensure efficient and timely communication between departments
• Manage departmental and CI project budgets ensuring efficient use of resources and achievement of project and organizational financial goals.
• Conduct risk assessments for CI projects identifying potential issues and developing strategies to mitigate risks.
• Oversee resource planning and capacity management to ensure optimal project sequencing and execution.
• Own the growth of Continuous Improvement culture for CA Operations by leading development and delivery of learning curriculum training and Continuous Improvement events by example mentoring team members and promoting collaboration and innovation.
• Provide guidance and recommendations for plant structures and processes to ingrain Continuous Improvement philosophies across departments and functions including project management across CA Operations
• Provide direct supervision and development plans for CI Team members to improve their capabilities and enable their future success as potential leaders of Kings Hawaiian.
• Maintain relevant trackers record keeping project valuation standards and documentation (e.g. project charters roadmaps) to ensure operational excellence standards are met.
• Serve as an escalation point for resolving conflicts and project issues driving them to resolution to ensure project success.
• Continuously seek opportunities to enhance processes and methodologies based on lessons learned benchmarking and community discussions.

BASIC AND PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS (EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE)

• Bachelors Degree in Business Administration Engineering or related field required; Masters Degree in a related field preferred.
• At least 5 years of relevant experience in Continuous Improvement Operational Excellence Engineering or Operations Management or a similar role within the manufacturing sector preference for Food & Beverage manufacturing
• Demonstrated experience with Lean Six Sigma or similar methodologies certification preferred.

ADDITIONAL QUALIFICATIONS (JOB SKILLS ABILITIES KNOWLEDGE)

• High proficiency in project management principles utilizing this knowledge to efficiently lead CI team in the delivery of projects from inception through to completion.
• Working level of Financial Acumen and demonstrated ability to manage budgets build business plans and collaborate with Finance Teams
• Functional understanding of GMP and SQF standards with a focus on learning and applying these standards to enhance product quality and safety.
• Proficient ability to analyze complex data and translate findings into actionable insights driving strategic decisions and operational improvements. Exposure to data visualization software (Tableau PowerBI)
• Expert ability to lead motivate and manage cross-functional teams fostering a culture of continuous improvement and operational excellence.
• Ability to travel up to 15% of the time.
• A professional certification in Project Management (PMP PgMP) or equivalent is preferred indicating a working understanding of project management principles and practices that enhance the ability to effectively lead continuous improvement initiatives.

Kings Hawaiian is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for our ohana.