Continuous Improvement Leader bei MBC Companies

Continuous Improvement Leader

MBC Companies, a manufacturer and distributor of frozen food is currently seeking a Continuous Improvement Leader.  Under the direct supervision of the Chief Operating Officer, this position will lead the development and deployment of Lean manufacturing principles, tools, and strategies across several food manufacturing plants. This individual will work collaboratively with site leaders and plant teams to identify performance gaps, standardize best practices, and execute projects that improve operational efficiency, reduce waste, increase throughput, and enhance safety and quality outcomes

Key Responsibilities

• Serve as the CI subject matter expert and lead continuous improvement efforts across multiple manufacturing sites.
• Collaborate with Operations Managers and functional leaders to assess operational performance and identify improvement opportunities.
• Lead the rollout and sustainment of Lean systems such as 5S, Visual Management, Standard Work, SMED, Value Stream Mapping, OEE tracking, and Root Cause Analysis.
• Analyze operational data to identify trends, performance gaps, and areas for cost savings or productivity gains.
• Facilitate cross-site Kaizen events, CI workshops, and problem-solving sessions focused on improving plant-level performance.
• Develop, monitor and benchmark plant KPIs to measure the impact of improvement initiatives and share best practices across sites.
• Support plants in achieving strategic operational goals related to throughput, downtime, yield, labor efficiency, and cost savings.
• Develop and deliver training on Lean tools and methodologies to front-line supervisors, managers, and employees at all levels.
• Partner with Quality and Food Safety teams to ensure all improvements align with regulatory and safety standards (GMP, HACCP, USDA, FDA, etc.)
• Partner with Maintenance and Engineering to drive equipment reliability initiatives and Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) efforts.
• Support standardization and harmonization of operational processes across facilities to build a culture of continuous improvement, accountability, teamwork, and proactive problem solving.
• Support capital projects and automation initiatives from a CI perspective to ensure operational alignment and efficiency gains.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering, Operations Management, Food Science, or a related field.
• 5+ years of experience in a food, beverage, or consumer goods manufacturing environment with a strong focus on operations.
• Multi-site leadership experience
• Lean Six Sigma certification (Green / Black Belt)
• Demonstrated success leading plant-level CI initiatives with measurable ROI (e.g., OEE improvement, downtime reduction, cost savings).
• Experience with digital manufacturing tools, real-time performance monitoring, or automation integration.
• Strong understanding of Lean tools, manufacturing KPIs, and process improvement methodologies.
• Excellent project management, analytical, coaching, facilitation, and leadership skills.
• Ability to influence and lead change across diverse teams and multiple locations.
• Comfortable with frequent travel and working in plant environments.
• High-speed, highly-regulated, food manufacturing experience, including GMP, HACCP, USDA, FDA compliance.
• Familiarity with regulatory standards such as FSMA, SQF, BRC, and GFSI.
• Understanding of equipment performance monitoring and preventive maintenance strategies.
• Bilingual skills (e.g., English/Spanish) are a plus for supporting diverse teams across locations.

MBC companies offers competitive wages, comprehensive benefit package and a great work environment.  MBC companies is an Equal Opportunity Employer.