Richelieu Foods, Inc., a leading supplier of high-quality private brand food products is seeking an experienced Continuous Improvement (CI) Technical Leader that will be based in our Wheeling plant. Reporting to our Director of Continuous Improvement, the CI Technical Leader will be responsible to execute cost improvement opportunities across the plants including activities such as waste identification and elimination, set-up improvement, materials optimization, the creation of standard operating procedures and machine training documentation, the deployment of Zero Loss activities and project management.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Study existing processes across the plant to identify opportunities to drive out waste and improve profitability and process efficiency.
• Support the development of a plant-wide continuous improvement culture. Assist in efforts focused on driving employee engagement, enhancing organizational capability and developing plant-based change agents.
• Assists in the deployment of Richelieu Integrated Manufacturing (RIMS) by integrating daily management systems into the plant culture that drive improvements in performance and supports Zero Loss/Zero Defect activities.
• Provide expertise in the areas of waste reduction, process simplification, Lean principles and Six Sigma problem solving techniques. Builds the capability of existing plant personnel in DMAIC and Lean tools
• Conducts Kaizen events to drive improvements in plant performance. Facilitate problem solving within departments and cross-functionally.
• Deliver relevant training and coaching, to ensure employees are appropriately educated throughout the business regarding waste reduction, process improvement and overall cost.
• Uses existing KPIs to track results. Alters plans as needed to deliver improvement targets.
• Develops and maintains specific training materials for our skilled machine operator positions that include core competencies and technical training materials used for qualification of machine operators
• In conjunction with HR, continually evaluates the training procedures for effectiveness and updates the materials and the curriculum as needed.
• Drive Operational Excellence using various tools, best practices, and continuous improvement.
• Other duties as assigned.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, & COMPETENCIES

• Demonstrated track record of operations improvement using the DMAIC process
• Excellent oral, written, communication skills required
• Effective problem-solving skills - Analytically minded and data-driven
• Leads with a high level of integrity and accountability
• Patience, perseverance, and passion to drive a Lean culture across the plant
• Experience in developing, implementing, and improving key performance indicator metrics through strong data analysis and continuous improvement

EDUCATION / EXPERIENCE:

• Bachelor's degree in Business / Operations or BS in Engineering
• 5+ years of technical / operations experience with focus on CI activities in manufacturing
• Green Belt certification required with Black Belt certification a plus
• Bilingual – English and Spanish is preferred
• Lean, Six Sigma, TPS, or DMAIC experience
• Previous hands-on and practical experience in using value stream mapping and implementing lean tools with proven results in at least the following areas: 5S+1, Visual Management, Standard Work, Quick Changeover, SMED and TPM preferred

Richelieu Foods, Inc., a Freiberger Group Company, offers a comprehensive salary and benefits package including medical, dental, life insurance, short-term disability, 401K with company match and PTO.