Continuous Improvement Lead

Job Description Made Better isn’t just a claim; it’s our Dare promise.

At Dare our dedicated team works passionately to uphold our tradition of excellence, innovation and quality in every aspect of our operations. Our state-of-the-art facilities utilize advanced technology to ensure consistency and quality whilemeeting the evolving needs of our consumers and customers.

Position Type:

Permanent, Full time, Onsite, Replacement

Position Overview Reporting to the Director, Technical Services and Continuous Improvement, the Continuous Improvement Lead is responsible for leading and driving cost reduction strategies and projects in order to reduce waste, increase efficiency and elevate overall manufacturing performance. This position is based at our Corporate Office in Cambridge, ON and will be responsible for overseeing projects across our entire North American manufacturing network with travel to the U.S. being required.

In this role, you will be asked to develop, lead, and manage large scale Continuous Improvement manufacturing projects that impact our total network as well as an number Plant specific projects as required. Utilizing support from the Technical Services Team and building strong, cross-functional, internal partnerships across the business you will report and deliver against project timelines and savings estimates. Possessing the ability to think critically and utilize an analytical mindset is key to implementing science/theory alongside data analysis to lead your projects to success.

Key Responsibilities

Report directly to the Director, Technical Services and Continuous Improvement to scope, develop and lead complex Continuous Improvement projects that are scaled to impact the total Manufacturing Network and will generate significant cost reduction.

Work cross-functionally with our other Continuous Improvement Leads, who are Plant based, to report on how their individual projects roll up into your total project scope.

Build relationships with other business sectors such as Marketing and Finance to determine areas of significant opportunity that you can then build into large scale projects.

Support the Operations and Engineering Teams in multiple sites across North America to identify areas of opportunity for Continuous Improvement, based on the needs and feedback of the local facility teams.

Create strong internal partnerships with the Technical Services Team in implementing process and product improvements while maintaining a world class standard in Food Innovation and Quality.

Lead efforts to raise the skills and knowledge of Dare employees relating to Continuous Improvement including, but not limited to; opportunity scoping, data collection and analysis, scientifically valid production line trials, project implementation and controls.

Participate in process development and optimization for new and existing products and collaborate in cost estimates and capital requests for process improvement.

Participate in Manufacturing review meetings on a regular basis pertaining to overall plant performance and Continuous Improvement review meetings to drive cost reduction targets.

Qualifications

Post-secondary degree or diploma in Engineering, Food Science, or Supply Chain Manufacturing.

Minimum 5 years of experience in the food industry.

Knowledge of unit of operation and processing equipment in large scale manufacturing.

Project management knowledge and strong collaboration skills.

Strategic – big picture thinking skills, comfortable with ambiguity.

Lean Six Sigma knowledge is essential; Black Belt preferred, Green Belt minimum requirement.

Thorough knowledge of Lean concepts and tools including Process Mapping/Value Stream Mapping, Root Cause Analysis, Statistical Process Control, OEE.

Ability to handle and lead project work with a structured and self-directed approach.

Experience in utilizing Continuous Improvement initiatives such as leading Kaizen Events, 5S Implementations etc.

Proficient in both written and oral communication.

Extensive knowledge of MS Office applications, including Word, Excel, and SAP as well as Minitab.

Team oriented, self-motivated and highly organized.

Working Conditions

Normal office conditions plus frequent standing and walking are required when on-site in a Manufacturing Site.

Flexibility to work varying shift schedules as projects require.

Ability to lift up to 10Kg when required.

Travel will be required for this role up to 25% of the time including travel to the U.S. and other international locations as required.

Total Rewards Package Our Total Rewards package reflects the investment we make in our employees to help them and their families achieve their well-being goals. Total Rewards at Dare Foods includes a competitive base salary, comprehensive health and wellness benefits and retirement programs. In addition, we offer paid time off, career development opportunities as well as reward and recognition programs.

At Dare Foods Limited , we are dedicated to creating an inclusive, accessible, equal-opportunity environment that welcomes all individuals from all backgrounds because we know it will make our company a better place to work. Requests for accommodation due to a disability (visible or invisible, temporary or permanent) can be made at any stage of application and employment.

We want to thank all candidates in advance for their interest; only those candidates selected for an interview will be contacted. Due to the volume of applications we receive, we cannot confirm the receipt of individual applications or resumes.

Salary offers will be determined based on the candidate's skills, experience, and internal equity.

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