What are the responsibilities and job description for the Continuous Improvement Manager position at Instinct?
Company Description: Instinct® is a rapidly growing, family-owned marketer and manufacturer of science-based 100% natural pet food for dogs and cats. Instinct® is the Raw Brand, with a mission to get more raw nutrition into every bowl of dogs and cats, for proven healthier and happier long lives. Our company mission is to Empower people to transform the lives of pets. We are committed to hiring and developing a team of passionate, performance-oriented professionals who live by our 4 values of championing raw, empowered to make a difference, collaborating as one team, and striving for excellence through continuous learning and improvement. Our home office is located in St. Louis, Missouri with our Center of Excellence Raw Food kitchens in Lincoln, Nebraska.
Instinct® is part of the family-owned group, Agrolimen, who owns leading pet food and human food businesses in the US, China, Europe, and Africa.
Position Summary:
The Continuous Improvement Manager will play a pivotal role in driving operational excellence, minimizing waste, and elevating product quality across the organization. This position requires close collaboration with various teams to pinpoint improvement opportunities, devise and execute strategic plans, and cultivate a culture of continuous improvement.
Key Responsibilities
- Process Optimization & Lean Initiatives:
- Champion continuous improvement projects using Lean, Six Sigma, Kaizen, and other methodologies to enhance manufacturing and operational efficiency.
- Identify, develop, and implement process improvements across manufacturing and supply chain operations.
- Facilitate cross-functional teams in analyzing current processes, identifying inefficiencies, and implementing corrective actions.
- Project Management & Performance Tracking:
- Manage multiple continuous improvement projects concurrently, ensuring timely execution and measurable outcomes.
- Develop, track, and report on key performance indicators (KPIs) to assess the effectiveness of continuous improvement efforts.
- Serve as the operations point person for the COGS excellence program, partnering with accounting to update tracking and progress.
- Training, Leadership & Communication:
- Organize and lead continuous improvement workshops and training sessions to embed a continuous improvement mindset throughout the organization.
- Mentor and facilitate team development, fostering a collaborative environment dedicated to operational excellence.
- Regularly update senior management on the progress and impact of continuous improvement initiatives.
- Quality, Compliance & Change Management:
- Ensure process enhancements align with quality standards and regulatory compliance, collaborating with the Quality Assurance team.
- Apply change management best practices to ensure seamless implementation and adoption of new processes and technologies.
- Liaise with suppliers and external partners to explore improvement opportunities in supply chain and procurement processes.
Qualifications
- Education & Experience:
- Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Supply Chain Management, Business, or a related field.
- Preferred: Master’s degree in Supply Chain Management or Industrial Engineering.
- Minimum of 5 years’ experience in a continuous improvement role within manufacturing or supply chain environments.
- Prior experience in the pet food, food manufacturing, or related industries is a plus.
- Technical & Analytical Skills:
- Proficient in Lean, Six Sigma, Kaizen, or other Supply Chain analytical methodologies.
- Strong analytical skills with expertise in data analysis, statistical process control, and performance measurement. (required)
- Familiarity with project management tools and techniques.
- Personal Attributes:
- Demonstrable success in leading and implementing continuous improvement projects.
- Exceptional leadership and team facilitation skills, capable of motivating teams toward achieving improvement goals.
- Highly organized, detail-oriented, and adept at managing overlapping projects under tight deadlines.
- verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to construct analytical data effectively for a wide variety of audiences using company sponsored software.
Compensation and Benefits
Highly competitive compensation package includes health and dental insurance, life and AD&D insurance, flexible spending accounts, health savings account, short and long-term disability, paid time off, Purpose Days off for company partner volunteer opportunities, and 401k with company match.
Our Instinct is to CHAMPION Diversity
At Instinct, we are as passionate about our people as we are about the pets we call family. We are committed to inclusion, empowerment, and respect. We believe that just like our pets, what sets us apart unleashes our greatest strengths. We thrive on the ability to not only empower people to transform the lives of pets through raw nutrition, but also to empower each other to inspire a culture that celebrates our differences. Our unique approach to pet food is what makes us who we are as a company, and our individual identities are what makes us a successful, innovative, authentic team.