Job Details

Location: St. Joseph
Employment Type: Salaried

Work Arrangement: Onsite

Position Summary:

The Process Lead owns all continuous improvement activities for their assigned area. Is the subject matter expert around centerlines for the area. The role must have technical and analytical skills to be able to collect and analyze line data to identify and prioritize loss elimination opportunities. The Process Lead facilitates continuous improvement initiatives, leads root cause problem solving efforts on chronic losses, and identifies & prioritizes projects in their area in collaboration with the Area Manager. This role coaches the operations team to improve the overall area and updates standards as improvements are made. Overall, this position helps implement the strategic plan for their assigned area in pursuit of lean manufacturing thus lowering overall production costs and improving efficiency.

Major Duties and Responsibilities:

• Develop, lead, execute, sustain, and standardize major process improvement projects. These include focus improvement projects, Kaizen events, documenting Standard Work & establishing centerlines.
• Mentoring plant leadership on process improvement projects. Engaging the teams on the CI mindset and helping the entire area start to shift the mindset to more lean manufacturing.
• The Process Lead will be the adminstrator of the RedZone program and provide orientation to new hires on the RedZone program. The Process Lead will also develop, coordinate, and train employees in various lean/sigma manufacturing techniques.
• Daily direction setting for this role will be provided by the Area Manager who will work closely with the opex engineer and opex manager on the area needs.
• Attending specified meetings.
• Build a pipeline of projects for major process improvement and helping the area manager and opex manager priortize the work in the assigned area.

Education and Experience:

• 2-3 years of Lean experience in a complex manufacturing environment or BS in Engineering, Business or related field.
• Past experience in leading Kaizen workshops in the areas of 5S, standard work, visual management, daily management, SMED and OEE gap closure.
• 6 Sigma certification preferred.
• Food manufacturing experience preferred.
• Maintenance/manufacturing/engineering/QA/QS experience preferred.

Knowledge and Skills:

• Demonstrated ability to lead kaizen improvement events.
• Demonstrated ability to complete cost savings projects.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills and ability to work in a matrix organization.
• Ability to lead cross-functional teams to implement cost savings programs within assigned area.
• Strong analytical skills using tools such as statistics, downtime tracking, mechanical history, project planning to identify areas of opportunity.
• Creative in problem solving and innovative approaches to resolve complex problems.
• Microsoft office skills such as PowerPoint, Project, Excel, and Word.
• Ability to quickly come up to speed on complex production processes and work with others to identify areas of opportunity via data.
• Ability to teach/coach CI concepts throughout the plant.

Why Join Us:

Ventura Foods offers career growth opportunities as well as competitive compensation and benefits:

• Medical, Prescription, Dental, & Vision - coverage beginning on your 1st day for eligible employees
• Profit Sharing and 401(k) matching (after eligible criteria is met)
• Paid Vacation, Sick Time, and Holidays
• Employee Appreciation Events and Employee Assistance Programs

Physical Demands:
All jobs require sufficient physical strength and dexterity to perform the required task(s) and typically also require at a minimum: intermittent sitting, standing, walking, climbing, squatting, kneeling, pushing, and pulling. Occasional lifting and/or moving up to 50 pounds or more with assistance may also be required. Please see the job description for specific requirements.

Work Environment:
Please see the job description for specific requirements of the position for which you are applying.

Typical shifts are 8-12 hours per day. Additional unscheduled time after hours and on weekends may also be required. Employees must be willing and able to wear personal protective equipment as required by Company policy and/or legal requirements. In addition, certain jobs may require employees to:

• Work outside and/or in adverse temperatures which could include extreme heat, cold, and humidity;
• Be exposed to vibrations, chemicals used in operations, fumes and food allergens (may include soy, dairy and other allergens); and
• Be required to work in confined and dark spaces, and at heights in excess of 18 feet.

Diversity & Inclusion:
Our commitment to a diverse and inclusive environment in which all employees are treated with respect is evident in our company culture and values. We believe that fostering an environment of inclusion and a focus on diversity across our organization is vital to attracting top talent, driving innovation, and meeting the high expectations of our customers in a rapidly evolving global marketplace

Ventura Foods is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law.