Senior Director of Continuous Improvement

Senior Director of Continuous Improvement

Apply for the Senior Director of Continuous Improvement role at Dawn Foods Global

• Industry‑leading health insurance on Day 1
• Competitive Pay
• 401(k) + company match
• 10 Paid Company Holidays
• Paid Time Off
• Professional training
• Family‑owned business over 100 years in service
• Opportunity for career advancement as part of an empowering workforce

Leads, develops, and implements operational continuous improvement strategy and initiatives to drive cost reduction, eliminate waste, improve customer satisfaction, reduce product defects, and increase market share through theոզ use of lean methodology and tools.

Work Environment & Travel:
This position is based in Jackson, MI or Louisville, KY at one of our manufacturing plants. Travel may be required, up to 50% of the time.

• Develop, manage, and facilitate Continuous Improvement initiatives and strategy for Operations
• Build, lead, and develop a team of continuous improvement experts to identify, define, and implement opportunities to drive down cost using Lean, Six Sigma, and other CI principles
• Outline the douleurs direction and overall deployment of the Lean framework to ensure consistent and rigorous application across the operation
• Drive a continuous‑improvement culture with a focus on prioritizing opportunities tied into a Lean transformation strategy, process improvement, methodology, tools and data, and provide leadership for process improvement initiatives
• Ensure sustainability of past CI projects and focus on standardization and adoption of improved processes
• Lead process deep dives or Kaizen events to create gap analyses and identify areas warranting improvement
• Develop and maintain a roadmap for long‑term, sustainable cost‑reduction initiatives, including investments in tools and infrastructure that provide automated reporting and/or supplier collaboration
• Provide leadership in annual goal setting, cost savings targets, and aligning department staffing to support future business growth
• Leverage lean skills, tools, and best practices to identify opportunities for improvement and methods to improve processes
• Develop Six‑sigma training and certification programs for Operations and Dow NA
• Act as a true Lean transformation leader and Kaizen coach that can provide in‑depth knowledge of rapid‑improvement methodologies with hands‑on implementation experience
• Understand and promote the philosophies and policies of Dawn Food Products, Inc.
• Support the Circle of Excellence and the Dawn Philosophy of Team Dawn

• Bachelor’s degree in business administration, process management, operations, industrial engineering, engineering management, or another relevant field (required)
• Master’s Degree (preferred)
• Lean Six Sigma Black Belt or Master Black Belt (preferred)
• Minimum 10 years’ experience in manufacturing, logistics, distribution, warehousing, and/or engineering or related supply‑chain field
• Minimum 5 years’ experience owning continuous improvement initiatives
• Minimum 5 years’ experience leading and supervising others
• Excellent oral, written, and presentation communication skills
• Experience in the food or baking industry (preferred)
• Analytical problem‑solving skills, time‑management skills, and advanced skills in the use of data management tools to monitor progress toward goals
• Experience developing, maintaining, and revising Six Sigma training curriculum, delivering classroom training, and building relationships with external agencies to deliver Six Sigma training
• Experience managing cross‑departmental and cross‑business projects
• Strong ability to lead organizational changes
• Demonstrated success in developing and establishing a CI framework, building processes and policies that influence a cultural shift toward CI
• Strong ability to influence others without direct authority to seek and gain executive alignment and activate resources to deliver project commitments

• Work at a computer for extended periods (up to 8 hours per day)
• Use motor coordination with arm, hand, finger, and leg dexterity
• Exert physical effort in handling objects up to 25 pounds
• Normal setting is an office environment
• Participate in virtual meetings and in‑person collaboration as needed
• Travel up to 50% may be required for team meetings, training, or project collaboration

Compensation:
Base salary range $140,880–$246,530 with bonus potential.

An Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity/gender expression, citizenship status, military or veteran status, genetic information or any other status or condition that is protected by applicable law.