Continuous Improvement Manager

ASR Group is the world’s largest refiner and marketer of cane sugar, with an annual production capacity of more than 6 million tons of sugar. The company produces a full line of grocery, industrial, food service and specialty sweetener products. Across North America, ASR Group owns and operates six sugar refineries, located in Louisiana, New York, California, Maryland, Canada and Mexico. In the European Union, the company owns and operates sugar refineries in England, Portugal.  ASR Group also owns and operates mills in Mexico and Belize.  The company’s brand portfolio includes the leading brands Domino®, C&H®, Redpath®, Tate & Lyle®, Lyle’s® and Sidul®.

OVERVIEW

The Continuous Improvement Manager will have primary responsibility for leading, managing and driving the Continuous Improvement Agenda at one of ASR’s primary Operations locations.  Additionally, this person will collaborate with other Continuous Improvement Managers in North America and Europe to develop, deploy and support global training, tools and processes.  Reporting to the Director of Continuous Improvement, with dotted line reporting to the site manager, the successful candidate will have the ability to achieve tangible business results directly, and by influencing others.  The successful candidate must have experience in leading cross functional teams through a change in process or culture, and must be able to demonstrate the ability to facilitate groups in the application of Continuous Improvement tools and techniques that support this change.  With high visibility to this position, the successful candidate must be enthusiastic, tenacious, and able to work independently with minimal supervision, as well as in a team environment.

DETAILED ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Operations Excellence

• Drive standardization and systematization of efficient operating processes via identification of best practices across global sites, and driving implementation locally.
• Diagnose processes, identify waste and work in collaboration with line management to develop proposals for improving performance.
• Lead site Continuous Improvement assessments and regular updates of site Continuous Improvement roadmap in support of global Continuous Improvement roadmap.
• Support the Global development and implementation of a standard Operating Management System, which establishes a set of comprehensive standards and a defined culture for managing the Global Operations organization.

 Project Management

• Facilitate Continuous Improvement project teams consistent with the standard Operating Management System.
• Follow-up on agreed-to projects to monitor the progress of planned improvements and to assure timely action, appropriate management support, and achievement of expected benefits.

 Employee Engagement and Capability Building

• Champion use of Continuous Improvement methodology and tools across sites of responsibility.
• Build site capability in Continuous Improvement through coaching, mentoring, and training employees in the understanding and deployment of Continuous Improvement methodology and practices.
• Provide guidance to site leadership team on targeted Continuous Improvement projects and activities.
• Provide internal consultative services on specific Continuous Improvement projects and activities such as process mapping, value stream mapping, process design, establishing performance standards/metrics, ROI analysis and project management.
• Communicate and propagate Continuous Improvement success stories across the business.

 Planning & Performance Management

• Maintain and communicate key site performance indicators/dashboard for CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT.  Measure, analyze and report Continuous Improvement performance to Operations Leadership.
• Use appropriate measurement, analysis and evaluation methods to accurately identify and document improvements related to Continuous Improvement delivery.
• Maintain site database of Continuous Improvement projects, tracking and reporting progress and performance to key stakeholders.

 WORK EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS

• Professional Experience – 5 to 10 years total professional experience in a manufacturing environment in progressively responsible roles.
• Continuous Improvement Experience – Minimum 5 years’ experience and successful track record in roles focused on use of Continuous Improvement tools and methodology such as Lean Enterprise, Six Sigma, TPS, or Theory of Constraints.
• Operations/Engineering/Manufacturing Experience – Minimum 5 years’ experience and successful track record in line roles such as Operations/Maintenance Management, Quality Management or Manufacturing Engineering.

• Food or Similar Industry Experience – Experience in food, beverage, pharmaceutical or CPG industry in a high-volume manufacturing environment preferred.

• Quality – Must have had experience in an industry where high-quality standards are present (e.g., SQF in Food Industry or ISO in non-food industry).
• Change Management – Demonstrated history of successful change implementation and implementing of operational excellence improvements.
• Project Management – Formal training and work experience in managing mid-to-large scale projects.
• Unionized Workforce – Experience with unionized workforce strongly preferred but not required.
• Computer Proficiency - Proficiency in MS Windows, Excel, Word, PowerPoint as well as Project Software.

EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS

• Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering or Related Discipline
• Six Sigma Green Belt (Black Belt preferred) or Lean Leader/Facilitator Certification

LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS

• Verbal and written proficiency in English
• The ability to be conversant in another language such as Spanish, Portuguese or German is preferred but not required

TRAVEL

• The position will require 5-10% travel; primarily domestic and occasionally international.

LOCATION OF ROLE

• Baltimore, MD

IND123

We are an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, disability, veteran status or any other category protected under federal, state, or local law.  All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, merit, and business need.