Plant Continuous Improvement Manager

Description Lead and facilitate plant Continuous Improvement (CI) efforts. Apply appropriate tools to drive improvements in Safety, Quality and Reliability (SQR). Perform all jobs safely, efficiently and accurately to maintain and improve the performance of the entire plant in the areas of Safety, Quality, Reliability (SQR) and our Customer 1st strategy. Provide leadership that embodies our 7 Kroger Manufacturing High Performance Work System principles. Demonstrate the company's core values of respect, honesty, integrity, diversity, inclusion and safety.Responsibilities Assist plant teams with goal setting and tracking CI measuresSelect/apply appropriate CI tools to improve line capacity, line efficiency, process reliability, mean time between failure and other key measuresApply Lean Six Sigma tools and the DMAIC process to complete projects with annual savings and provide technical expertise to support root cause analysis processCreate control plans to produce sustainable gainsLead teams to solve problems, eliminate waste and reduce variationParticipate in all relevant aspects of project management initiatives and support commissioning, qualification and verification for capital projectsMentor/coach teams on CI and Lean/Six Sigma methodologyUtilize Kroger downtime system to identify/prioritize improvement opportunitiesDevelop/ leverage collaborative relationships to achieve work goalsIdentify and understand issues and opportunities; compare data from different sources to draw conclusions, use effective approaches for choosing a course of action, & take action that is consistent with available facts, constraints, & probable consequencesTravel occasionally to attend CI training and CI leader conferencesFollow established programs, policies and practices to produce safe quality foods that meet regulatory and company requirementsAccountable to the Kroger Manufacturing Food Safety and Quality PrinciplesMust be able to perform the essential job functions of this position with or without reasonable accommodationMust be able to work around ingredients and/or finished products known to contain food allergensMinimum QualificationsBachelor's Degree engineering or a related field2+ years of proven, successful leadership of teamsManufacturing experienceAbility to guide teams to collectively create actionable solutionsAbility to remain flexible and adjust promptly and effectively during times of changeProven ability to leverage the capabilities and insights of individuals with diverse styles, abilities and motivations to achieve strong resultsProficient in Microsoft OfficeAchieve Black Belt certificationStrong negotiation, oral and written communication skillsStrong mathematical, analytical and conceptual skills, balanced by ability to apply common senseDesired ExperienceExperience developing/reengineering business processes from current to future stateBlack Belt certified Green Belt certified Experience with TPM implementation and project managementExperience with Lean or Six Sigma implementation and project managementTraining or exposure to statistical analysis