Job Description
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 opex engineer leads 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 Opex Engineer 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:
- Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering or a related field or 2–3 years of Lean experience in a complex manufacturing environment
- Demonstrated experience leading Kaizen workshops, including 5S, Standard Work, Visual Management, Daily Management, SMED, and OEE gap‑closure initiatives
- Six Sigma certification preferred
- Experience in food manufacturing is strongly preferred
- Background in maintenance, manufacturing, engineering, QA, or QS is beneficial
Knowledge and Skills:
- Proven ability to lead Kaizen and continuous improvement events resulting in measurable process and cost‑savings improvements
- Strong analytical skills with experience using data tools such as downtime tracking, statistical analysis, mechanical history, and project planning to identify performance gaps
- Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel (pivot tables, charts, formulas, data analysis) and overall MS Office applications
- Experience with RedZone or similar digital performance/OEE systems, including interpreting data and leveraging insights to drive improvement
- Ability to quickly learn complex production processes and translate operational data into actionable improvements
- Strong communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to work effectively in a matrixed environment and lead cross‑functional teams
- Creative problem‑solver with the ability to develop innovative approaches to resolve complex operational challenges
- Ability to teach and coach Lean/CI concepts across the plant to support adoption and sustainment