E2E Performance and Accelerate Lead

About Kerry

About the role

This Performance and Accelerate Lead position will lead Coatings & Proteins Extrusion End to End (E2E) Performance & Accelerate program, with responsibility for delivering sustainable performance improvements across Quality, Service and Asset Efficiencies, to deliver margin enhancement to the P&L.

Accountable for driving network‑wide operations performance improvement across the Coatings technology cluster. This role will be responsible for accelerating performance in safety, quality, service, and cost by working with cross functional teams, embedding best in class ways of working, building leadership capability, and enabling sustainable change at scale.

Key responsibilities

Lead E2E Performance & Accelerate program for the business, ensuring performance enhancement priorities and resource allocation aligned to business priorities

Quality Right-the-First Time, Foreign Material & Complaints Reduction

Operations Asset Efficiency Plans, De-Bottlenecking and Yield Loss reductions, to deliver capacity unlock and cost reductions through OEE improvement

Process Technology & Product Optimization Work with cross functional team (engineering, operations, RD&A) to deliver operational enhancements through portfolio, product and/or process optimization.

Supply Chain Schedule and Portfolio Optimization (Site & Network); including adoption and embedding of AI tools to standardize and optimize

Performance Governance, Accountability and Financial performance Ensure project deliverables, timelines and financial performance is tracked and delivered in line with budget / target, partnering with Operations Finance Lead

People Development, Training and Best Practice enablement Enable best practice sharing and standardization of best-in-class performance across cluster, ensuring training programs, SOPs and process maps documented. Support in continuous evolution of training programs for new and existing employees, partnering with HR Lead

Support Cluster VP to embed best in class ways of working, including standard work, tiered performance management, structured problem solving, and value stream management.

Decision Making & Influence

Owns Performance & Accelerate strategy development, deployment, prioritization, and sequencing within defined network scope and with alignment with business leadership

Influences & Partners with business, site and regional leaders without direct authority

Dotted line reporting leader for site-based performance and accelerate leads

Recommends improvement priorities based on performance data and business needs

Escalates systemic risks with evidence‑based recommendations

Impact & Complexity

Impact Influences core manufacturing KPIs across multiple plants

Breadth Operates across 7 (Coatings & Proteins Extrusion) sites, functions, and leadership levels

Complexity Manages competing site priorities while driving standardized systems

Innovation Scales CI methodologies to diverse operational environments

Qualifications and skills

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Industrial Technology, or related field.

7-10+ years’ experience in manufacturing with proven results in operations leadership roles (e.g. management or director level roles in operations, supply chain, engineering, maintenance), continuous improvement or operational excellence roles.

Technology competency preferred in Blending, Baking and/or Extrusion technologies

Strong expertise in Lean manufacturing tools and systems (PDCA, Kaizen, 5S, VSM, problem solving).

Adept understanding of TPM principles and equipment reliability.

Proven ability to lead change and influence across multiple sites.

Strong analytical, data‑driven problem‑solving capability (Six Sigma and SPC understanding desired).

Project Management Experience with ability to influence and partner across variety of business and functional areas

Key Interfaces

Business Leadership Team (Business GM, Commercial & Integrated Operations Leadership)

Plant Managers & Site Leadership Teams

Regional Manufacturing & Operations Leaders

Engineering, Supply Chain, Quality, EHS and Finance partners

Performance & Accelerate community

The typical hiring range for this role is $129,000 to $239,500 annually and is based on several factors including but not limited to education, work experience, certifications, location, etc. In addition to your pay, Kerry offers benefits such as a comprehensive benefits package, incentive and recognition programs, equity stock purchase and retirement contribution (all benefits and incentives are subject to eligibility requirements).

Kerry is an equal opportunity employer. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age disability, protected veteran status or other characteristics protected by law. Kerry will only employ those who are legally authorized to work in the United States for this opening. Any offer of employment is conditional upon the successful completion of a background investigation and drug screen. Additional information can be found at Know Your Rights Workplace Discrimination is Illegal (dol.gov).

We may use artificial intelligence tools to support the review and assessment of applications and assist with scheduling interviews. We do not use AI to make decisions during the interview process. All candidate assessments and hiring decisions are made by our recruitment and leadership teams

Beware of scams online or from individuals claiming to represent us. A Kerry employee will not solicit candidates through a non-Kerry email address or phone number. In addition, Kerry does not currently utilise video chat rooms (e.g., Google Hangouts) to conduct interviews. Refuse any request that asks you to provide payment to participate in the hiring process (e.g., purchasing a “starter kit,” investing in training, or something similar). Kerry will not ask you to pay any money at any point in the hiring process with the exception of reimbursable travel expenses. In addition, any payments made by Kerry will be from official firm accounts bearing the Kerry name.