Continuous Improvement Manager

Continuous Improvement Manager

North Kingstown, RI

JK Executive Strategies is proud to partner with a leading producer of fresh-cut fruits and vegetables and prepared foods in search of a Continuous Improvement Manager to join its team! The Continuous Improvement Manager will be a key leader in driving the company's operational excellence initiatives, with a strong focus on improving efficiency, reducing waste, and developing a high-performance culture on the production floor. This individual will partner with cross-functional teams to identify improvement opportunities, deploy lean methodologies, and ensure that both safety and performance standards are consistently exceeded. The ideal candidate brings deep experience in food manufacturing, a passion for continuous learning, and a proven ability to lead change and coach others to success.

Responsibilities

Lead the implementation of Operational Excellence strategies and continuous improvement (CI) initiatives across the organization.

Assess and identify performance improvement opportunities within operations using data-driven analysis.

Coach and engage cross-functional teams to support change efforts and deliver measurable results.

Collaborate with Operations leadership to align improvement efforts with strategic goals and business forecasts.

Monitor, track, and report CI metrics and project outcomes to ensure accountability and ROI.

Champion a culture of safety, quality, and performance by applying Lean and CI tools.

Deliver hands-on coaching and facilitate CI events (Kaizens, value stream mapping, etc.).

Design and lead training programs to build CI capabilities across all levels of the organization.

Serve as the subject matter expert in CI/Lean deployment strategies and tools.

Evaluate new product processes for CI applicability and improvement opportunities.

Partner with internal and external teams to improve employee safety, food safety, production efficiency, and cost reduction.

Support and inspire the production workforce to achieve their full potential in a safe and engaging environment. Requirements

Minimum 5 years in a Continuous Improvement leadership role, preferably within foodservice or retail manufacturing.

B.S. in Industrial Engineering, Food Science, or related field preferred.

Proven track record of driving operational improvements and change management.

Strong understanding of financial metrics and key performance indicators (KPIs).

Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to influence at all levels.

Experience managing and developing teams with varying skill levels.

Strong facilitation and training skills in Lean, Six Sigma, or similar methodologies. Salary Range

$90-100k

JK Executive Strategies is an Equal Opportunity Employer. It is the policy of JK Executive Strategies to provide equal opportunity in employment and conditions of employment to all individuals regardless of age, race, color, religious beliefs, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, sex, veteran or military status, disability, pregnancy-related condition, predisposing genetic characteristics, genetic information, marital status, familial status, prior arrest, domestic violence victim status, non-job related convictions, participation in lawful activities outside of our workplace, or any other status protected by law.