Continuous Improvement Manager

Maple-Leaf-Foods-3d9889c; Hamilton; On-site; CAD 96,000 - 141,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health and Wellness benefits

Pension plan with company matching

Tuition reimbursement

Volunteer days

Learning & development opportunities

Job summary

Maple Leaf Foods in Hamilton, Ontario, seeks a Continuous Improvement Manager to lead the onsite Lean Production System program, driving pillar maturation and operational excellence across the plant. You will champion CI initiatives, align with corporate strategy, and coordinate a comprehensive roadmap with performance targets.

The role requires 5+ years in manufacturing and deep LPS knowledge, with strong coaching and cross-functional collaboration skills.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in a manufacturing setting, preferably with direct involvement in Lean or Continuous Improvement roles.
• Deep knowledge and hands-on experience with LPS frameworks, principles, and pillar-based continuous improvement systems in manufacturing environments.
• Proven ability to lead and sustain CI initiatives that drive operational excellence, process optimization, and waste reduction.
• Strong skills in planning, coordinating, and executing complex projects, including deployment and maturation of improvement programs.
• Experience managing organizational change, influencing stakeholders at all levels, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement.
• Ability to coach leadership teams and develop internal trainers to build capability and sustain LPS practices across all levels.
• Strong capability in analyzing performance metrics, identifying gaps, and implementing effective corrective actions.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills to effectively synthesize, report, and share best practices across multiple teams and sites.
• Proven success working with diverse teams including plant leadership, operations, maintenance, and quality to drive aligned improvements.

Responsibilities

• Lead the onsite Lean Production System (LPS) program across all pillars.
• Collaborate with the Site Leader to ensure delivery of site targets and uphold LPS standards.
• Assist Pillar Leads with deployment of LPS systems onsite and extend support post-deployment.
• Conduct health checks of program pillars to assess progress and improvements.
• Define strategies to update pillars based on Central Pillar Owners’ changes.
• Synthesize information across pillars to monitor LPS progress and challenges.
• Share best practices with LPS Leads across sites and drive cross-site learning.
• Partner with Pillar Leads to improve metrics across pillars.
• Lead LPS initiatives to minimize quality issues and enhance performance.
• Serve as SME on LPS standards and training across the site.
• Coach site leadership to elevate pillar maturity and develop internal trainers.
• Demonstrate commitment to health, safety and food safety programs.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Skills

Lean Manufacturing

Continuous Improvement

Project Planning

Change Management

Leadership Coaching

Stakeholder Influence

Communication

Problem Solving

Tools

Lean management tools

Microsoft Excel

PowerPoint

Job description

About Us:

We’re a carbon neutral food company on a purposeful journey to Raise the Good in Food through better nutrition, safer food and workplaces, more humane animal care, and environmental sustainability efforts that protect our planet. We care about our communities and commit to reducing food insecurity in Canada. Join us on the journey. Let’s build a better future, together.

We’re passionate about food. For more than 100 years, we’ve made delicious, healthy protein that Canadians love under iconic national and regional brands, like Maple Leaf®, Schneiders®, and Greenfield Natural Meat Co.® We’re on a journey to become the most sustainable protein company – not just in Canada – but on earth.

We are carbon neutral.

We are one of the only food companies in Canada to set science-based targets.

We’re a global food company with approximately 10,000 team members. We operate sites in 20+ locations across Canada. We also have locations in the U.S. and Mexico and do business in Asia.

A diverse and inclusive work environment:

Championing diversity and inclusion is a critical component to advancing our collective purpose and vision and living the Maple Leaf Leadership Values. We believe in building, investing in, recognizing, and rewarding remarkable people who value an inclusive workplace, embrace all forms of diversity, and commit to including every voice in our collaborative environment. We’re so much stronger when we know we’re accepted and valued for who we’re and what we each bring to the workplace.

We embrace a strong, values-based culture

Our eight Leadership Values are our north star. They guide the decisions we make for all our stakeholders: our consumers, our customers, our people, our communities, our shareholders, and the environment.

• Doing What’s Right
• Shared Value
• High Performance
• Diverse and Inclusive Teams
• Disciplined Decision Making
• Our Accountability
• Transparency and Humility

We thank all applicants for their interest in exploring employment opportunities with Maple Leaf Foods; however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted. Applicants may be subject to a background check and must meet the security criteria designated for the position.

Championing diversity and inclusion is a critical component to advancing our collective purpose and vision, living the Maple Leaf Leadership Values, and delivering winning results. Accommodation is available upon request for applicants with disabilities in the recruitment and assessment process and when hired; please contact our Talent Attraction Team at [e-mail] .

We use Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of our recruitment process. AI does not make hiring decisions; all decisions are made by human reviewers.

Job Description

The Opportunity:

The Continuous Improvement Manager will lead the onsite Lean Production System (LPS) program, acting as the key driver to advance the plant’s operational maturity across all facets of the LPS framework. Your primary responsibility is to champion continuous improvement initiatives, ensuring alignment with corporate strategies and operational goals. You will develop, implement, and coordinate a comprehensive roadmap and performance targets across all LPS pillars, fostering a culture of sustained operational excellence

Reason for vacancy: Existing Headcount Compensation:

Manager $96,000 - $141,000 CAD base pay annually plus annual short-term incentive

The above compensation reflects the target compensation for the position at the time of posting. The base salary offered may vary based on a variety of factors including skills, experience, education, training, job- related knowledge, and other organizational requirements. For part-time roles, salaries are adjusted according to scheduled hours. In addition to base salary, this role is eligible to participate in Maple Leaf’s annual short-term incentive plan.

A snapshot of some of the exciting things you will lead and do:

• Support the site’s LPS phase progression and coordinate the maturation of LPS pillars across the plant.
• Collaborate with the Site Leader to ensure delivery of site targets and uphold LPS standards throughout the facility.
• Assist Site Pillar Leads with the initial deployment of LPS systems onsite and extend support to remaining lines post-deployment.
• Conduct regular health checks of program pillars to assess progress and identify improvement opportunities.
• Define and implement strategies to update pillars based on changes communicated by Central Pillar Owners.
• Synthesize information across all pillars to monitor and report on site LPS progress and challenges.
• Share best practices with LPS Leads across other sites, leveraging insights from cross-site learnings to drive continuous improvement.
• Partner with Site Pillar Leads to drive the improvement of metrics and goals across all pillars.
• Lead targeted LPS initiatives aimed at minimizing quality issues and enhancing overall performance.
• Serve as a subject matter expert on LPS standards, best practices, and the execution of management systems.
• Coach the site leadership team to elevate the maturity of their respective pillars.
• Develop leaders into effective trainers and coaches for line-level team members, including supervisors and operators.
• Demonstrate an active involvement/commitment to a progressive health and safety program and food safety program.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

What you will bring:

• Minimum 5 years of experience in a manufacturing setting, preferably with direct involvement in Lean or Continuous Improvement roles.
• Deep knowledge and hands-on experience with LPS frameworks, principles, and pillar-based continuous improvement systems in manufacturing environments.
• Proven ability to lead and sustain CI initiatives that drive operational excellence, process optimization, and waste reduction.
• Strong skills in planning, coordinating, and executing complex projects, including deployment and maturation of improvement programs.
• Experience managing organizational change, influencing stakeholders at all levels, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement.
• Ability to coach leadership teams and develop internal trainers to build capability and sustain LPS practices across all levels.
• Strong capability in analyzing performance metrics, identifying gaps, and implementing effective corrective actions.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills to effectively synthesize, report, and share best practices across multiple teams and sites.
• Proven success working with diverse teams including plant leadership, operations, maintenance, and quality to drive aligned improvements.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, PowerPoint, Word) and familiar with Lean management tools and software systems.
• Demonstrated ability to deliver measurable improvements in key operational metrics such as quality, efficiency, and safety.

Additional Information

What we have to offer you:

• Being part of a high-performance, people-focused company that has an inspiring and unique vision to become the most sustainable protein company on earth, and a deep commitment to sustainable protein across North America.
• An inclusive company culture and a work environment that keeps our people safe, rewards excellence, and empowers everyone to learn and contribute their best.
• Competitive Health and Wellness benefits that offer flexibility to meet your individual or family needs, including programs focused on improving mental health and wellbeing. These benefits start on your first day of employment.
• Defined Contribution Pension Plan with company matching that starts on your first day of employment.
• Learning and development opportunities, including workshops, ‘speaker series’ events, and resources that allow you to develop your skills and progress your career.
• Comprehensive tuition reimbursement program that supports continuous learning and development of our team members through investment in eligible degrees, diplomas, professional certification, or trades programs.
• Supporting our deep commitment to community impact, we offer up to two paid days annually to volunteer at a cause of your choice.

We thank all applicants for their interest in exploring employment opportunities with Maple Leaf Foods; however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted. Applicants may be subject to a background check and must meet the security criteria designated for the position.Championing diversity and inclusion is a critical component to advancing our collective purpose and vision, living the Maple Leaf Leadership Values, and delivering winning results. Accommodation is available upon request for applicants with disabilities in the recruitment and assessment process and when hired; please contact our Talent Attraction Team at [e-mail].