Lean Excellence Manager

Socket.dev; Milton; On-site; CAD 90,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive health, dental & vision

RRSP matching program

3 weeks vacation

Education fund

Fitness reimbursement

Safety shoe reimbursement

Employee referral bonus

EAP

Rewards and recognition programs

Community engagement

Inclusive workplace

Sustainability commitment

Job summary

Chudleigh’s Bakery is seeking a Lean Excellence Manager to optimize manufacturing processes and lead a cross-functional team toward operational excellence. The role combines process development, coaching in lean techniques, and hands-on improvement initiatives at our Milton, Ontario facility.

You’ll drive waste reduction and continuous improvement, partnering with production, quality, and supply chain to meet aggressive targets and sustain a culture of Lean thinking.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of experience in manufacturing/operations/continuous improvement within production.
• Strong understanding of Lean principles and CI methodologies.
• Experience leading improvement projects and cross-functional initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Process development and optimization to align with quality, efficiency, and cost goals.
• Coach teams in lean tools (5S, SMED, DMAIC, Kanban, A3) and drive problem solving.
• Lead standardization and waste-reduction initiatives to improve quality and throughput.
• Mentor cross-functional teams and drive Lean transformation across the organization.

Skills

Lean Manufacturing

Continuous Improvement

Problem-solving

Leadership

Excel

Education

Lean Six Sigma Green Belt

Tools

Power BI

Excel

Job description

You can’t make the perfect apple pie without the right mix of ingredients, and you can’t make a great company without the right mix of people. For more than 50 years, Chudleigh’s has been an important part of people’s lives. Our success hinges on the innovative, dedicated, and inspiring individuals who make up our team, and who pride themselves on making every Chudleigh’s experience sweet.

Today, we do our baking in a modern 110,000 square foot bakery, five minutes down the road from our family farm. With 200 dedicated full-time employees, we make delicious desserts for customers across North America and beyond!

Come join our sweet team as a Lean Excellence Manager!

Why You'll Love Working Here:

• Competitive Health, Dental & Vision Benefits (100% employer paid)
• RRSP Matching Program
• 3 Weeks' Annual Vacation
• Anniversary Paid Day Off
• Personal Development/Education Fund
• Fitness Reimbursement
• Safety Shoe Reimbursement
• Employee Referral Bonus
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Employee Rewards and Recognition Programs:Programs that recognize and reward employee achievements and contributions.
• Community Engagement:Opportunities to participate in community service and corporate social responsibility initiatives.
• Inclusive Workplace:An inclusive and diverse workplace where all employees are valued and respected.
• Sustainability Commitment:Work for a company committed to sustainability and making a positive impact on the environment.

Job Type:Permanent, Full-time

Work Location:Onsite (Milton, ON) with flexibility to work remote up to 1 day/week.

Salary Range: $90,000 - $100,000

What You'll Be Doing:

Process Development and Optimization

• Optimize manufacturing processes for both new and existing products, ensuring alignment with quality standards, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness.
• Ensure that production activities are consistently executed in accordance with established standards and best practices, fostering continuous improvement in operational performance.
• Continuously assess existing practices and procedures to ensure optimization of finished product and eliminating forms of waste.
• As a member of the waste team, continue to analyze waste and work with the Production team to address high waste items.

Coaching and Technical Expertise

• Focus on improving product quality, consistency, and customer satisfaction via implementation of lean principles.
• Facilitate troubleshoot of production issues, identifying root causes and implementing corrective actions via lean principles to minimize downtime while maintaining product quality.
• Create and implement training programs for production staff with the goal of improving troubleshooting tools and techniques.
• Train teams on Lean tools (5S, SMED, DMAIC, Kanban, A3, etc.).
• Coach leadership and team members in Lean thinking.
• Build internal Lean capability through workshops and certifications.

Continuous Improvement

• Identify opportunities for process improvements aimed at enhancing product quality, reducing waste, and increasing production efficiency utilizing Chudleigh’s Green and Yellow Belt programs.
• Lead initiatives to standardize and streamline manufacturing processes to achieve operational excellence.
• Identify, analyze, and improve business processes using Lean Six Sigma tools.
• Reduce cost, waste, and cycle time while improving quality and customer satisfaction.
• Monitor performance metrics and report on project ROI.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Assist in the costing process providing insight into potential run rates and labour requirements.
• Lead execution of Lean strategic plan and Lean Ambassadors program.
• Promote standard work practices and facilitate best practice sharing.

Leadership and Team Development

• Lead, mentor, and motivate cross-functional teams to achieve outstanding results and meet production targets.
• Foster a collaborative team environment to effectively address daily operational challenges and achieve both short-term and long-term goals.
• Develop and execute Lean transformation strategies within the organization.
• Serve as a change agent to foster a Lean culture.
• Lead Lean Ambassadors Program.

What We're Looking For:

• 3 or more years of experience in manufacturing, operations, Lean, or continuous improvement within a production environment.
• Strong understanding of Lean Manufacturing principles and Continuous Improvement methodologies.
• Experience leading operational improvement projects and cross-functional initiatives in a manufacturing environment.
• Lean Six Sigma Green Belt certification preferred.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to interpret operational data and drive actionable improvements.
• Excellent communication, leadership, and collaboration skills with the ability to engage teams across all organizational levels.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel is required.
• Knowledge of analytical tools such as Power BI is considered a strong asset.

Bonus Points If You Have:

• Waste Reduction experience.
• Knowledge of Lean principles, including 5S, TPM, Standard Work, Kaizen, DMAIC and Root Cause Analysis using 5 Whys and Fishbone.
• Passion for Desserts and Baked Goods.
• Dessert Manufacturing Facility or Bakery experience.
• Strong BRC (or similar GFSI) knowledge or experience.

In compliance with Bill 190, we confirm that this job posting is for a new vacancy within our organization.As part of our recruitment process, we may use artificial intelligence tools to help review applications. These tools are intended to support efficiency and consistency, but final hiring decisions are always made by our hiring team.Chudleigh’s Ltd. is committed to maintaining a diverse and fair workforce.Job applicants with a disability who require reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process can contact our People & Culture Team ([e-mail]).

Thank you for your interest in Chudleigh's Bakery.