CI Manager

Givaudan; Baierbrunn; On-site; EUR 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Givaudan seeks a Continuous Improvement Manager at the Baierbrunn site to drive operational excellence across manufacturing and support functions. You will embed a culture of continuous improvement, lead Lean Six Sigma initiatives, and coach teams to deliver sustainable, measurable outcomes.

You will partner with site leaders to translate strategy into actionable roadmaps, manage a portfolio of improvement projects, and strengthen governance and KPI systems.

Qualifications

• University degree with a strong passion for Continuous Improvement and Lean Transformation.
• Lean Six Sigma Green Belt certified; Black Belt is highly valued.
• 4–7 years of hands-on Lean Six Sigma implementation and CI project leadership.
• Strong project and change management capabilities across multiple priorities.

Responsibilities

• Drive the Continuous Improvement agenda across manufacturing, support functions and site leadership.
• Translate business strategy into actionable improvement roadmaps aligned with regional and global goals.
• Lead Lean Six Sigma and operational excellence initiatives delivering measurable benefits.
• Coach and develop employees and project teams to build CI capabilities.
• Champion problem solving via root-cause analysis and structured methodologies.
• Implement and strengthen KPI governance and visual management at all levels.
• Guide maturity assessments and support the journey to operational excellence.
• Partner with process owners to optimize end-to-end value streams and performance.
• Manage a portfolio of projects ensuring strong execution and stakeholder alignment.
• Act as trusted advisor on change management and organizational transformation.

Skills

Lean Six Sigma Green Belt

Lean Six Sigma Black Belt

Project management

Change management

Stakeholder management

Coaching & mentoring

Workshop facilitation

Fluent English

German language capability

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Tools

Visual management systems

Job description

Join us and celebrate the beauty of human experience. Create for happier, healthier lives, with love for nature. Together, with kindness and humility, we deliver food innovations, craft inspired fragrances and develop beauty and wellbeing solutions that make people look and feel good. There's much to learn and many to learn from, with more than 17,000 employees around the world to explore ideas and ambitions with. Dive into varied, flexible, and stimulating environments. Meet empowered professionals to partner with, befriend, and stretch your skills alongside. Every day, your energy, your creativity, and your determination will shape our future, making a positive difference on billions of people. Every essence of you enriches our world. We are Givaudan. Human by nature.

Purpose

Ready to make a measurable impact in a global manufacturing environment? As our Continuous Improvement Manager, you will be a key driver of operational excellence at our Baierbrunn site. You will partner with leaders and teams across the organization to embed a culture of continuous improvement, enhance performance, and accelerate business results through Lean Six Sigma methodologies, coaching, and strategic transformation initiatives. This is an exciting opportunity for a CI professional who enjoys influencing across functions, developing people, and turning improvement ideas into sustainable business outcomes.

You Will

• Drive the Continuous Improvement agenda across manufacturing, support functions, and site leadership teams.
• Translate business strategy into actionable improvement roadmaps, ensuring alignment with regional and global objectives.
• Lead and facilitate Lean Six Sigma and operational excellence initiatives that deliver measurable efficiency, productivity, quality, and cost improvements.
• Coach, mentor, and develop employees, project teams, and Lean Six Sigma practitioners to build sustainable CI capabilities across the site.
• Champion a culture of problem solving through root cause analysis, structured improvement methodologies, and best practice sharing.
• Implement and strengthen performance management systems, including visual management and KPI governance at all organizational levels.
• Guide teams through Continuous Improvement maturity assessments and support their journey toward operational excellence.
• Partner with process owners and subject matter experts to optimize end-to-end value streams and improve operational performance.
• Manage a portfolio of improvement projects, ensuring strong execution, stakeholder alignment, and realization of both financial and operational benefits.
• Act as a trusted advisor to site leadership on change management, capability building, and organizational transformation.

You Have

• A university degree and a strong passion for Continuous Improvement, Operational Excellence, or Lean Transformation.
• Lean Six Sigma Green Belt certification (or equivalent); Black Belt certification is highly valued.
• 4 to 7 years of professional experience, including hands-on Lean Six Sigma implementation and continuous improvement project leadership.
• Strong project management and change management capabilities, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and influence at all levels of the organization.
• A proven track record of delivering impactful improvement initiatives in manufacturing, operations, or a similarly complex environment.
• Experience facilitating workshops, training teams, coaching stakeholders, and driving behavioural change.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills, enabling you to engage both frontline teams and senior leaders.
• Fluent English skills and German language capability suitable for effective collaboration within the site environment.
• A proactive, results-oriented mindset combined with curiosity, resilience, and a passion for developing people and driving continuous improvement.

Join us and help shape a culture where every employee contributes to operational excellence, sustainable growth, and continuous innovation.

At Givaudan, you contribute to delightful taste and scent experiences that touch people's lives.

We value the different perspectives that come from diverse cultures, backgrounds, and experiences.

Everyone - regardless of race, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability, culture, religion, or any personal circumstances - is warmly welcomed at Givaudan, a place where we all love to be and grow.

Every essence of you enriches our world. Join us in making a difference together.