Operational Excellence & Continuous Improvement Lead (FI Lead) H/F/X

Mars; Les Rues-des-Vignes; On-site; EUR 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Mars University

Company bonus

Job summary

Mars, Incorporated in Cambrai, France, is seeking an Operational Excellence & Continuous Improvement Lead (FI Lead) to drive deployment of the site’s excellence framework, build CI capabilities, and lead productivity and cost-optimization initiatives across the manufacturing site.

The role requires a university degree in industrial engineering, 5+ years in manufacturing, strong analytical and communication skills, and fluency in French and English.

Qualifications

• University degree in Industrial Engineering or an equivalent qualification.
• Minimum 5 years of experience in manufacturing roles such as Industrial Engineering, Continuous Improvement, or Operational Excellence.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management capabilities.
• Fluent in French and English.

Responsibilities

• Champion Safety, Quality, Food Safety, and Sustainability objectives in line with standards and priorities.
• Lead deployment, governance, and enhancement of the site’s operational excellence systems.
• Act as a visible Operational Excellence champion, coaching teams and integrating CI practices into daily operations.
• Lead productivity and cost optimization programs to deliver annual savings and performance targets.
• Facilitate loss analysis and prioritize improvement opportunities using data-driven methodologies.
• Lead cross-functional projects focused on productivity, waste reduction, and efficiency.
• Facilitate workshops, reviews, and governance meetings to maintain a healthy initiative pipeline.
• Monitor progress via KPI tracking, audits, and leadership updates.
• Drive digitalization of performance management processes with IT and operations teams.
• Participate in regional Operational Excellence communities to share best practices.

Skills

Analytical skills

Problem-solving

Communication

Stakeholder management

French language

English language

Education

University degree in Industrial Engineering

Job description

Job Description:

Job Title: Operational Excellence & Continuous Improvement Lead (FI Lead) H/F/X

Segment: Royal Canin

Location: Cambrai, France

Contract type: Permanent | Full-time | Onsite

The Site Operational Excellence & Continuous Improvement Lead (FI Lead) drives the deployment and sustainability of the site's operational excellence framework, building a culture of continuous improvement and high performance across the manufacturing site. The role develops problem-solving capabilities, strengthens performance management practices, and promotes the adoption of continuous improvement methodologies throughout the organization.

In parallel, the position leads the site's productivity and cost optimization program, ensuring a robust pipeline of improvement initiatives and effective governance processes to deliver annual savings and competitiveness objectives.

What are we looking for?

• University degree in Industrial Engineering or an equivalent qualification.
• Minimum 5 years of experience in manufacturing in roles such as Industrial Engineering, Continuous Improvement, Manufacturing Excellence, Operational Excellence, or Productivity Improvement.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management capabilities.
• Fluent in French and English.

What will be your key responsibilities?

• Champion Safety, Quality, Food Safety, and Sustainability objectives by ensuring all improvement initiatives align with company standards and site priorities.
• Lead the deployment, governance, and continuous enhancement of the site's operational excellence and continuous improvement systems, driving capability building, loss elimination, structured problem solving, and performance management.
• Act as a visible Operational Excellence champion, coaching teams and supporting the integration of continuous improvement practices into daily operations.
• Lead the site's productivity and cost optimization program, developing and maintaining a robust multi-year pipeline of improvement initiatives to deliver annual savings and business performance targets.
• Facilitate loss analysis and prioritize improvement opportunities using data-driven methodologies, ensuring the sustainable elimination of chronic losses and performance gaps.
• Lead and manage cross-functional improvement projects focused on productivity, waste reduction, cost savings, operational efficiency, and overall business performance enhancement.
• Facilitate improvement workshops, project reviews, and governance meetings to ensure a healthy pipeline of initiatives and effective execution of the improvement roadmap.
• Monitor and report progress against operational excellence, productivity, and performance objectives through KPI tracking, audits, reviews, and leadership updates.
• Drive the digitalization of operational performance management processes, partnering with Digital and Operations teams to implement tools that improve KPI visibility, standardize routines, and strengthen data-driven decision making.
• Actively participate in local and regional Operational Excellence, Continuous Improvement, Manufacturing Excellence, and Industrial Engineering communities to share best practices and accelerate site performance.

What can you expect from Mars?

• Work with diverse and talented Associates, all guided by the Five Principles.
• Join a purpose driven company, where we’re striving to build the world we want tomorrow, today.
• A strong focus on learning and development support from day one, including access to our in-house Mars University.
• An industry competitive salary and benefits package, including company bonus.

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