Operational Excellence & Continuous Improvement Manager

Balconi - Valeo Foods Group; Vittuone; On-site; EUR 75,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Balconi, part of Valeo Foods Group, is seeking an Operational Excellence & Continuous Improvement Manager to lead deployment of lean practices across the manufacturing organization in Italy. The role partners with Production, Maintenance, Quality, Engineering, Supply Chain and HR to drive sustainable performance improvements and embed a culture of continuous improvement.

The ideal candidate combines strong analytical skills with a hands-on approach, influencing stakeholders at all levels and

Qualifications

• Degree in engineering or related discipline.
• Lean Six Sigma certification preferred.
• Strong background in Operational Excellence and Continuous Improvement.
• Experience in FMCG or high-volume manufacturing advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Define and deploy the Operational Excellence roadmap across all manufacturing functions.
• Lead lean manufacturing and continuous improvement initiatives including Kaizen and VSM.
• Monitor KPIs (OEE, productivity, waste) and translate improvements into financial impact.
• Coach and develop teams in Lean principles and problem-solving methodologies.

Skills

Operational Excellence

Continuous Improvement

Lean Manufacturing

Industrial Engineering

Education

Engineering degree

Lean Six Sigma certification

Tools

Power BI

Job description

Balconi is one of Italy's leading sweet bakery manufacturers and proudly part of Valeo Foods Group, one of Europe's fastest-growing food businesses. Our products are enjoyed by consumers across Italy and international markets, and we are continuously investing in innovation, operational excellence, and people development.

The Role

Reporting directly to the Operations Director, the Operational Excellence & Continuous Improvement Manager will lead the deployment of Operational Excellence across the entire manufacturing organization.

Acting as a cross-functional change agent, the role will partner with Production, Maintenance, Quality, Engineering, Supply Chain and HR teams to identify opportunities, challenge the status quo and drive sustainable performance improvements. The position has a plant-wide scope and is accountable for building a culture of Continuous Improvement by embedding Lean Manufacturing principles, developing problem-solving capabilities and ensuring best practices are consistently adopted across all operational areas.

The successful candidate will combine strong analytical skills with a hands-on approach, influencing stakeholders at all levels of the organization and translating improvement initiatives into measurable operational and financial results.

Key Responsibilities

Operational Excellence Strategy

• Define and deploy the Operational Excellence roadmap across all manufacturing functions in alignment with business objectives.
• Identify, prioritize and lead improvement initiatives focused on Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost, Sustainability and People Performance.
• Act as a key partner to the Operations Director in supporting the site's performance and transformation agenda.
• Promote a culture of continuous improvement through structured methodologies and data-driven decision making.

Lean Manufacturing & Continuous Improvement

• Lead the implementation and sustainability of Lean Manufacturing practices across the production environment.
• Facilitate Kaizen events, Value Stream Mapping activities and cross-functional improvement workshops.
• Drive the adoption of methodologies and tools such as 5S, Visual Management, TPM (Total Productive Maintenance), VSM (Value Stream Mapping), Standard Work, Root Cause Analysis, Problem Solving methodologies.
• Ensure initiatives deliver sustainable results and become embedded in daily operations.

Performance & Business Impact

• Monitor and improve operational performance through key manufacturing KPIs, including OEE, Labor productivity, Material yield, Waste and overconsumption reduction, Downtime reduction, Energy efficiency.
• Translate operational improvements into measurable business and financial impact.
• Develop reporting and performance review processes to support operational governance and decision making.

Change Management & Capability Building

• Work closely with HR and operational leaders to strengthen organizational capabilities and continuous improvement skills.
• Design and deliver training programs on Lean Manufacturing, problem solving and performance management.
• Coach managers, supervisors and operational teams in the application of Operational Excellence principles.
• Lead change management initiatives to ensure engagement, ownership and successful adoption of new processes and ways of working.
• Foster collaboration across functions, driving alignment toward common operational goals.

We're Looking For

• Degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Industrial Management or a related discipline.
• Proven experience in Operational Excellence, Continuous Improvement, Lean Manufacturing or Industrial Engineering roles within a manufacturing environment.
• Experience in FMCG, Food & Beverage, Consumer Goods or other high-volume manufacturing industries is highly desirable.
• Strong knowledge of Lean Manufacturing methodologies and tools, including 5S, TPM, Value Stream Mapping, Visual Management, Standard Work and structured Problem Solving.
• Demonstrated experience leading and delivering cross-functional improvement projects with measurable operational and financial results.
• Strong understanding of manufacturing KPIs such as OEE, productivity, waste, yield, downtime and cost performance.
• Experience driving change management initiatives and fostering a culture of continuous improvement.
• Ability to influence, engage and challenge stakeholders at all levels of the organization without direct hierarchical responsibility.
• Strong analytical capabilities, with the ability to transform data into actionable insights and business decisions.
• Excellent project management, communication and facilitation skills.
• Hands-on approach, resilience and a strong continuous improvement mindset.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications; knowledge of Power BI or other data visualization tools is considered an advantage.
• Professional proficiency in Italian and English.

Preferred Qualifications

• Lean Six Sigma certification (Green Belt, Black Belt or equivalent).
• Knowledge and experience with RedZone Software.
• Previous experience in multi-line manufacturing environment.
• Experience in training, coaching and developing teams on Operational Excellence methodologies.
• Exposure to international manufacturing organizations and matrix environments.