Associate Manager, Manufacturing Excellence

SC Johnson Lifestyle Brands in; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 96,000 - 126,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Subsidized health insurance

Competitive vacation + holiday

Retirement match

Volunteer time

Packaging Olympics/events

Discounted company products

Total Rewards program

Job summary

SC Johnson Lifestyle Brands in Chicago is seeking a Manufacturing Excellence Lead to drive lean transformation on the Southside Soapbox site. You will lead diagnostics, set the continuous improvement roadmap, and partner with Operations, Engineering and Finance to deliver measurable gains in safety, quality, service and cost.

The role requires a Bachelor's degree in engineering or related field, 5+ years leading Lean/TPM initiatives, and strong data skills with Excel, Power BI and SAP.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in engineering, operations, supply chain or business.
• 5+ years in manufacturing or continuous improvement with Lean/TPM/WCM.
• Authorized to work in the United States without sponsorship.

Responsibilities

• Own the site continuous improvement strategy and roadmap.
• Lead diagnostics and loss analysis to improve downtime and OEE.
• Strengthen Lean and TPM management systems and standard work.
• Coach structured problem solving and kaizen activities.
• Partner with cross-functional leaders to translate opportunities into plans.
• Use analytics tools to turn data into actionable insights.

Skills

Lean TPM

OEE improvement

Data analytics

SAP

Excel

Power BI

Problem solving

Cross-functional leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering

Tools

SAP

Power BI

Redzone

AI tools

Job description

Lifestyle Brands (the LSB) is a growing house of like-minded brands under the SC Johnson umbrella including Method®, Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day®, Babyganics® and Ecover®. Headquartered in San Francisco with additional operations in Chicago and throughout Europe, the LSB is home to 650 employees. Together we act as a force for bold, transformative growth with a focus on delivering positive impact for people and the planet. If you’re into pioneering the future and doing good while doing business, come join us.

The LSB is part of SC Johnson, a family-owned company and leading manufacturer of household cleaning, home storage, air care, pest control and shoe care products, as well as professional products. Originally founded in 1886 and headquartered in Wisconsin, U.S.A., SC Johnson and the Lifestyle Brands division are at work for a better world.

ABOUT THE ROLE Join SC Johnson Lifestyle Brands at our Southside Soapbox manufacturing facility in Chicago and help shape how continuous improvement comes to life across the site. As our Manufacturing Excellence Lead, you’ll lead the strategy to identify and eliminate our biggest operational losses while strengthening the systems, capabilities and culture that drive sustainable performance. Working across Operations, Engineering, Quality, Safety, Finance and Supply Chain, you’ll leverage Lean and Total Productive Maintenance (TPM), data and structured problem solving to turn opportunities into measurable improvements in safety, quality, service, cost and productivity. This is an opportunity to make a visible impact on the plant floor while building the problem‑solving capability that helps our teams continuously improve how we operate.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Own the Southside Soapbox continuous improvement strategy and roadmap, prioritizing the site’s largest loss‑elimination opportunities and driving measurable, sustained results.
• Lead plant diagnostics and loss analysis using KPIs and operational data to identify root causes and improve downtime, OEE, schedule adherence, scrap, productivity and cost.
• Own and strengthen the site’s Lean and Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) management system, including Daily Management, 5S, visual management, standard work, center lining and structured problem solving.
• Lead and coach structured problem solving, kaizen and loss‑elimination efforts, building the capability of leaders and teams to identify root causes, implement solutions and sustain improvements.
• Partner with Operations and cross‑functional leaders to align priorities, remove barriers and translate improvement opportunities into executable plans and business results.
• Leverage Redzone, analytics and approved AI tools to identify trends, accelerate analysis and turn operational data into actionable, decision‑ready insights.
• Partner with Finance to validate the impact of continuous improvement initiatives, including cost savings, productivity and capacity gains, waste reduction and service improvements, and clearly communicate priorities, risks and results to site leadership.

REQUIRED EXPERIENCE YOU’LL BRING

• Bachelors degree in engineering, operations, supply chain, business or a related discipline
• 5+ years of manufacturing, operations or continuous improvement experience, including leading Lean, Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) or World Class Manufacturing (WCM) initiatives that delivered measurable, sustained results.
• Must be authorized to work in the United States now and in the future without sponsorship

PREFERRED EXPERIENCES AND SKILLS

• Strong knowledge of Lean and Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) principles, including Daily Management, 5S, OEE, standard work, center lining and structured problem solving.
• Demonstrated ability to identify and prioritize operational losses, lead root‑cause problem solving and translate improvements into measurable business and financial results.
• Proven ability to influence and lead change across functions, coaching leaders and frontline teams to build accountability and sustain new ways of working.
• Strong analytical and digital capabilities, leveraging Excel, Power BI, Redzone, SAP and approved AI tools to identify trends and translate data into actionable insights.
• Lean Six Sigma, TPM or comparable continuous improvement certification and/or significant hands‑on deployment experience.
• Strong business acumen, communication and facilitation skills, with a collaborative, hands‑on approach and demonstrated ability to drive sustainable results.

JOB REQUIREMENTS

Full-time, on‑site Monday through Friday schedule, with availability during non‑routine hours as business needs require. Requires regular presence on the manufacturing floor and use of required safety equipment, including safety glasses, hearing protection and steel‑toed footwear. Minimal travel anticipated (10%); ability to travel if requested. This position is not eligible for remote work This position is not offering domestic relocation assistance Other duties, responsibilities and activities may change or be assigned at any time with or without notice as assigned by the Manager. The job description does not constitute a contract of employment, and the position remains at‑will.

BENEFITS AND PERKS

• Subsidized health insurance benefits package
• Competitive vacation + holiday bundle
• Generous retirement match + pre‑tax savings options
• Dedicated volunteer time, to be a force for good
• Pioneering events + experiences that build team connection (...ask us about the Packaging Olympics, Bubble Bash, Ping Pong Tournament + more!)
• Access to discounted/free company products
• The Company’s Total Rewards package is at or above industry levels.
• The expected base salary range for this position is between 95,753.00 USD - 125,675.55 USD. Job related skills, experience, education, and location will be considered in setting actual starting base salary. In addition to your base salary and depending on job level, eligibility, and performance, a total package may include profit sharing, a short‑term incentive and/or long‑term incentives. As a family company, benefits are a key piece of our Total Rewards package as well and we’re proud to provide a comprehensive, competitive, and differentiated benefits program that our people and their families value.

Inclusion & Diversity

We believe that being a team of diverse people with different ideas, views and cultures will help us and our business thrive. We are committed to ensuring everyone who works at the LSB feels that they have a real sense of belonging and that they can show up as who they are, be valued, listened to and supported to do their best possible work. Sure, there’s always more that can be done. But together with our team, partners, customers and community, we can make everyone welcome.

Better Together

At SC Johnson, we believe people achieve their best when they collaborate and work together in person. We value connection to strengthen teamwork, accelerate problem solving, and drive innovation.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The policy of the Company is to ensure equal opportunity for all qualified applicants and employees without regard to race, color, religion, gender, marital status, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, age, gender identity, gender expression, disability, citizenship, pregnancy, veteran status, membership in any active or reserve component of the U.S. or state military forces, genetic history or information or any other category protected by law.

Accommodation Requests

If you are an individual with a disability and you need an accommodation or other assistance during the application process, please call our Human Resources department at 262-260-3343 or email your request to [e-mail]. All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply. Download the EEO Know Your Rights poster for more information.

Lifestyle Brands (the LSB) is a growing house of like-minded brands under the SC Johnson umbrella including Method®, Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day®, babyganics® and Ecover®. Headquartered in San Francisco with additional operations in Chicago and throughout Europe, the LSB is home to 650 employees. Together we act as a force for bold, transformative growth with a focus on delivering positive impact for people and the planet. If you’re into pioneering the future and doing good while doing business, come join us. The LSB is part of SC Johnson, a family-owned company and leading manufacturer of household cleaning, home storage, air care, pest control and shoe care products, as well as professional products. Originally founded in 1886 and headquartered in Wisconsin, U.S.A., SC Johnson and the Lifestyle Brands division are at work for a better world.