Continuous Improvement Manager

Socket.dev; Byesville (OH); On-site; USD 107,000 - 144,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision

401(k) with company match

Tuition reimbursement

Paid time off

Job summary

Kerry seeks a Continuous Improvement Manager to lead site-wide CI initiatives at its beverage facility in Byesville, Ohio. You will drive 1KPS maturity, develop frontline teams, and partner with Safety, Quality, Engineering, and Manufacturing to improve safety, quality, service, and cost.

This hands-on leader translates priorities into practical site actions and measurable results. As a member of the Site Leadership Team, you will champion Lean tools, standardize practices, and build

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in engineering, business, management, food science, or related discipline.
• Five years of experience leading or managing multifunctional teams in a high-speed manufacturing or process environment.
• Strong knowledge of Lean manufacturing, CI principles, and structured problem solving.
• Proven ability to deliver measurable improvements in cost, productivity, or operational performance.
• Experience developing teams through coaching, training, and performance alignment.
• Working knowledge of manufacturing technologies, production processes, and management systems.
• Ability to translate business priorities into practical site-level execution.
• Strong communication, facilitation, and influencing skills across all levels.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and MRP or similar systems.

Responsibilities

• Lead the deployment and maturity of 1KPS management-system playbooks.
• Strengthen tiered meetings, short-interval control, master scheduling, KPI management, and problem-solving processes.
• Ensure operating standards are understood, measured, and sustained.
• Serve as a visible CI leader, coach, and facilitator across the site.
• Develop frontline capabilities through CI training and coaching.
• Drive cost, productivity, and value-creation initiatives with data-based decisions.
• Coordinate SOPs, work instructions, and operator training.
• Ensure standards are documented, trained, and embedded in daily operations.
• Administer Intertek Alchemy and support Tulip/MaintainX platforms for training and compliance.

Skills

Lean manufacturing

Structured problem-solving

Change leadership

Cross-functional teamwork

Data-driven decision making

Communication & influencing

Microsoft Office proficiency

MRP or manufacturing systems

Education

Bachelor’s degree or higher in engineering, business, management, food science

Tools

Microsoft Office

MRP or similar systems

WAVE

Intertek Alchemy

Tulip

MaintainX

Job description

About Kerry

Kerry is the world's leading taste and nutrition company for the food, beverage and pharmaceutical industries. Every day we partner with customers to create healthier, tastier and more sustainable products that are consumed by billions of people across the world. Our vision is to be our customers' most valued partner, creating a world of sustainable nutrition. A career with Kerry offers you an opportunity to shape the future of food while providing you opportunities to explore and grow in a truly global environment.

About the role

This role is responsible for leading site-wide Continuous Improvement (CI) by driving cost delivery, embedding effective management systems, and building a strong CI culture. The CI Manager partners with the leadership team and cross-functional stakeholders to deliver strategic initiatives, improve operational performance, and increase One Kerry Plant System (1KPS) maturity. Ultimately, the role ensures sustainable capability building across the site through standardization, performance rigor, and development of frontline teams.

Continuous Improvement Manager

Location: Byesville, OH
Reports to: Site Director
Business Area: Integrated Operations – Beverage
Travel: Approximately 10%

About the Role

Kerry is seeking a Continuous Improvement Manager to lead site-wide improvement initiatives at our beverage manufacturing facility in Byesville, Ohio.

As a member of the Site Leadership Team, you will translate business priorities into sustainable improvements in safety, quality, customer service, productivity, cost, and operational performance. You will lead the continued development of the One Kerry Plant System (1KPS), strengthen continuous improvement capabilities, and help advance the site toward World Class Manufacturing standards.

This opportunity is ideal for a hands‑on change leader who combines strategic thinking with disciplined execution and can influence teams across all functions and levels.

Key responsibilities

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the deployment and maturity of 1KPS management‑system playbooks.
• Strengthen tiered meetings, short‑interval control, master scheduling, KPI management, structured problem‑solving, corrective actions, and accountability.
• Ensure operating standards are understood, consistently applied, measured, and sustained.
• Serve as a visible CI leader, coach, and facilitator across the site.
• Build employee and leadership capability through CI training, coaching, and practical application of Lean tools.
• Promote root‑cause thinking, standardization, collaboration, accountability, and data‑based decision‑making.
• Build and maintain a pipeline of cost‑saving, productivity, value‑creation, and digital initiatives.
• Ensure projects are captured in WAVE, progressed through the appropriate IL gate process, and incorporated into the site master schedule.
• Lead selected strategic projects and validate delivered business benefits.
• Support annual factory cost, margin, productivity, and performance commitments.
• Partner with Safety, Quality, Engineering, Supply Chain, Manufacturing, and People teams to close gaps and standardize ways of working.
• Champion Frontline Leader and Frontline Operator development programs.
• Coordinate the development of SOPs, work instructions, and operator training.
• Ensure new and revised standards are documented, trained, verified, and embedded into daily operations.
• Administer Intertek Alchemy and support platforms such as Tulip and MaintainX to improve training, compliance, workflow visibility, and consistent execution.
• Benchmark best practices and promote continuous learning throughout the organization.

What Success Looks Like

The successful candidate will establish reliable management routines, strengthen problem‑solving capabilities, develop employees and leaders, and deliver sustainable improvements in safety, quality, service, cost, productivity, and engagement. This individual will be a credible and visible leader who creates clarity, builds trust, and turns improvement opportunities into measurable results.

Qualifications and skills

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in engineering, business, management, food science, or a related discipline.
• At least five years of experience leading or managing multifunctional teams in a high-speed manufacturing or process environment.
• Strong knowledge of Lean manufacturing, continuous improvement principles, and structured problem‑solving methods.
• Demonstrated success delivering measurable improvements in cost, productivity, operational performance, or process capability.
• Experience developing teams through coaching, training, and performance alignment.
• Working knowledge of manufacturing technologies, production processes, and operational management systems.
• Ability to translate business priorities into practical site‑level execution.
• Strong communication, facilitation, and influencing skills across all organizational levels.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and MRP or similar manufacturing systems.
• Ability to use operational and financial data to support decisions and verify results.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in beverage, food, packaging, or another regulated, high-speed manufacturing environment.
• Experience implementing a structured plant operating or management system.
• Familiarity with WAVE, Intertek Alchemy, Tulip, MaintainX, or comparable platforms.
• Lean Six Sigma certification or similar continuous improvement credentials.
• Experience developing frontline leaders and operator training programs.

The pay range for this position is $107,000 - $144,000 in Annual Salary. Kerry typically does not hire an individual at the top or near the top of the range, as we are a pay-for-performance company, and this range is set to continue to reward performance annually while in role. Compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case. The specific compensation offered to a candidate within the above range may be influenced by a variety of factors including skills, qualifications, experience, and internal equity. In addition, this position is also eligible to earn a performance‑based incentive compensation. Kerry offers a competitive benefits package, including medical, dental, vision, paid time off, a 401(k) plan with employee and company contribution opportunities, Employee Share Plan, Life, disability, and accident insurance, and tuition reimbursement. This job posting is anticipated to expire on 11/30/26

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

Kerry is committed to ensuring equal employment opportunities for employees and applicants. We prohibit discrimination based on race, religion, color, sex, pregnancy, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, sexual orientation, marital status, military service, veteran status or any other protected characteristic under applicable law. This commitment applies to all employment practices, including recruitment, hiring, promotions, training, and career development. Kerry also takes affirmative action to ensure that minorities, women, disabled veterans, and other protected groups are introduced into our workforce and considered for promotional opportunities.