Factory Performance & Lean Improvement Lead

Nestlé S.A.; Fort Smith (AR); On-site; USD 80,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Nestlé S.A. Fort Smith, AR seeks a Manufacturing Excellence Specialist to lead factory improvement programs and partner with the Local Leadership Team to implement best practices and drive sustained performance. The role focuses on defining strategic roadmaps, loss elimination, and cross-functional project delivery.

You will work on 3-year KPI roadmaps, shop-floor coaching, and alignment with process owners while ensuring safety, GMPs, and ISO/NQMS compliance across the production environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering or 5 years of relevant experience in lieu of a degree.
• 2–4 years of manufacturing experience.
• Experience partnering with factory management and cross-functional teams.
• Experience with continuous improvement and performance systems (e.g., TPM, Lean, FI/LVS).

Responsibilities

• Drive factory performance and loss elimination with process owners to standardize best practices.
• Define and implement Local Leadership Team execution plans.
• Co-develop factory improvement strategy using factory OMP, loss analysis, and external benchmarks.
• Help build a 3-year roadmap for KPI progression, people development, and workplace transformation (factory vision).
• Drive alignment with LLT and stakeholders; support cascade and communication across Production.
• Partner with LLT to define and deliver execution plans (NCE rollout, digital initiatives, CAPEX enablement).
• Support competency-building activities and identify external support requirements as needed.
• Ensure governance, routines, and tracking to sustain improvement execution and results.
• Spend time on the shop floor to assess maturity progression and provide feedback and corrective action guidance.

Skills

Manufacturing experience

Cross-functional collaboration

Lean / TPM / FI/LVS

SAP

Power BI

Analytical thinking

Effective communication

Problem-solving

Independent work

Safety GMP ISO compliance

Education

Bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering

5 years of similar practical experience in lieu of a degree

Tools

SAP

Power BI

Job description

Nestlé S.A. Fort Smith, AR seeks a Manufacturing Excellence Specialist to lead factory improvement programs and partner with the Local Leadership Team to implement best practices and drive sustained performance. The role focuses on defining strategic roadmaps, loss elimination, and cross-functional project delivery.

You will work on 3-year KPI roadmaps, shop-floor coaching, and alignment with process owners while ensuring safety, GMPs, and ISO/NQMS compliance across the production environment.