Generalist Continuous Improvement

Hershey Company; Northern (KY); Hybrid; USD 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

The Hershey Company seeks a Continuous Improvement Specialist in Edgerton, KS to foster a zero-loss culture across its manufacturing network. You will coach teams, lead problem solving, and drive Hershey Lean standards including Redzone and daily management to reduce losses and improve performance.

You will track loss data, support CI initiatives, and train front-line operators while using PowerBI, PowerApps, S4, and O365 to enable data-driven decisions.

Qualifications

• Minimum knowledge and abilities include lean manufacturing, TPM and data collection/analysis.
• Experience with Redzone, PowerApps, PowerBI, S4, and O365 tools preferred.
• Strong problem solving, change management, and cross-functional training abilities.
• Ability to train hourly and salaried employees and travel up to 20%.

Responsibilities

• Drive daily problem solving and data driven planning as the CI leader.
• Work with CI Manager and Plant Leadership to execute standards using Redzone and S4.
• Complete CI training in RCA tools (5 Why, Fishbone, Pareto, SMED).
• Provide expertise in waste reduction, Lean, Six Sigma, and quality improvement.
• Support Food Safety and Quality Initiatives across locations.
• Collaborate with Training Supervisors to upskill front-line operators.
• Learn Redzone to support data management and administration.

Skills

Problem solving

Change management

Action planning

Lean manufacturing

Communication

Data analysis

PowerApps

PowerBI

Redzone

S4

O365 tools

Tools

Redzone

PowerApps

PowerBI

S4

O365 tools

Job description

Note:If you apply for a role at Hershey through our career’s website, we may use technologies that use automation to filter your candidacy based on objective criteria. We also use AI-enabled tools that help us facilitate the selection of our future Hershey talent. These tools may help with activities such as matching and scoring candidates to roles based on requirements and scheduling interviews. These systems process only the information you provide in your application, including your resume, work history, education, and responses to screening questions. While these technologies assist with certain steps in our recruitment process and may provide recommendations, all final decisions, including those affecting whether candidates advance to subsequent stages in the applicant process, are made by our talent acquisition teams with meaningful human review and independent judgment. Depending on your location and the specific role you apply for, additional disclosures about our use of AI in recruitment may be provided to you separately.

Job Overview

Job Location: Edgerton, KS

The Continuous Improvement Specialist will help create a zero-loss culture within our manufacturing network, by supporting process improvements and building operator capabilities in a continuous improvement environment. This candidate will teach, coach, influence, and act as an ambassador contributing to the development of a continuous improvement culture and mindset in our Hershey Lean vision. A core function of the role will be managing Redzone and supporting the implementation of Hershey Lean and all standards associated with them.

He / she will implement tracking processes and maintain the loss data on the lines to ensure top losses are being addressed. The loss data will enable the development of our zero-loss diagnostic tool designed to support a CI Plan to meet the savings targets for the organization.

Accountabilities

• Drive daily problem solving and data driven planning as the problem-solving leader for targeted manufacturing operations.
• Work with CI Manager and Plant Leadership team to execute standards using daily management systems through Redzone and S4.
• Complete CI Training in the use of basic root cause analysis tools, 5 Why, Fishbone, Pareto, SMED.
• Provide expertise in all areas of waste reduction, simplification, Lean, Six Sigma, and quality improvement methods.
• Support Food Safety and Quality Initiatives within all locations.
• Work with Training Supervisors to support training for front-line operators for the use of Redzone and Hershey Lean tools.
• Learn Redzone to support Administrative functions associated with management of data in Redzone.

Prior Experience

Minimum knowledge, skills and abilities required to successfully perform major duties/responsibilities:

• Strong problem-solving skills.
• Demonstrated change management skills.
• Able to develop action plans based on problems identified on the floor.
• Patience, perseverance, flexibility, and a passion to drive Lean culture across all facilities.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills Experienced in data collection and analysis.
• Preferred experience with Redzone, PowerApps, PowerBI, S4, O365 tools.
• Ability to work in a high pressure, results-driven environment.
• Demonstrated experience in Lean

Minimum knowledge, skills and abilities required to successfully perform major duties/responsibilities:

• 3 to 5 Years’ experience in an automated manufacturing environment preferred.
• Experience with Lean Manufacturing and TPM is preferred.
• Knowledge of Redzone is preferred.
• Previous experience in facilitating training with by hourly and salaried employees is preferred.
• Ability to travel up 20% to various facilities in the US.
• Facilitation and team building experience preferred.
• Strong interpersonal skills, with the ability to train and coach others.

The Hershey Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer. The policy of The Hershey Company is to extend opportunities to qualified applicants and employees on an equal basis regardless of an individual's race, color, gender, age, national origin, religion, citizenship status, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, transgender status, physical or mental disability, protected veteran status, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other categories protected by applicable federal, state or local laws.
The Hershey Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer - Minority/Female/Disabled/Protected Veterans.

You may request a reasonable accommodation if you are unable or limited in your ability to use or access our online application process as a result of a disability.
You can request an accommodation via phone or email.

To request an accommodation via phone, please call [phone] and leave a voicemail with your contact information. You may also email a request for accommodation to [e-mail]. Please be sure to include “Accommodation Needed” in the subject line. This will ensure that your email is routed to the appropriate contact who will handle your request.