Manager Continuous Improvement- 1st Shift- Green Forest Plant

Tyson Foods; Northern (KY); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid time off

401(k) plans

Affordable health

Life

Dental

Vision

Prescription drug benefits

Job summary

Tyson Foods is seeking a Continuous Improvement Leader to drive and sustain a culture of CI across the facility. You will lead lean initiatives, coach teams, and deliver measurable cost savings and performance gains.

You will train staff in problem-solving tools, manage OEE opportunities with Maintenance, and partner with leadership to optimize staffing, capacity, and process efficiency. The role requires strong leadership and Six Sigma credentials.

Qualifications

• Education Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Business, or a related field preferred.
• Five or more years of demonstrated Continuous Improvement experience; or Five or more years of leadership experience in a Lean manufacturing environment.
• Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt certification, or progress toward certification, preferred.
• Communication Skills Ability to effectively communicate and influence individuals at all levels of the organization. Strong coaching, mentoring, and facilitation skills.
• Travel Minimal travel required (four or fewer trips per year).

Responsibilities

• Lead and facilitate Kaizen events and Rapid Improvement Processes (RIPs).
• Identify, analyze, and track improvement opportunities through data collection and performance metrics.
• Promote compliance with safety, environmental, food safety, and quality standards.
• Demonstrate expertise in Lean Manufacturing principles and Continuous Improvement methodologies.
• Develop and implement strategies that improve productivity, efficiency, and process effectiveness.
• Train and coach employees at all levels on problem-solving tools and methodologies, including: Process Mapping; Standardized Work; Lean Manufacturing; Six Sigma; Time and Cost Management
• Lead Continuous Improvement projects focused on process optimization, cost reduction, and performance improvement.
• Maintain project schedules, progress reports, and documentation demonstrating measurable operational improvements.
• Partner with plant leadership to analyze staffing, labor utilization, capacity, and operational performance.
• Calculate and validate cost savings and improvement opportunities.
• Collaborate with the Plant Controller to document financial results and project savings.
• Monitor and report the status of all CI initiatives to plant leadership.
• Validate and confirm production standards and process expectations.
• Assist in monitoring equipment effectiveness (OEE) and partner with Maintenance to identify TPM, repair, and reliability opportunities.
• Develop and maintain value stream maps for key processes and product families.
• Support additional Continuous Improvement initiatives as assigned by the Senior Manager of Continuous Improvement.

Skills

Lean Manufacturing

Six Sigma

Leadership

Problem-Solving

Data Analysis

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Business, or a related field

Job description

Job Details

Continuous Improvement Leader Summary The Continuous Improvement (CI) Leader is responsible for driving and sustaining a culture of continuous improvement throughout the facility. This role serves as the subject matter expert for Continuous Improvement initiatives, providing training, coaching, and leadership to Production Team Members, Engineers, and Functional Leaders. The CI Leader partners with all levels of the organization to implement Lean principles, lead change management efforts, and improve operational performance. This position focuses on enhancing safety, food safety, quality, delivery performance, inventory management, cost reduction, and overall process efficiency. The CI Leader facilitates improvement projects, develops operational excellence strategies, and ensures measurable results that support business objectives.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and facilitate Kaizen events and Rapid Improvement Processes (RIPs).
• Identify, analyze, and track improvement opportunities through data collection and performance metrics.
• Promote compliance with safety, environmental, food safety, and quality standards.
• Demonstrate expertise in Lean Manufacturing principles and Continuous Improvement methodologies.
• Develop and implement strategies that improve productivity, efficiency, and process effectiveness.
• Train and coach employees at all levels on problem-solving tools and methodologies, including:
  • Process Mapping
  • Standardized Work
  • Lean Manufacturing
  • Six Sigma
  • Time and Cost Management
• Lead Continuous Improvement projects focused on process optimization, cost reduction, and performance improvement.
• Maintain project schedules, progress reports, and documentation demonstrating measurable operational improvements.
• Partner with plant leadership to analyze staffing, labor utilization, capacity, and operational performance.
• Calculate and validate cost savings and improvement opportunities.
• Collaborate with the Plant Controller to document financial results and project savings.
• Monitor and report the status of all CI initiatives to plant leadership.
• Validate and confirm production standards and process expectations.
• Assist in monitoring equipment effectiveness (OEE) and partner with Maintenance to identify TPM, repair, and reliability opportunities.
• Develop and maintain value stream maps for key processes and product families.
• Support additional Continuous Improvement initiatives as assigned by the Senior Manager of Continuous Improvement.

Qualifications

• Education Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Business, or a related field preferred.
• Equivalent combination of education and relevant experience may be considered.
• Experience Five or more years of demonstrated Continuous Improvement experience; or Five or more years of leadership experience in a Lean manufacturing environment.
• Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt certification, or progress toward certification, preferred.
• Communication Skills Ability to effectively communicate and influence individuals at all levels of the organization. Strong coaching, mentoring, and facilitation skills.
• Travel Minimal travel required (four or fewer trips per year).
• Technical and Leadership Skills Strong business acumen and analytical skills. Extensive knowledge of Lean Manufacturing, 5S, Kaizen, Value Stream Mapping, and other Continuous Improvement methodologies. Strong process management and project leadership experience. Ability to lead change, drive accountability, and deliver measurable operational results. Proven ability to influence cross-functional teams and foster a culture of continuous improvement.
• Relocation Assistance Eligible: Yes Work Shift: 1ST SHIFT (United States of America)

Certain roles at Tyson require background checks. If you are offered a position that requires a background check you will be provided additional documentation to complete once an offer has been extended.

The successful candidate(s) must be willing and able to perform the physical requirements of the job with or without a reasonable accommodation.

Tyson is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will be considered without regard to race, national origin, color, religion, age, genetics, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability or veteran status.

Benefits

• paid time off
• 401(k) plans
• affordable health
• life
• dental
• vision
• prescription drug benefits

Our team members make the difference. If you are ready to grow your career with an industry leader and want to positively impact the team and community around you, then join us in helping us in raising expectations.

Join us on the journey.

At Tyson, we feed the world like family. Our Talent Strategy is to Attract, Grow, Reward and Retain the best talent, and we believe that our Culture is the connecting thread that drives that strategy! We strive to be a talent magnet to establish a reputation for being a talent rich organization where team members can grow their career while growing the business. We are a high performing organization where team members are rewarded (Pay, Benefits and Recognition) for their contributions, and given the opportunity to support and/or volunteer with programs that help Tyson make a lasting social impact in the communities where we live and work.

To learn more about our culture, please read Our Purpose.

The successful candidate(s) must be willing and able to perform the physical requirements of the job with or without a reasonable accommodation.

Tyson Foods, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer. If you are unable to apply for career opportunities through use of this site due to an impairment or disability, please contact [phone] for further assistance.