Operational Excellence Lead — Continuous Improvement

Continental Dairy Facilities Southwest, LLC; Littlefield (TX); On-site; USD 75,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Select Milk Producers is seeking a Continuous Improvement (CI) Specialist to drive operational excellence across the facility. You will lead PITs and PDCA efforts, coach frontline staff, and partner with Operations, Maintenance, Quality, and Finance to implement data-driven improvements.

The role requires 3+ years in operations or manufacturing, a bachelor’s degree or equivalent, and strong CI methodology knowledge.

Qualifications

• Minimum 3 years of experience in operations, manufacturing, or process improvement, preferably in dairy or food product industries.
• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, business, operations management, or related field preferred; equivalent experience considered.
• Strong knowledge of CI methodologies and tools; willingness to learn continuously.
• Ability to understand financial impacts of operational changes and drive improvements.
• Proven ability to drive change, influence stakeholders, and develop others.
• Willingness to work directly with frontline employees to implement changes.
• Experience leading CI projects with measurable results.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

Responsibilities

• CI program leadership for onsite continuous improvement efforts aligned with goals.
• Develop, implement, and sustain CI initiatives to drive efficiency and financial performance.
• Collaborate with Operations, Maintenance, Quality, Finance and other teams to implement improvements.
• Analyze operational data, assess financial impacts, and use data-driven decisions.
• Mentor and coach staff, supervisors, and managers in CI methodologies.
• Lead multiple PITs and PDCA activities across focus areas.
• Manage CI projects from concept to completion and ensure timely execution.
• Utilize root cause analysis and process mapping to diagnose issues and sustain solutions.
• Establish and track KPIs to measure CI impact and drive adoption.

Skills

CI expertise

Leadership & coaching

Project management

Communication skills

Financial acumen

Hands-on approach

Experience in operations/manufacturing

Education: bachelor’s degree

Education

Bachelor’s degree in engineering, business, operations management, or related field

Job description

Select Milk Producers is seeking a Continuous Improvement (CI) Specialist to drive operational excellence across the facility. You will lead PITs and PDCA efforts, coach frontline staff, and partner with Operations, Maintenance, Quality, and Finance to implement data-driven improvements.

The role requires 3+ years in operations or manufacturing, a bachelor’s degree or equivalent, and strong CI methodology knowledge.