Kws Manager

Kellogg; Gauteng; On-site; ZAR 600 000 - 800 000; Full time

Job summary

A leading snacks manufacturer in South Africa is seeking a Continuous Improvement leader to own strategy development and lead performance improvement initiatives. The ideal candidate will have 10+ years in manufacturing, with at least 5 years in Operational Excellence. Strong project management and influencing skills are essential. Join us to help shape the future of snacking with our iconic brands.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 10 years' experience in manufacturing/operations.
• At least 5 years in a dedicated Continuous Improvement/Operational Excellence role.
• Proven track record of leading and delivering measurable improvement initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Owns the annual strategy development and deployment process.
• Identify performance gaps and lead improvement projects.
• Facilitate root cause analysis and problem-solving workshops.
• Develop and maintain a robust savings pipeline.

Skills

Project management

Influencing skills

Change management

Lean manufacturing

Six Sigma principles

Education

Bachelor's degree in industrial engineering or related field

Job description

A Taste of What You'll Be Doing Strategy & Leadership — Owns the annual strategy development and deployment process for the Site CBN, Strategies & Master Plan.

Champion KWS, Lean manufacturing and Six Sigma principles to build a sustainable CI culture.

Act as a change agent, influencing and inspiring teams to embrace improvement initiatives.

Responsible for supporting Global & Regional initiatives.

Member of the Regional KWS Forum.

Process Optimization — Identify performance gaps and lead improvement projects in safety, quality, cost, delivery and people development.

Implement standardized processes, visual management and performance monitoring systems.

Facilitate root cause analysis (RCA) and problem-solving workshops to address recurring issues.

Cost Management — Facilitate the identification of savings opportunities across functions and processes.

Lead and coordinate savings projects to ensure timely execution and delivery of financial benefits.

Develop and maintain a robust savings pipeline that balances short-term wins with long-term, sustainable initiatives.

Partner with Finance and Operations to validate, track and report savings performance.

Performance Management — Track and report improvement initiatives and financial benefits delivered through CI projects.

Ensure the organization's Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are supported with sustainable improvement actions.

Conduct audits and health checks to ensure adherence to CI standards.

Leads the Plant KWS team which consist of Center Of Excellence Leaders (PLT members).

Establishes the appropriate Center Teams based on Plant needs and KWS Phase progression.

Training & Capability Building — Build CI capability across the organization through structured training, coaching and mentoring.

Develop and deliver KWS training programs to build a pipeline of front line leadership.

Promote knowledge-sharing and best practices across teams.

We're Looking for Someone With Bachelor's degree in industrial engineering, or related field.

Minimum of 10 years' experience in manufacturing / operations, with at least 5 years in a dedicated CI / Operational Excellence role.

Proven track record of leading and delivering measurable improvement initiatives.

Strong project management and facilitation skills.

Strong influencing skills are required to drive internal alignment, e.g. with Maintenance, Production, Quality & Food Safety, EHS etc.

Get to Know Us At Kellanova, we are driven by our vision to be the world's best-performing snacks-led powerhouse, unleashing the full potential of our differentiated brands and our passionate people.

Our portfolio of iconic, world-class brands include Pringles, Cheez-It, Pop-Tarts, MorningStar Farms, Special K, Krave, Zucaritas, Tresor, Crunchy Nut, among others.

Kellanova's Culture of Best means we bring our best to all that we do in pursuit of our vision to be the world's best performing snacks-led powerhouse.

Our culture celebrates boldness and empowers our people to challenge the status quo, achieve results, and win together.

Our focus on Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (ED&I) enables us to build a culture of belonging where all employees have a place at the table and are inspired to share their passion, talents and ideas to work.

Mars has agreed to acquire Kellanova in a combination that will shape the future of snacking!

The transaction is anticipated to close within

• (subject to Kellanova shareowner approval and other customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals).

The companies remain separate until closing.

The best brands.

The best people.

The best you.