Continuous Improvement Lead

Aspire Bakeries is a North American baking company with a leadership position in specialty frozen baked goods. Formed from leading bakery companies, its innovative food portfolio includes breads, artisan breads, buns, cookies, donuts, muffins and pastries from beloved brands like La Brea Bakery®, Otis Spunkmeyer®, and Oakrun Farm Bakery®. With 13 bakeries in North America, we are committed to driving innovation, predicting upcoming consumer trends and flavors, and exceeding our customers’ expectations. Aspire Bakeries champions the values of Integrity, Ownership, Customer Focus, Creativity and Care to help us deliver on People Safety, Food Safety, Quality and Collaboration.

**This is an hourly role**

The Continuous Improvement Lead is a pivotal role responsible for implementing and developing Advanced Manufacturing (AM) systems in specific areas or production lines. This position focuses on driving efficiency through centerline definition, standard development, and the implementation of control strategies that empower operators to address out-of-control situations effectively. The CI Lead plays a crucial role in leading root cause problem-solving efforts for key chronic losses and coaches teams on various improvement methodologies such as CIL, CLM, 5S, A3, and AOE system execution. Collaborating closely with maintenance leads and Process Owners, the CI Lead develops daily and weekly strategies to eliminate losses and enhance overall operational performance.

Responsibilities:

• Facilitates the line loss analysis (waste elimination and yield improvement) and line throughput improvement plans.
• Leads transformation analysis and centerline definition and associated standard development.
• Analysis daily and shift line data to identify and prioritize loss elimination opportunities.
• Spends time on the floor to gather information on stops, centerlines and changeovers over the past 24 hours.
• Investigates initial root cause of top stops.
• Begin to develop plan for the day for ownership areas.
• Attends Level 1 and Level 2 MDI meetings.
• Discuss top stops and root cause. Establish countermeasures in plan for the day.
• Ensure Centerline/CIL completion and compliance. Create countermeasures for out of compliance systems.
• Manage centerline and CIL Daily Management systems training and execution.
• Works with Process Owner, and Maintenance Lead to address sporadic losses.
• Lead Universal Problem Solving to eliminate chronic losses for the line.
• Flexibility to adjust to shifts to work with employees from all shifts as required.
• Able to lead AM events and demonstrate expertise in CIL, Basic Problem Solving (6W, 2H).
• Centerline Management System qualified within one month.
• Green Belt qualified within one year.
• Comply with all established GMP, Housekeeping guidelines, Housekeeping responsibilities and QRMP operating procedures.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

• A high school diploma or GED is required.
• Manufacturing enviourment experience 2 years is required. 5+ years in food manufacturing is preferred. 
• Experience leading Continuous improvement projects with a good understanding of Lean manufacturing concepts is preferred. 
• Yellow or Green Belt certifications is preferred. 
• Intermediate skills in Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Power Point, Microsoft Word.
• Ability to understand and write Management system documents, SOPs and OPLs.
• Strong planning/organizational skills and communication skills.
• Ability to understand and coach management systems including but not limited to CIL, CLM and 5S.
• Capable of learning Bakery technical systems such as SAP, MII, Zeplin/Prisma and other data collection systems.

Shift: 1st 

Aspire Bakeries is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or veteran status.