CI Manager

SunOpta • Midlothian, TX

3d • Hybrid

About The Position

This position is responsible for leading, planning, standardizing, and directing business process improvement and waste elimination activities to ensure business continuity and operational excellence within the Plant and assigned functional areas. This position is also responsible to identify, train and deploy resources to apply state-of-the-art approaches and tools to achieve performance excellence and process improvements.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or related field.
• Certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, achieved through a program that required the successful completion of a project for certification.
• 10+ years related experience in a CI Manager role or related experience and/or training, or equivalent combination or education and experience.
• Must have a working knowledge or MS Word, MS PowerPoint, and be proficient with MS Excel.
• Outstanding verbal, written, and communications skills including facilitation and public-speaking experience.

Nice To Haves

• Lean/Six Sigma Green, Black or Master Black Belt or equivalent training and/or certification.
• Project Management experience in a manufacturing/cross-functional environment.
• Bilingual in Spanish.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement a comprehensive Continuous Improvement (CI) strategy in partnership with facility leadership, prioritizing high-impact projects that drive efficiency, reduce costs, and align with the organization’s overall business goals.
• Act as a trusted advisor to facility directors and senior leadership, providing expert guidance, data-driven insights, and actionable recommendations to support strategic decision-making and operational excellence.
• Ensure that CI initiatives are directly aligned with operational priorities and broader business objectives by setting measurable goals, defining key performance indicators (KPIs), and tracking progress to demonstrate value.
• Lead, develop, and support the CI team, allocating resources strategically to maximize efficiency and ensuring the team focuses on projects that deliver the greatest impact while meeting organizational needs.
• Drive the execution of complex cross-functional CI projects by coordinating diverse teams, managing project timelines and risks, and delivering sustainable, measurable business outcomes that enhance quality, productivity, and cost performance.
• Champion a culture of continuous improvement by training & mentoring employees in the identification of opportunities, implement rigorous problem-solving methodologies, and address root causes systematically to ensure long-term solutions.
• Partner with CI managers across facilities to share knowledge, align on best practices, and standardize tools and methodologies, ensuring consistency, improved efficiency, and elevated performance organization-wide.
• Wear PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) when required.
• All other duties, as assigned.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager