Continuous Improvement & Project Manager - Berkeley Culinary Center

Whitsons Culinary Group•Berkeley, IL

5d•$125,000 - $150,000•Onsite

About The Position

The Continuous Improvement & Project Manager is responsible for leading strategic initiatives that drive operational excellence, process optimization, organizational effectiveness, and successful program execution across the organization. This role serves as a catalyst for continuous improvement by identifying opportunities to enhance productivity, quality, safety, compliance, customer satisfaction, and financial performance while ensuring key projects are delivered on time, within scope, and aligned with business objectives. Working cross-functionally with Operations, Culinary, Supply Chain, Quality, Manufacturing, Finance, Human Resources, and other functional teams, the position leads the planning, execution, and implementation of business improvement initiatives, operational transformations, new program launches, menu rollouts, service enhancements, capital projects, and client-facing initiatives. The role combines project management discipline with continuous improvement methodologies to deliver sustainable business results, improve organizational capabilities, and support the Company's strategic priorities.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Business, Operations Management, Engineering, Supply Chain, or a related field; Master’s degree preferred.
Minimum 5-7 years of progressive experience in project management, continuous improvement, operational excellence, manufacturing, food production, supply chain, or a related environment.
Experience leading cross-functional projects and organizational change initiatives.
Strong analytical, problem-solving, and process improvement skills.
Demonstrated experience utilizing Lean, Six Sigma, Kaizen, or similar methodologies.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite and project management tools.
Strategic Thinking: Ability to understand organizational priorities and align improvement initiatives and projects with long-term business objectives.
Project Management: Effectively plans, organizes, executes, and monitors projects to achieve desired outcomes while managing resources, timelines, risks, and stakeholder expectations.
Continuous Improvement Mindset: Consistently seeks opportunities to improve processes, systems, and outcomes through innovation, analysis, and disciplined execution.
Analytical Thinking & Problem Solving: Uses data, critical thinking, and structured methodologies to identify root causes, evaluate options, and implement effective solutions.
Business Acumen: Demonstrates understanding of operational, financial, quality, and customer impacts when making recommendations and decisions.
Change Leadership: Effectively guides teams and stakeholders through change by building commitment, addressing resistance, and promoting adoption.
Communication: Clearly and effectively communicates information, expectations, project updates, and recommendations to all levels of the organization.
Collaboration & Influence: Builds productive relationships and gains commitment across functions without relying on direct reporting authority.
Results Orientation: Focuses on achieving measurable outcomes and delivering projects and improvements that create business value.
Organizational Agility: Adapts quickly to changing priorities, business needs, and operational challenges while maintaining focus on objectives.
Accountability: Takes ownership of commitments, follows through on deliverables, and ensures initiatives achieve intended results.
Customer Focus: Maintains awareness of internal and external customer needs when developing solutions and driving improvements.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree
Project Management Professional (PMP), Lean Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt certification
Experience in food manufacturing, distribution, culinary operations, or multi-site operations

Responsibilities

Identify, prioritize, and lead continuous improvement initiatives that enhance operational efficiency, quality, safety, service, and cost performance.
Analyze business processes, workflows, and performance metrics to identify improvement opportunities and root causes of operational challenges.
Utilize Lean, Six Sigma, Kaizen, and other process improvement methodologies to drive measurable and sustainable results.
Facilitate process mapping, value stream analysis, root cause investigations, and corrective action planning.
Establish and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure project effectiveness and operational performance.
Partner with business leaders to standardize best practices and drive consistency across locations, functions, and operations.
Support change management efforts to ensure successful adoption of new processes, systems, and operational practices.
Lead cross-functional projects from initiation through implementation, ensuring alignment with organizational priorities and stakeholder expectations.
Develop comprehensive project plans, timelines, milestones, risk assessments, communication plans, and resource requirements.
Coordinate project activities across multiple departments and business units to ensure timely execution and successful outcomes.
Manage project scope, budget, schedules, risks, dependencies, and deliverables.
Provide regular project status updates and executive-level reporting on progress, challenges, risks, and results.
Facilitate project meetings, stakeholder reviews, and decision-making sessions.
Ensure effective project governance, documentation, and post-implementation evaluation.
Coordinate and support the successful rollout of new products, menus, services, operational programs, and business initiatives.
Partner with Culinary, Operations, Supply Chain, Quality, and Commercial teams to ensure readiness and execution of new initiatives.
Develop implementation plans, training materials, operational documentation, and deployment strategies.
Monitor launch performance and identify opportunities for refinement and continuous improvement.
Collect, analyze, and interpret operational and project-related data to support informed decision-making.
Develop dashboards, reports, and presentations that communicate performance trends, project outcomes, and improvement opportunities.
Utilize data-driven insights to recommend solutions and support business strategy.
Track financial and operational benefits associated with improvement initiatives and projects.
Build strong partnerships with leaders and stakeholders across the organization to drive alignment and accountability.
Influence and facilitate change through effective communication, relationship building, and problem-solving.
Lead cross-functional teams without direct authority while fostering collaboration and engagement.
Promote a culture of continuous improvement, accountability, and operational excellence.
Support client visits, facility tours, audits, and culinary demonstrations as needed.
Perform other related duties as assigned by Culinary Services leadership.