Industrial Performance Specialist

Luigi Lavazza S.p.A.

20h•Onsite

About The Position

The Industrial Performance Specialist is a salaried exempt role responsible for driving continuous improvement initiatives, enhancing manufacturing efficiency, eliminating chronic operational losses, and strengthening overall plant performance. This position leads cross-functional efforts to improve safety, quality, delivery, cost, and productivity through structured problem-solving, Kaizen execution, and sustainable process improvements. The Industrial Performance Specialist partners closely with Operations, Maintenance, Engineering, Quality, and Supply Chain teams to identify opportunities, resolve recurring issues, optimize equipment and processes, and ensure improvements are standardized and sustained. This role combines production floor engagement with analytical leadership, project ownership, and long-term capability building across the organization. Additionally, the Industrial Performance Specialist supports process mapping, SOP development, KPI analysis, training initiatives, and ownership of a plant-wide repository of technical issues, root causes, corrective actions, and best practices.

Requirements

3+ years of experience in manufacturing, operations improvement, industrial engineering, maintenance reliability, or related environment.
Demonstrated success leading continuous improvement or plant performance initiatives in a manufacturing setting.
Strong understanding of manufacturing processes, equipment systems, and operational KPIs.
Experience with Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, Kaizen, or similar CI methodologies.
Strong analytical, organizational, and project management skills.
Effective communication skills with the ability to influence across all organizational levels.
Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and other data/reporting tools.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Industrial Technology, Operations Management, or related field preferred; equivalent manufacturing experience considered.
Lean Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt certification.
Experience in food, beverage, packaging, or high-speed manufacturing environments.
Knowledge of ERP, CMMS, MES, or production reporting systems.

Responsibilities

Lead and coordinate Kaizen events and continuous improvement initiatives focused on downtime reduction, waste elimination, scrap reduction, throughput improvement, and labor efficiency.
Identify and prioritize operational improvement opportunities aligned with plant performance goals.
Utilize structured problem-solving methodologies such as Root Cause Analysis, 5-Why, Fishbone, PDCA, and corrective action systems.
Partner with functional leaders to implement sustainable countermeasures and monitor results.
Own assigned improvement projects from concept through implementation, validation, and sustainment.
Analyze production, downtime, quality, labor, and cost data to identify trends and recommend improvement actions.
Support achievement of KPIs including OEE, uptime, yield, throughput, and conversion cost targets.
Collaborate with Operations and Technical teams to improve line performance, capacity utilization, and process reliability.
Recommend and support process, equipment, workflow, or staffing improvements that drive measurable business results.
Serve as a key resource for resolving chronic or complex manufacturing issues affecting safety, quality, or efficiency.
Coordinate efforts between Operations, Maintenance, Engineering, and Quality to identify root causes and implement solutions.
Communicate project status, risks, timelines, and outcomes effectively to leadership and stakeholders.
Manage multiple priorities independently while maintaining strong follow-through and accountability.
Develop, update, and improve Standard Work, SOPs, visual controls, and training materials based on process changes and improvement learnings.
Ensure new processes are effectively transitioned to Operations ownership.
Audit adherence to standards and recommend corrective actions where gaps exist.
Support workforce capability development through training and coaching on Lean tools and best practices.
Apply Lean Six Sigma principles to reduce waste, variation, downtime, and recurring failures.
Promote a culture of continuous improvement and operational excellence throughout the plant.
Facilitate employee engagement in CI activities and encourage idea generation.
Support long-term site capability through systems, tools, and continuous improvement disciplines.
Create and maintain a centralized repository of past issues, corrective actions, lessons learned, and best practices.
Standardize documentation of improvements to accelerate future problem-solving.
Share successful improvements across departments or facilities where applicable.