Mgr Operational Excellence

Ajinomoto Foods North America•Oakland, MS

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The factory Operational Excellence (OpEx) Manager is responsible for developing, implementing, and sustaining Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) strategies to improve equipment reliability, reduce downtime, reduce food loss, and enhance the overall operational efficiency (OEE) in our food manufacturing facility. This position will lead the factory continuous improvement culture in achieving our TPM program objectives and total delivered cost (TDC) reductions at the factory. This role will be required to perform additional duties and responsibilities as assigned, which may evolve based on organizational needs.

Requirements

Minimum of 4 years of manufacturing experience in a leadership role, preferably in the food industry.
Minimum of 2 years of AFNA manufacturing experience in a leadership role preferred.
Strong knowledge of TPM methodology, Lean principles or a continuous improvement program is a must
Demonstrated leadership and management skills; ability to motivate, develop, and inspire others
Excellent leadership, communication, problem solving skills, and change management
Experience successfully identifying, adopting and leading change initiatives and gaining alignment
Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with stakeholders, peer groups and all factory personnel levels
Proven track record of driving results in a factory environment

Nice To Haves

Bachelor of Science degree in a STEM field or active enrollment in a STEM degree program preferred. Preference will be given to those with a degree in engineering or to those actively enrolled in an engineering program.
Certifications in advanced CI tools preferred

Responsibilities

Drive process improvement and team development through the implementation of AFNA TPM reference standards for all launched pillars (AM, PM, FI, E&T, Leadership, etc.) with the factory leaders and department teams
Coordinate and conduct training sessions based on AFNA TPM reference standards to all levels of the factory
Lead and drive TPM related activities and discussions with hourly and management leaders to facilitate and promote change to meet business targets
Perform internal assessments and coaching of the health and well-being of the TPM standards that are used
Communicate and escalate to our central OpEx organization for additional detailed training and assistance of our AFNA TPM reference standards
Lead the loss identification and prioritization of losses (e.g. OEE, downtime, raw material loss, labor loss, etc.) through effective visual and verbal sharing and guidance with the factory leaders and team members
Ensure effective root cause analysis and sustainable actions are taking place by guiding and developing applicable factory personnel.
Own the understanding, ownership and usage of the key OEE performance indicator within the factory to drive continuous improvement activities
Lead the factory’s cross functional TDC program to identify and generate projects and activities to drive annual cost reduction targets
Ensure the execution of the cost reduction projects and activities are taking place to meet timeline expectations
Provide the appropriate reporting of TDC activities and escalations to our AFNA leaders
Lead direct reports with clarity and accountability, setting clear expectations, driving alignment to business priorities, and modeling inclusive, values-based leadership.
Own performance outcomes, using data and ongoing feedback to drive results, address issues early, and make fair, timely talent decisions.
Build organizational capability, developing talent through coaching, succession planning, and intentional investment in future-ready skills.