Senior Manager Process Improvement

Bimbo Bakeries USA•Chicago, IL

13h•$115,300 - $161,400•Hybrid

About The Position

This role leads and influences the execution of continuous improvement and operations excellence strategies across regional bakeries in fast-paced manufacturing environments. The position provides senior-level direction, change leadership, and capability building with Regional Bakery Directors, Bakery Leaders, and front-line teams to sustain the Operations Excellence Playbook, reinforce E5 behaviors, and deliver measurable gains in safety, quality, productivity, waste reduction, and profitability. The role requires domestic travel up to 50% and may support various unanticipated work locations throughout the U.S.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Industrial, Mechanical, or Chemical Engineering.
6+ years of experience in a manufacturing environment involving operations, quality, or food safety; leadership of cross-functional teams and facilitation of Root Cause Problem Solving, Line Balance workshops, and training
Continuous improvement related to safety, good manufacturing practice, waste reduction, labor, line running efficiencies, sanitation, and productivity improvement
Implementation of continuous improvement methodologies such as SMED, 5S, Gemba Walks, 5 Whys, DMAIC, and related manufacturing transformation tools.
Experience supporting change management, digital process adoption, and regional operations excellence initiatives is required.

Responsibilities

Direct coordination and leadership with Regional Bakery Directors and Bakery Leaders to build organizational skills and capabilities that sustain the Operations Excellence Playbook and E5 behaviors.
Create and sustain a continuous improvement environment by improving products, service, and processes with the objective of reducing waste while driving efficiency and profitability.
Ensure process compliance and appropriate continuous improvement tools are in place and fully utilized to support associate empowerment and data-driven decision making.
Perform advanced data analysis to identify opportunities for cost savings, waste reduction, productivity improvement, and operational effectiveness.
Provide strategic and hands-on support to operations management in the identification, development, communication, and execution of manufacturing transformation and bakery productivity plans.
Facilitate Root Cause Problem Solving, Line Balance workshops, and Agile kaizen events that generate corrective actions for complex bakery productivity and operational performance issues.
Act as a change agent supporting Operations Excellence Front End Loading activities in Great Britain Model launches and Sprint Bakery productivity work.
Work closely with production, maintenance, sanitation, quality, distribution, and reliability teams to reduce waste, increase machine productivity, improve product quality, and ensure maintenance is integrated into problem solving and PFA events.
Ensure facility improvement initiatives support corporate strategy, General Plant Safety, Food Safety, Food Defense Initiatives, and Good Manufacturing Practices.
Drive change through facilities and cross-functional teams to deliver plant cost savings targets and manufacturing transformation objectives.
Provide change management support for Digital Workplace and the adoption of new processes and digital tools, including Digital Codebooks, ODI, Digital Dough Sheet, and Power BI reports.
Partner with manufacturing transformation, plant operations, reliability, maintenance transformation, and plant engineering teams during preparation, analysis, planning, and implementation while incorporating safety and quality standards.
Liaise with front-line supervision on the design and implementation of Standard Work and support standardization and sustainability of manufacturing transformation elements.
Deliver training and coaching to operations managers, change architects, associates, and other stakeholders on manufacturing transformation fundamentals and continuous improvement methodologies.
Prepare and deliver formal presentations to regional senior management on project status, deliverables, line balance findings, and regional productivity initiative milestones.
Conduct process studies to identify opportunities for increased line effectiveness and prepare statistical analysis of process capability to implement improved controls.
Provide leadership support in the design and execution of systems and floor projects that advance operational capability and transformation outcomes.