Operational Excellence Specialist

Combining a full-service network of professionals from field to fork, Idahoan is a leading manufacturer of value-added products. Its potato processing plants and nationally recognized retail, foodservice and warehouse club brands of products along with its close relationship with its growers, allow Idahoan Foods to deliver superior quality and value to its customers.

Job Purpose

The Operational Excellence Specialist inspires positive change by creating and sustaining a continuous improvement culture within the organization. They are responsible for identifying and implementing projects throughout the factory that impact the organization's bottom line, improve environmental conditions, and improve the safety and morale of the workforce. They will receive direction from and report to the Operations Excellence Manager.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

• Establish collaborative working relationships with cross-functional teams in promoting plant-wide improvements.

• Identify and implement improvement opportunities. Focusing on eliminating waste and improving process efficiencies and increase throughput.

• Assist operations in reducing product variation, improve yield, improve quality, help meet our customer's needs and achieve plant goals.

• Contribute to Capital Expenditure Authorization Requests (CEAR), including the planning, justification, and implementation of projects.

• Be able to use the DMAIC model to see projects from beginning to end. Identify and communicate with stakeholders throughout the project and through implementation/completion. Strong emphasis on control and sustainable results.

• Follow Management of Change (MOC) process for all plant initiatives and projects involving change. Help to manage MOC process where applicable on CEAR or other plant changes.

• Coordinate continuous improvement efforts with management and all plant departments. Partner with Operations Excellence Manager (OEM) to lead Kaizen events for process improvements where necessary.

• Evaluate alternative solutions to design issues as determined by testing and experience.

• Track, monitor, and report on cost saving/improvement activities.

• Investigate emerging technologies, when process improvements are exhausted, or investment is determined to be the greatest solution. Be able to contact vendors and organize visits or data collection to communicate with vendors.

• Provides technical support for inter-departmental groups including management, maintenance, production, packaging, and distribution in addition to outside vendors and contractors.

• Facilitate improvements to production and packaging processes from PIT Team improvements.

• Able to easily pivot between changing priorities and accountabilities

Qualifications/Required Skills

• Education and/or Experience: Preferred B.S. in chemical engineering, mechanical engineering, industrial engineering, or food engineering. Fundamental knowledge of food processing and packaging. Lean manufacturing and Six Sigma principles are a plus.

• Language Skills: Ability to read, comprehend, and compose instructions, correspondence, and memos in English. Must possess the ability to effectively communicate verbally and in writing. Bilingual - Spanish speaking, writing, and translation skills are a tremendous asset, but not required

• Reasoning Ability: Possess good analytical, quantitative, communication, problem solving, and technical skills. Must be able to analyze data to find trends and themes with the ability to explain findings to others. Can creatively apply experience, common sense, and a strategic and economical business perspective to a variety of situations, processes and people. Has the ability to manage several projects concurrently. Ability to perform the essential duties and responsibilities with efficiency and accuracy and work independently and professionally in a team environment.

• Interpersonal Skills: Strong interpersonal communication skills. Team player who can positively influence change.

• Work Environment: This position is located in a food processing facility. Seventy five percent of the time will require time on the floor working with hourly associates and twenty fiver percent working in an office setting/meeting facilitation.

• Computer Skills: Working knowledge and ability to use Microsoft Word, Teams, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook. Ability to independently format professional documents. Aptitude for navigating of ERP systems preferred M3 or Dynamics 356 experience. Mini Tab experience a plus.

Alignment with Core Values of the Company

• Respect & Value Our People

• Stay in Front of Challenge While Reducing Costs

• Delight Our Customers

• Food Quality & Safety