Industrial Performance Manager

At Russell Stover, not only do we love chocolate, but we love our jobs! Every day we go to work exhibiting our values of excellence, innovation, entrepreneurship, responsibility, and collaboration. Working at Russell Stover you'll be part of the leading manufacturer of boxed, seasonal, and sugar-free chocolates. For over 100 years, Russell Stover Chocolates, Whitman's, and Pangburn's have been crafted with the finest ingredients to bring happiness to generations. Today, we produce over 55 million pounds of chocolate annually, and our legacy brands can be found in 13 company-owned stores and over 9,000 wholesale accounts. Join our team and let's continue making chocolate lovers happy!

A day in the life...

As an Industrial Performance Manager, you will play a vital role in developing and tracking the Operations strategy for the plant, focused on driving efficiency and continuous improvement. You will compile, review, and communicate key performance data and collaborate with operations leaders to identify improvement opportunities. On the production floor, you will conduct Gemba walks, identify process inefficiencies, and train others to use Lean tools to implement solutions. . Operating as a change agent, you will support the optimization of new products, operational knowledge, and our digital transformation. Every day, your goal will be to optimize performance for existing and new processes, reduce waste, and support a culture of operational excellence.

What you will be doing...

• Ensuring the factory focus is on top priorities by developing the Operations strategy in partnership with the Plant Director
• Measuring performance and prioritizing losses: Resources Utilization, Conversion Cost, Productivity, Efficiency, and Material losses
• Analyzing data to make decisions that drive change and improve performance with all levels of Operations management
• Maintaining performance-tracking systems to monitor and take actions on manufacturing performance
• Working with site management team to determine objectives and strategy for the production department; translate agreed strategies into production team and individual goals, activities and deliverables
• Generating and maintaining operational standards: waste, rework, over usage, labor, routings, nominal speeds, OEE, Technical Efficiency
• Supporting line trials and providing input to optimize new products
• Leading implementation of our Operational Excellence program
• Implementing best practices from other departments, plants, companies
• Ensuring that training is effectively provided throughout all levels of operations organization
• Supporting digitization efforts within Operations to transform our tools and unlock improvement opportunities
• Adhering to Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) to ensure product quality and maintain compliance with food safety standards
• Completing and following FSQA training and programs to comply with regulatory requirements, ensuring consumer safety, and support the plant's food safety and quality objectives
• Promptly reporting and taking appropriate action on any observed or potential food safety hazards, process deviations, or non-conformities by notifying the designated plant supervisor, in accordance with your role and responsibilities
• Actively contributing to the continuous improvement of the company's Food Safety Culture through engagement and actions aligned with your role
• Accountability for maintaining performance-tracking systems, leveraging data for decision-making, and actively supporting digital transformation initiatives (ERP/SAP, digitized tools, performance systems).

This job posting is not all inclusive and other duties may be assigned

Do you have what it takes?

(Basic Qualifications)

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent work experience
• 3+ years in a manufacturing environment in a management role
• Previous people management experience
• 3+ years of Operational Excellence or TPM program experience
• Strong computer literacy in MS Office
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to speak, read, and write English fluently, with or without an accommodation
• Ability to influence others and gain support for Operational Excellence initiatives

Do you stand above the rest?

(Preferred Qualifications)

• 3+ years in a food manufacturing environment
• Functional knowledge of lean manufacturing/TPM principles
• Excellent organization, planning, and analytical problem solving skills
• Ability to drive change and improve performance throughout all levels of the organization
• Knowledge of financial analysis
• Working knowledge of SAP or other ERP systems
• Demonstrated ability to work without close supervision and maintain high level of motivation
• Ability to effectively communicate ideas, concepts and procedures to all levels within the organization, from the manufacturing floor to senior management
• Conflict and change management skills
• Strong interpersonal skills, able to proactively engage dialogue and communication to reach resolutions with employees at all levels of the organization
• Ability to set priorities, be self-disciplined and consistent
• Ability to develop and implement action steps and follow through
• Ability to efficiently work independently or in a team environment
• Ability to identify training needs and define programs to ensure proper training on all levels of the organization

Experience Life at Russell Stover Plants!

• Safety First: Your well-being is our top priority, and we've got you covered with protective gear. On day one, you'll dive into Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) training, and we'll keep you on your toes with daily safety tips to ensure you're always in the know!
• Surroundings: Get ready to work alongside a variety of equipment like automated packing machines, forklifts, electric pallet jacks, and those irresistible chocolate candy banks/steels - it's a dynamic environment where every day brings something new!
• Active & Engaging Work: Whether you're on your feet for extended periods, moving around, climbing ladders, or lifting up to 50 lbs, there's never a dull moment. This is a place where you'll stay on the move!
• Comfortable Climate: In most roles, you will be comfortable year-round with our climate-controlled environment.
• Appealing Smells: The air is filled with sweet aromas of chocolate, and by the time your shift ends, you might just leave smelling like chocolate!
• Dress to Impress (Food Safety Style): A simple yet important dress code ensures safety and hygiene, following Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) to keep everything running smoothly.
• Allergens: You will be exposed to a variety of ingredients that may be considered food allergens.

At Russell Stover Chocolates, we don't just accept difference - we celebrate it, we support it, and we thrive on it for the benefit of our employees, our products, and our community. Russell Stover Chocolates is proud to be an equal-opportunity workplace.

We provide equal employment opportunities to all people without regard to race, color, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, age, religion, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, pregnancy, physical or mental disability, protected medical condition, genetic information, military service, veteran status, or any other status or characteristic protected by law.

Employment by Russell Stover Chocolates is contingent upon I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification, passing the urinalysis drug screen, education verification, and satisfactory reference and background checks.

Make Happy. Work Happy.

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