Process Improvement and Quality Manager

All jobs at Southern Champion Tray (SCT) require Team members to act in accordance with the shared Core Values & Operating principles of the company as they perform specific job functions. These include:

• Trustworthy We strive for our actions to match our words in all our relationships.
• Servant Hearted We enable and empower our team to serve the needs of customers, Team members, suppliers and the community.
• Relational We aim to build healthy relationships while fostering and environment that promotes compassion, balance, and personal and professional growth.
• Resourceful We value strategic insourcing, first looking to create solutions internally, and then looking to apply that knowledge to future opportunities.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY:

The Process Improvement and Quality Manager has significant organizational impact responsible for establishing, leading and maintaining compliance in regard to Operational Excellence, Workplace & Food Safety and Quality Management. As a member of the Leadership Team, will be responsible for developing strategic initiatives, programs and best practices while upholding SCTs Mission, Vision & Values. Actively collaborates with leaders, key stakeholders and plant operations to influence change, increase engagement and align resources.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Workplace & Food Safety

• Overall responsibility for compliance with guidelines established by Local, State & Federal mandates or programs as it relates to Food Safety, Good Manufacturing Practices, HACCP, BRC certification, Workplace Safety and OSHA
• Establish proactive measures to instill and maintain a safe working environment focused on engaging, influencing and leading behavior-based safety programs and practices within all areas of the office and plant/operations
• Ensure thorough completion of investigations regarding near misses and safety incidents and actively participate in developing corrective actions and effectively communicating those changes across the organization
• Develop and lead a cross-functional safety team to actively participate in safety audits across the plant and the roll out of various safety improvement initiatives
• Develop and lead a cross-functional Emergency Response Team equipped with robust and relevant training ensuring all members are adequately trained and prepared
• Develop and maintain annual training schedule ensuring adherence to required trainings and documentation to support
• Develop and deliver effective and impactful monthly safety trainings utilizing various learning methodologies; establish methods to evaluate comprehension and effectiveness
• Establish Safety Metrics and KPIs and routinely communicate results
• Develop and oversee safety audits and the certifications for each specific machine center
• Responsible for conducting new hire Safety Orientation & Training during new team member on-boarding; ensure safety training compliance for all temporary workers

Quality

• Influence and drive a quality focused culture enthusiastically engaged in upholding and maintaining audit readiness at all times while maintaining best-in-class ratings for food safety and industry specific certifications
• Develop and clearly communicate adequate internal specifications to meet or exceed customer requirements
• Develop and maintain robust internal audit system while influencing organizational adherence to SCTs Quality Management System and compliance with all GMP and food safety certification guidelines
• Actively participate in activities to remain current and informed on certification changes, updates and industry best practices while effectively communicating to all stakeholders
• Develop and communicate performance metrics in a method & manner that becomes actionable and accountable; prepare required reporting and lead Quarterly Management Reviews
• Review and analyze quality non-conformances to drive corrective and preventative action and communicate appropriately; partner with Plant Supervisors to communicate out customer complaints, train and coach operators/ plant team members ensuring adherence to customer specifications
• Actively communicate with customers and vendors in developing and communicating corrective actions in a timely manner; facilitate and manage supplier, subcontractor, and customer audits
• Plan and organize plant-wide trainings and programs that promote a customer-centric culture and development of internal Customer Champions that are focused on product quality and reliability
• Collaborate closely with Corporate Shared Services to align and promote org-wide initiatives and utilization of resources; support all SCT locations with developing, supporting and maintaining quality standards and expectations

Continuous Improvement

• Lead Continuous Improvement activities focused on operational excellence to drive results across production, quality and safety while reducing costs and eliminating non-value add activities
• Utilize Project Management principles and Lean Methodology to lead projects across all areas of the plant; promote and drive participation of cross-functional, continuous improvement and 5S teams
• Actively coach and train team members in aspects of lean manufacturing and continuous improvement; participate in conducting Yellow Belt training and certification of team members
• Increase efficiencies and reduce waste through deployment of lean manufacturing methodologies; engage in a continuous review of job duties, workflows, workstations, equipment, and processes
• Develop and communicate performance metrics in a manner that becomes actionable and accountable
• Develop and implement project plans, processes and systems as assigned by Site Manager

EXPERIENCE / QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelors Degree in Manufacturing / Industrial Engineering, Business, or related field is preferred
• Minimum of 5 + years of directly related experience in a manufacturing, production or operations role; paperboard packaging experience is preferred
• Demonstrated working knowledge and direct experience with Workplace Safety, OSHA compliance, GMP, food safety and quality certifications (BRC, SQF, AIB, etc)
• Six Sigma and/or other professional Lean Manufacturing training and/or certifications required; Black Belt certification is a plus
• Highly relational with the ability to engage and influence others towards change within a 24-hour production facility
• Excellent presentation and training skills
• Must be willing to travel as needed up to10-20%

AUTHORITY: Must have the ability to lead people to execute the demands of production departments efficiently and to respond to oral instructions from his/her supervisor and other written instructions.

LANGUAGE SKILLS: Must have the ability to read, understand, and communicate to others the meaning of complex documents including legal documents, letters, etc. and write legibly in English. Must be able to understand and speak clearly, and communicate in English.

MATHEMATICAL SKILLS: Must have the ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide both fractions and decimals, solve equations, read measurements. Use formulas to calculate and analyze data.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS: While performing the duties of this job, regularly required to walk, stand, use hands to finger, handle or feel objects, reach with arms and hands. Ability to lift/move up to 25 pounds. A person must be able to perform these functions for a minimum of 8 hours straight (with any applicable breaks during day) on a regular basis. The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by a Team member successfully performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions, but the essential functions cannot be eliminated or performed by others.

WORK ENVIRONMENT: Normal office environment. Must occasionally work in plant while being able to safely encounter an environment around moving machinery and equipment, loud noise, heat, fumes and paper dust. Occasional travel required for training or meetings utilizing air and/or vehicle travel. The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those a Team member encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions, but the essential functions cannot be eliminated or performed by others.