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.

Main Responsibilities

• Establish collaborative working relationships with cross-functional teams in promoting plant-wide improvements.
• Identify and implement improvement opportunities. Focus on eliminating waste and improving process efficiencies to increase throughput.
• Lead projects and coordinate internal resources for execution of projects. Develop project scopes, objectives, risk management plan and detailed project schedules, involving all relevant stakeholders and ensuring technical feasibility.

  •  Develop project scopes, objectives, risk management plan and detailed project schedules

  • Involve all relevant stakeholders and ensure technical feasibility.

  • Promote sustainability and smooth transition of projects using management of change (MOC) methodologies

• 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.
• Coordinate continuous improvement efforts with management and all plant departments. Partner with Operational Excellence Manager (OEM) to lead Kaizen events for process improvements.
• Coach and mentor others to ensure that all projects are delivered on-time, within scope and within budget.
• Evaluate alternative solutions to design issues as determined by testing and experience.
• Track, monitor, and report on all aspects of plant projects, including cost savings, improvement activities, and milestones. Create and maintain comprehensive project documentation and tools, including tracking systems.
• 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:
  • B.S. in chemical engineering, mechanical engineering, industrial engineering, or food engineering preferred.
  • Fundamental knowledge of food processing and packaging.
  • Intermediate to Advanced (1-5 years) knowledge of project management methodologies, tools and best practices.  
  • Lean manufacturing and Six Sigma principles are a plus.
• Language Skills:
  • Must possess the ability to effectively communicate verbally and in writing. Ability to read, comprehend, and compose instructions, correspondence, and memos in English.
  • Bilingual – Spanish speaking, writing, and translation skills are a tremendous asset, but not required
• Reasoning Ability:
  • Possess good analytical, quantitative, 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. 
• 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 Dynamics 356 experience. Mini Tab experience a plus.

Other Details

• 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 five percent working in an office setting/meeting facilitation.

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