Director, Continuous Improvement

At Lakeside Foods and our family of companies, we're committed to providing wholesome foods to enrich people’s lives through food. We are a culture that pursues our vision of growth and innovation with passion, confidence, and commitment. We are strongest together – valuing collaborative contribution, transparency and new ideas to enable change and growth. We are committed to an inclusive and respectful environment that promotes a healthy work-life balance, and there’s a seat at the table for you.

Become Our Director of Continuous Improvement

Lakeside Foods is searching for a dynamic Director of Continuous Improvement to lead and advance our enterprise-wide efforts in operational excellence. In this strategic role, you will guide the deployment of our Hoshin Kanri methodology, align teams around key priorities, and champion Lean initiatives that drive measurable improvements in efficiency, quality, and performance. If you’re passionate about shaping strategy, coaching leaders, and delivering meaningful results, we’d love to talk with you.

What You’ll Get

• A strategic leadership role with company-wide impact
• Competitive compensation and a comprehensive benefits package
• Opportunities for professional development, including Lean, leadership, and project management growth
• A highly collaborative environment that values innovation, teamwork, and continuous improvement
• The chance to lead major initiatives and shape the future of operational excellence at Lakeside
• A supportive culture grounded in Teamwork at Lakeside (TAL)—where respect, cooperation, and shared success come first

Comprehensive Benefits:

• A choice of three quality, affordable healthcare coverage options
• Vision and dental coverage
• Health savings account with employer contribution / flexible spending accounts
• Retirement planning including Profit Sharing and 401(k) match
• Company-provided life, AD&D, short- and long-term disability insurance
• Generous paid time off including vacation, personal days, and holidays

What You’ll Do

• Lead and continuously evolve the company’s Continuous Improvement (CI) strategy, advancing the effectiveness of our Hoshin Kanri deployment.
• Partner with operations and business leadership to translate strategic goals into aligned improvement initiatives.
• Facilitate strategy deployment cycles, including catchball, KPI alignment, and performance review cadence.
• Drive Lean transformation through value stream mapping, kaizen events, 5S, and visual management.
• Guide leaders during Gemba walks, providing insights tied to organizational priorities.
• Strengthen standardized performance management using SQDC metrics across operational areas.
• Develop and implement CI tools, frameworks, and training to build capability at all levels.
• Leverage analytics and digital tools to create visibility into performance and strategic progress.
• Monitor and report KPI performance to senior leadership, highlighting breakthroughs and barriers.

What You’ll Bring

• Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Operations Management, Business Administration, or a related field.
• Lean Six Sigma certification (Green Belt or Black Belt strongly preferred).
• Experience implementing and sustaining Hoshin Kanri or an equivalent strategy deployment system.
• Strong command of Lean methodologies such as DMAIC, Standard Work, flow optimization, and visual management.
• Demonstrated success in leading high‑impact improvement initiatives tied to strategic goals.
• Excellent communication, facilitation, and leadership skills, with the ability to influence at all levels.
• Prior experience with SAP is a plus.
• A proactive, driven mindset with a passion for continuous improvement and operational excellence.

Where You’ll Work

This position is based in Manitowoc, Wisconsin, with travel required across Lakeside facilities in Wisconsin and Minnesota.
You’ll split your time between manufacturing environments and office settings, working closely with teams to support hands-on improvement, strategy alignment, and operational transformation.

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Lakeside Foods and our family of companies welcomes people of all backgrounds and the varied ideas they bring to the workplace. Being an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer is part of our heritage and culture. We recruit, hire and promote employees based on qualifications and merit, without regard to race, religion, age, gender, disability, marital or veteran status. Lakeside Foods participates in E-Verify.

Equal Opportunity Employer, including Veterans and Individuals with Disabilities