Manufacturing Continuous Improvement Specialist

Job Title: Manufacturing Continuous Improvement Specialist Location: Belleville, Ontario About Us: Welcome to Lactalis Canada! We’re proud to be Canada’s #1 branded dairy company and to be consistently recognized as one of the country’s top employers by Forbes. Our purpose is to enrich and nurture the lives of Canadians by offering the best of dairy from Canada’s favourite dairy brands like Cracker Barrel, Black Diamond, Balderson, Astro and Lactantia. In fact, our products can be found in over 90% of Canadian refrigerators in any given time. As part of Lactalis Group, the world’s leading dairy company, we remain focused on innovation and quality and are seeking like-minded individuals to join us as we continue our growth journey. About the opportunity: Through assessment of plant Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s), Manufacturing Optimization, continuous improvement initiates investigations and measurements to identify opportunities to improve overall performance in the areas of Safety, Quality, Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE), capacity utilization, labour costs, productivity and customer satisfaction. Develop and implement corrective actions or Continuous Improvements (CI’s) and reports on results of process improvements. The attributes we are looking for: Promote a focus on excellence and remain updated on plant KPI’s to identify opportunities for improvement through use of problem analysis. Conduct measurements and trending analysis on manufacturing processes to determine root cause of performance loss. Identify manufacturing and maintenance bottlenecks and determine optimum performance speeds and labour crewing. Recommend procedural and/or process changes, while implementing same to improve overall performance e.g. SOP development and applicable training. Develop multi functional CI teams and liaise with other departments for the setup and execution of initiatives including improving overall crewing performance, CI trials and process improvements. Act as liaison between production and maintenance during implementation of changes in Project Management (PM) programs, sanitary maintenance program, or troubleshooting of equipment performance issues to ensure smooth completion. Liaise with internal/external resources to design and implement engineered solutions to improve line OEE. Carry out investigations into failures to eliminate their root causes. Identify and implement opportunities for improvement of Asset Health to optimize plant up time. What you will bring: Engineering degree (Preferably Industrial), B.Sc., or equivalent relevant work experience Minimum three (3) years of experience in production operations Experience in leading work teams in continuous improvement Experience in motivating employees and in working in a team culture to development employee involvement (preferably in a unionized environment) Experience in generation of specification for new equipment and commissioning of new equipment Knowledge of engineering and continuous improvement Organizational , communication and coaching skills Excellent team leadership skills Excellent problem solving and decision making skills Good presentation skills Proficient with standard office computer technology such as Lotus Notes and Microsoft Office products, as well as CAD, SAP and experience with automation Ability to produce financial analysis reports Detail oriented What Lactalis will offer: Lactalis Canada believes in rewarding its people with the following comprehensive benefits package and perks: A Competitive Base Salary A Performance-Based Bonus System 4 Weeks of Vacation Benefits starting day 1 A Pension Program with an Employer Match at 100% of up to 6% Tuition reimbursement plan of up to $3,000/year A Volunteer Day to give back to your community Learning and Development opportunities A commitment to internal career advancement with potential for international mobility Our ESG commitment: Our ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) roadmap drives our sustainability mission. We aim to positively impact communities and the planet by enabling stakeholders including our people, consumers, customers, suppliers, dairy farmers, government, and industry partners to have a positive impact on the wellbeing of our communities and the planet through all that we do. At Lactalis Canada, we value our employees as catalysts for positive change. Together, we will create a sustainable future, promote belonging, and make a lasting impact on the world. Our commitment to DEI: Fuel Our Culture with Your Uniqueness! Lactalis thrives on the value each person brings. We're dedicated to amplifying diverse voices, inviting personal and professional growth, and embracing everyone's true selves. We're committed to crafting an environment that genuinely welcomes all, reflecting the richness of our people and communities. We apply an equal access to employment program and invite women, aboriginal people, visible minorities, and people with disabilities to apply. Our promise extends to accessible processes and spaces. If you require accommodation due to a disability (which may be visible or invisible, temporary, or permanent), please inform our Talent Acquisition team – confidentiality will be maintained. Note: Lactalis Canada does not conduct credit or background checks through LinkedIn. If required, we'll contact you after signing a Job Offer. Compensation: As part of our commitment to fairness, trust, and transparency and our ambition to be an Employer of Choice, the base salary range for this position is $ $78,600 - $98,300+ Please note: Along with a comprehensive Total Rewards package, your actual base salary will be fair, competitive, and be based on your skills, experience, and qualifications.

The specialist will analyze plant KPIs and manufacturing processes to identify opportunities for improvement in safety, quality, and productivity. They are responsible for implementing corrective actions, leading multi-functional CI teams, and optimizing asset health and equipment effectiveness.

Candidates must have an engineering degree or equivalent experience with at least three years of production operations and continuous improvement leadership. Proficiency in SAP, CAD, and Microsoft Office, along with strong communication and problem-solving skills, is required.

• Performance-Based Bonus System • 4 Weeks of Vacation • Pension Program with Employer Match • Tuition reimbursement plan • Volunteer Day • Learning and Development opportunities • Internal career advancement

• Problem solvingPreferred
• Financial analysisPreferred
• Project managementPreferred

Identified from the job description. Confirm important requirements above.

• Continuous Improvement
• Root Cause Analysis
• KPI Assessment
• OEE Optimization
• Project Management
• Problem Solving
• Team Leadership
• Financial Analysis
• CAD
• SAP
• SOP Development
• Capacity Utilization
• Bottleneck Analysis
• Coaching
• Decision Making
• Automation

• Manufacturing
• Engineering
• Food & Beverage
• Management & Leadership

Minimum education

Bachelor’s degree

Minimum experience

2+ years

Apply by

Sep 18, 2026

Posting language

English

Working hours

40 hours per week

Seniority

Associate

Application method

Direct apply is available