Who We Are  

At Lindt, we are a global fast-growing consumer goods company, enchanting the world with premium chocolate. We are driven by our passion for excellence and go the extra mile ensuring that every Lindt experience is nothing short of exceptional. Our collective efforts are geared towards making a positive impact, not only in the world of premium chocolate but also in the lives of our employees, customers, and communities. Our company embraces a culture defined by the core values of Excellence, Innovation, Entrepreneurship, Responsibility, and Collaboration, fostering a dynamic and collaborative environment where these principles drive our success.

Position Purpose:

The individual in this position is responsible for managing all facets of industrial performance at the Stratham manufacturing facility and the Lindt Co-Pack locations. This includes providing operational support by focusing on and managing top priorities of utilization, cost, losses and savings across Operations. In addition, the individual in this position will be responsible for ensuring performance optimization in new product design, challenging other functions within Operations to strive for top performance, leading change and continuous performance improvements through LPW (Lindt Production Way), and continuously improving the organization by supporting performance-driven people development. 

The Director of IP coordinates the LPW (Lindt Performance Way) Program based on the WCOM (World Class Operations Management) and TPM (Total Productive Maintenance) philosophy, implementing a culture of continuous improvement to increase operational efficiencies and productivity through a TPM Pillar approach and launching teams to eliminate losses.

As part of the LPW approach, the production Training and Education department is also reporting to the Director of Industrial Performance to ensure the T&E strategy and objectives are aligned to the overall Industrial Performance vision and mission.

Essential Job Functions & Responsibilities:

The following list of duties is not all inclusive and is meant to serve as a guide for the scope of work to be carried out by the Director of Industrial Performance:

Ownership and Leadership of Data Collection & Analytics

• Ensure together with the VP Operations, Director of Production and Director of Facilities & Engineering, that the factory focuses on top priorities
• Generates and maintains, in collaboration with the team, labor standards for all operations, reports on efficiency and utilization based on standards
• Establishes budget standards for the yearly budget cycle
• Acts as the key user of performance tracking systems including improvements, maintenance and debugging
• Measures performance, monitors losses, works with the cross-functional team to understand loss modes and reasons, and recommends improvement projects
• Monitors utilization and identifies bottlenecks in the factory
• Owns and manages overall loss eradication & reduction roadmap including resource management for improvement teams
• Prioritizes losses by being actively involved in the Cost Pillar, leading the FI Pillar, owning the loss / cost matrix and supporting the VP Ops in setting priorities with the LPW Steering Committee

Ensures New Product Design with Optimum Operation Ability

• Main contact for feasibility and labor costs for new product launches with strong linkage to the Project Management team.
• Provides recommendations to Marketing, Production, Finance, Procurement, Packaging Development and/or R&D department(s) regarding efficient product designs.
• Facilitates development of cross-functional training procedures for new and existing processes.

Challenges other operations functions

• Conducts regular health checks of PCS (Performance Control System).
• Co-drives (together with finance / operations controlling) conversion cost analysis, improvement and optimum trend over time, following the methodology set within the Cost Pillar
• Reviews the operational standards and leads goal setting with the cross-functional team based on Operations strategy: waste, rework, over usage, labor, routings, nominal speeds, OEE and technical efficiencies frequently.
• Conducts gap analysis and implements best practices from other departments, plants and companies to drive improvements

Change & Improvement Management

• Supports the VP Operations with the Strategy Deployment from KMIs to KPIs and KAIs.
• Drives the road to JIPM award(s) as part of the Continuous Improvement journey.
• Assesses the quality and the speed of LPW through the LPW assessment (Maturity grids for 5S, PCS, Pillars).
• Defines and manages the LPW long-term road map and the medium / short-term masterplan of the plant. Adapts the scope of LPW according to the business needs and level of maturity progressing from core supply chain, to the integrated supply chain to the extended value chain
• Drives the activities of LPW at Co-packers, in collaboration with Corporate Industrial Performance
• Owns and manages internal involvement matrix to allocate resources and monitor participation in LPW activities.
• Applies change management techniques to enable the continuous improvement culture throughout the organization.
• Interfaces with local Consultant(s) regarding budget, communication, and additional support management.
• Interfaces with Corporate Industrial Performance (IP): LPW monthly calls, reporting, input for IP yearly meeting contents.

Leadership & People Development

• Manages and mentors the Continuous Improvement Manager, LPW Engineer and Training & Education Manager
• Provides leadership in a fast-paced environment.
• Creates and maintains a supportive and inspirational work environment.
• Leads the Training & Education Pillar, to define and develop the right skills to avoid lack-of-training related losses on the shopfloor
• Leads the FI Pillar, being the owner of the loss / cost matrix
• Builds, maintains and improves the level of Industrial Performance expertise in Stratham and at the Co-Pack facilities

Qualifications & Requirements:

Skills & Knowledge:

• Proven judgment and decision-making skills.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Proven knowledge of WCOM (World Class Operations Management) / TPM (Total Productive Maintenance) methodology: 5S, PCS, TPM Pillars, Strategy deployment (Hoshin Kanri), Driving System (Steering, Budgeting, Reporting, Auditing, Results Tracking)
• Strong leadership capabilities.
• Clear oral and written presentation skills.
• Ability to effectively communicate ideas, concepts and procedures to all levels within the organization, from the factory floor to senior management.
• Ability to set priorities while being self-disciplined and consistent.
• Ability to efficiently work independently as well as in a team environment.
• Ability to develop and implement action steps and hold team members accountable
• Ability to identify training needs and define programs to ensure teams have the necessary skill sets to see projects through.
• Ability to teach and train direct reports, peers, members of other functions
• Project Management skills including use of MS Project.
• Food or pharmaceutical background preferred. Chocolate experience desired.

Education:

• BA Degree in Business, Engineering or other relevant discipline; MBA preferred.
• 5+ years working in a food plant, preferably chocolate plant.
• 5+ years in new product development/commercialization, brand management or supply chain management, preferably in a CPG environment.
• 5+ years successful development and coordination of WCOM (World Class Operations Management) / TPM (Total Productive Maintenance) based continuous improvement program in a manufacturing site (track record requested)
• 3+ years managing a team.
• Equivalent combination of education and experience is acceptable.