Category Operational Excellence Manager - Formulations

Job Description

This individual is responsible for identifying, executing, sustaining, and championing the continuous improvement of quality, cost, and customer satisfaction through creation utilization and optimization of product formulations across the enterprise (all categories). The role’s primary focus is on people, processes, and data, and how they integrate product formulations with equipment and the inputs/outputs of manufacturing processes to achieve the desired quality and cost improvements.

Success of the role heavily depends on cross‑functional collaboration with teams such as operations, manufacturing engineering, process engineering, sourcing, packaging engineering, FP&A, and R&D to manage the optimization of product, equipment, ingredient, and process specifications to create high‑quality products per customer specifications and enable plant teams to achieve their quality, delivery and cost targets.

Engineering

Operations Excellence

This position is located at the corporate office in Green Bay, WI.

Receive a $10,000 relocation bonus plus a generous relocation package if relocating more than 50 miles.

• Develop and reinforce SFI Culture by training, coaching, evaluating, and reinforcing Operational Excellence principles with partners and team members.
• Lead efforts in improving cost and quality initiatives by utilizing a structured approach, such as Lean Six Sigma, to drive results and impact.
• Develop product and process requirements based on knowledge and significant experience in dairy chemistry and formulations, dairy processing equipment, and dairy measurement instrumentation, and update process controls to reflect best practices within Quality Systems.
• Demonstrate proficiency and hands‑on experience with Pasteurized Milk Ordinance (PMO), Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) for dairy products, and Federal Milk Ordering (FMO) System class pricing and component valuation.
• Drive improvements in formulations, processing, and related financial systems using structured methods, business knowledge, and appropriate tools; identify and implement process improvements and train/mentor team members in operational excellence.
• Manage hands‑on involvement in product, process, and equipment deployment at company, category, and regional levels across multiple locations.
• Work with leadership to identify potential capital and non‑capital improvements, and assist with analysis and justification for these projects.
• Champion measurement, methods, data analysis/analytics, problem resolution, and the presentation of data that translates into action, fostering partner empowerment.
• Own concepts and interactions around product and process development, optimization, integration, testing, and launch, leveraging DMAIC/CIPEC processes.
• Lead and direct the work of others across multiple locations, performing a variety of tasks within this functional area.

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, chemistry, or a related technical field; a bachelor’s degree in any other technical/science field will be considered if accompanied by equivalent experience and accomplishments.
• 12+ years of proven experience in engineering, technical, or related areas driving efficiency and improvements in dairy products, processes, ingredients, financials, and formulations.
• Demonstrated financial acumen and understanding of financial processes and systems, with hands‑on experience preferred.
• Proficient knowledge with hands‑on proven experience in Pasteurized Milk Ordinance (PMO) and Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) covering processed cheese, cream cheese, and yogurt, plus experience with Federal Milk Ordering (FMO) System class pricing and component valuation.
• Strong knowledge of dairy chemistry and formulations, dairy processing equipment, and dairy measurement instrumentation.
• Good understanding of quality management systems and experience with their use, preferably in dairy industries.
• Black Belt certification required, demonstrating mastery of pertinent business knowledge and a track record of driving operational excellence and process capability improvements.
• Master Black Belt…