Continuous Improvement Manager

**We inspire people to dream more, reach higher and live healthier**

We are a family owned and operated, agriculturally focused company that has been providing products to the North American market for over 10 years. Our experience, knowledge, and focus has made us leaders in the creation of straw-based animal bedding and garden mulch products.

We imagine a world where everyone homesteads, whether it’s a small tomato plant in a pot on a downtown balcony, a first pet, or a full-fledged homestead with gardens, orchards, and numerous farm animals. A world where we are connected to the earth, for the health of ourselves, our families, our communities, and the earth itself.

**Our commitment** is to provide the most clean, consistent, and convenient 100% plant-based wheat straw solutions that are beneficial for people, their animals, their gardens and the world we all live in.

**As a company, we know our cornerstone is our culture.**

We value people over task.

We believe in teamwork and collaboration.

We provide a high level of trust and autonomy.

We encourage a fun and celebratory atmosphere.

**The Opportunity**

Reporting to the CEO, the Continuous Improvement Manager is responsible for implementing the vision, and strategic direction of HealthiStraw through process improvement as well as leading the administration of external plant operations. The position is responsible for improving profitability for the company through supplies acquisition, maintenance and repair, by-products management, and innovation to improve quality, process, and environmental conditions. This position is responsible for building positive lasting business relationships with external suppliers. This role will lead and manage both small and large projects from start to finish. The Continuous Improvement Manager is an integral member of the corporate management team and possesses leadership skills, a strong sense of ownership and accountability, and effective communication skills that can reach all levels of the organization from management to production staff. The Continuous Improvement Manager is a full-time position, 40-45 hours per week.

**Responsibilities**
- Following the company’s vision and mission, collaborate with the management team to develop strategies, goals and objectives.
- Lead/act as a change agent to achieve continuous improvement and performance focused culture, through collaboration with all business and functional units in the corporate group to ensure alignment of improvement initiative.
- Strategize: Develop and implement a comprehensive multi-year continuous improvement strategic roadmap aligned with the organization’s goals and objectives, to maximize profit, improve employee health, and better the environment. This will include capital projects for buildings, processing equipment, support equipment and others. This will require setting targets, establishing key performance indicators (KPI’s), and creating a roadmap for improvement initiatives. Manage specific capital projects, to certify projects from initial design through to completion to ensure that they are completed on-time and within budget.
- Creating and monitoring KPI’s to reach overall goals. Analyzing daily, weekly, and monthly KPI’s to improve company performance.
- Create positive business relationships with suppliers to ensure that they are efficiently and effectively providing services and supplies while minimizing costs and staying within budget. This includes acquiring straw bales, packaging materials, and tools/supplies needed for maintenance and repair.
- Innovation: Create new processes/technology that improves product quality, process efficiency, and both internal plant environment and external plant environment.
- Work closely with the Plant Manager, and filling in in their absence, to maximize quality and efficiency; lead and execute process improvement initiatives and identify opportunities for improvement; multiply knowledge in continuous improvement methodologies. Filling in for Plant Manager in their absence.
- Manage and safeguard facilities, equipment and inventory including yard, building, internal and external plant equipment maintenance/repairs to minimize downtime and costs, as well as maintaining a clean environment.
- Support management of raw material storage and movement into the plant, finished product storage and delivery.
- Manage by-products disposal/sale to maximize value and minimize cost.
- Lead staff, assigning work duties and preparing work schedules. Develop a strong corporate culture among staff. Assist with hiring and training new staff as required.
- Assist with creating, implementing, and monitoring health and safety protocols. Ensuring that all employees/external company personnel adhere to company policies and safety standards.
- Overtime as required, including occasional evenings, weekends and holidays.
- Travel and other duties as required.

**Requirements**:

- Minimum Bachelor's degr