Senior Process Improvement Engineer Project Manager - Governance

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A great job-and a great future-awaits you at Smithfield Foods. We are an American food company with a leading position in packaged meats and fresh pork products. We're looking for motivated people who want to join our team and grow lasting and meaningful careers with us. Apply Now!

YOUR OPPORTUNITY

The position summary states the general nature and purpose of the job. Overall accountabilities are defined in this section.

As the Senior Process Improvement Engineer Project Manager, you will lead high-impact initiatives that drive lean transformation across Smithfield's manufacturing operations. You will collaborate closely with plant teams to identify opportunities, design solutions, and implement strategic improvements that elevate performance and efficiency. You will serve as a trusted partner to senior leadership, helping shape long-term strategy while ensuring alignment with Smithfield's manufacturing improvement plan. Your ability to manage complex projects and influence change will be key to delivering measurable results.

You will also play a critical role in developing talent and building a culture of continuous improvement. By mentoring direct reports and fostering cross-functional collaboration, you will help scale best practices and sustain momentum across the organization. Your work will directly contribute to Smithfield's operational excellence, making this a unique opportunity to lead transformational change in a dynamic, fast-paced environment.

• Lead process improvement initiative across the organization to develop solutions that drive safety, quality, and efficiency improvements.

• Facilitate the definition of sustainability measures, project goals, resource needs, and customer and stakeholder requirements

• Identify industry and company best practices to drive opportunities for improvement and stay current with process improvement methodologies and technology driven initiatives

• Lead and direct planning and implementation of projects including new process start ups, process improvements, data gathering, process documentation creation, leading development teams, training initiatives, and establishing processes to monitor and sustain effective change

• Create scheduling, planning, reporting and development for respective projects and manage project within budget, timeline, and resource allocation.

• Coordinates and completes testing, advanced data collection and root cause analysis for implemented changes.

• Evaluates plant efficiencies and drives cost savings by identifying and facilitating process improvement projects utilizing A3 methodology.

• Supports special projects and duties as assigned by leadership.

• Lead Kaizen and Value Stream Mapping Events. Developing initiating, leading and driving continuous improvement projects from a corporate level

• Conducts problem solving activities including problem solving A3s with the plant team to troubleshoot manufacturing/business and operational issues.

• Function as lead in reviewing proposed enhancements and identifying issues related to project business requirements. Resolve or assist in the resolution of conflicts within and between projects or functional areas.

• Embrace and sustain all M-IQ, Manufacturing Intelligence lean transformation process, tenets and other Smithfield Way elements then ensure each are sustained to meet the program governance.

• Establish and develop systems which reinforce and encourage data-based decisions to drive value stream enhancement and continuous improvement. Works across the organization to ensure consistent approach, format, data integrity, and decision processes are deployed and in use throughout the facility.

• Acts as a change agent to identify and drive continuous improvement projects that realize cost savings for the organization.

• Will provide weekly reports and conduct periodic presentations to Senior Leadership.

• Coaches management in tactical execution of strategic plans.

• Optimize manufacturing processes to attain product quality, efficiency, and process repeatability in one or more facilities in which responsible for.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals to perform the essential functions.

• Bachelor's Degree from an accredited four-year college or university in Engineering, Science or related field and 8+ years of relevant experience, or equivalent combination of education and experience, required.

• Minimum 2+ years' demonstrated experience in team management/development or project leadership is required.

• Eight plus years of experience leading continuous improvement projects in manufacturing, maintenance, supply chain, distribution or engineering leadership role, preferred.

• Demonstrated ability to use Continuous Improvement methods to reduce costs and manage projects.

• Demonstrated ability to identify and implement continuous improvement plans, lean manufacturing initiatives, 5S, value stream mapping, statistical analysis to drive change.

• Demonstrated ability to train in person and via Teams effectively as well as present technical knowledge effectively.

• Demonstrated understanding of Continuous Improvement and lean manufacturing principles.

• Demonstrated ability to transfer CI knowledge to less experienced CI Specialists as well as plant operations personnel, both hourly and salary

• Demonstrated ability in developing high performing hourly teams and coaching salary personnel in mentoring and developing high performing work teams.

• Knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite, including advanced level knowledge of Excel. Knowledge of SAP is preferred.

• Has the aptitude to identify technology to assist the business in growing needs and capability to learn and train others on new technology

• Demonstrated planning, time management, organization, and execution skills.

• Can work independently - without direct oversight, self motivated with high level of personal accountability.

• Excellent written and oral communication skills, organizational planning, teamwork, analytical reasoning, and adaptability.

• Strategic thinking skills, and the ability to effectively translate strategy into operating methodology and results.

• Strong interpersonal and technical skills.

• Ability to work well with others in fast paced, dynamic environment.

• Ability to be respectful, approachable and team oriented while building strong working relationships and a positive work environment.

• Must be able to travel up to 50-75% of the time.

• Supervise/Mentor associates, team members, CFP associates, plant leadership team members as assigned.

EEO Information

Smithfield is an equal opportunity employer committed to workplace diversity. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, gender identity, protected veterans status, status as a disabled individual or any other protected group status or non-job characteristic as directed by law.

If you are an individual with a disability and would like to request a reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment selection process, please call us at 757-357-1595.