Maple Leaf Foods Hiring for Six Sigma Black Belt at Hamilton, ON Full Time

Maple Leaf Foods is a leading meat and plant-based protein company, employing over 11,500 people and publicly traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange. We are proud of our roots, which trace back well over 100 years, but our vision and purpose are decidedly forward looking. As we pursue our vision to become the most sustainable protein company on earth, we are committed to creating shared value – creative business value through addressing some of the world’s most critical social and environmental challenges. Our goal is to build a more sustainable food system, which provides nutritious affordable food, operates within planetary limits, cares for animals responsibly, and meaningfully engages with our communities to advance a more just society. We are advancing bold changes within Maple Leaf and more broadly within society to pursue our vision. We deeply believe this is the sustainable path to growth

Our job is to make great food

Maple Leaf Foods embraces a strong values-based culture, where our people are deeply engaged in work that is purposeful, fast-paced and challenging.We cultivate an open, non-bureaucratic and inclusive workplace that fosters safety and transparency, along with individual leadership and accountability. Each Maple Leaf team member has a voice and plays an active role in helping all of us achieve our goals with passion and discipline. We support one another to grow professionally, to learn new skills and to take on challenging experiences in the spirit of continuous improvement

Raise the Good in Food

We have united behind a shared purpose – to Raise the Good in Food. This spans a dramatic transformation of our flagship Maple Leaf brand, replacing anything artificial with simple, natural ingredients; investments and process changes to reduce our environmental footprint by 50% by 2025; building a diverse and inclusive culture where all talent thrives; becoming a leader in animal care; and advancing food security through our charitable foundation, the Maple Leaf Centre for Action on Food Security.

Our Leadership Values

Eight core values guide us in everything that we do.

Do What’s Right

Shared Value

High Performance

Diverse and Inclusive Teams

Disciplined Decision Making

Our Accountability

Intense Curiosity

Transparency and Humility

The Opportunity

The Black Belt role is a leadership position within the organization with the key responsibility for leading and supporting process improvement efforts within Maple Leaf Foods; as well as externally to strategic customers, suppliers and other stakeholders. The focus of these improvement efforts is to build organizational capability to deliver process improvements, increasing business productivity, shareholder and customer value.

Six Sigma is foundational to our culture of discipline. It is how Maple Leaf Foods improves business processes and drives performance. It is the way we solve problems and implement significant change. Black Belts provide the methods and tools to enable the business to improve processes, solving complex problems using analytics. The Six Sigma Black Belt is also expected to have an understanding of process management principles and various process improvement methods including Operations Excellence (Lean Manufacturing). This role is recognized as an opportunity to develop our next operations leaders.

A snapshot of some of the exciting things you will lead and do:

Understand and support execution of site objectives. Assist with the identification and quantification of Critical Business Needs (CBN) and primary opportunities for improvement

Facilitate OEE Continuous Improvement process with cross-functional site teams including setting of annual OEE improvement targets and facilitating weekly status reviews and action planning

Support the facilitation and development of the site CI plan including project pipeline and monitoring the overall progress and status of the plan

Ensure CI project teams are utilizing the appropriate improvement methodology (Six Sigma, Lean, OpEx tools) including training on tools and application as required

Conduct business case and risk analysis as required. Provide CI Project Management support utilizing DMADV / PDCA framework

Research and apply functional best practices within project scope

Ensure sustainable results through application of change management and pragmatic control plans

Provide coaching to leaders on Six Sigma, Lean and OpEx methodology & tools

Support Site Leaders in deployment of Operations Excellence framework including annual baseline assessment and pillar team deployment. Lead the Waste Elimination teams to build operator skills at identifying and eliminating waste.

Understanding and supporting functional objectives and strategies

Assisting with the identification and quantification of major opportunity areas, including the re-application of learning across MLF

Sit on management team at plant

Must be open to coaching and actively learn within the role.

Periodic travel may be required for training or project work

What we have to offer you:
Be part of a company with an inspiring and unique vision, with a deep commitment to sustainability and expanding its leadership in sustainable protein across North America

Professional and career development opportunities

Competitive Health and Wellness benefits that start on your first day of employment

Defined Contribution Pension Plan

Commitment to Learning – courses, resources and tools provided to all employees

Employee Assistance Program

What you will bring:
University degree (BSc., Engineering or Operations Management).

Minimum 5 to 8 years of full-time work experience depending on level of responsibility; experience in manufacturing or supply chain and commercial, finance or other transactional functions an asset

Track record of delivering winning results

Demonstrated strong analytical and problem solving skills including application of process improvement and quality tools. Lives the value of getting things done in a fact based way

Strong communication skills. Ability to communicate well (verbal and written) with all levels of the organization, including senior leadership

Demonstrated ability to effect change through influence

Has led and/or coached prior continuous improvement projects. Considered a strong coach on continuous improvement concepts

Experience in leading complex projects that require strong leadership, initiative, and change management would be an asset

Previous experience with Six Sigma tools and methodology is a requirement

Demonstrated ability to implement and teach Lean Methodologies and Operational Excellence

Maple Leaf Foods is committed to ensuring the health and safety of all our employees. As part of this commitment, we have adopted a number of COVID-19 safety measures, including a requirement for all employees to be fully vaccinated by March 31, 2022 and to show proof of vaccination. In keeping with this policy, successful candidates will need to provide proof of vaccination by March 31, 2022 (or prior to their first day of work if the start date is after March 31, 2022). We will of course consider accommodations for anyone unable to be vaccinated following human rights and other applicable laws

We thank all applicants for their interest in exploring employment opportunities with Maple Leaf Foods; however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted. Applicants may be subject to a background check and must meet the security criteria designated for the position.

Championing diversity and inclusion is a critical component to advancing our collective purpose and vision, living the Maple Leaf Leadership Values, and delivering winning results. Accommodation is available upon request for applicants with disabilities in the recruitment and assessment process and when hired; please contact our Talent Attraction Team at [email protected].