Continuous Improvement Manager

Hungry for a career that's as rewarding as it is delicious?

At Aspire Bakeries, we don't just bake breads, cookies, and cakes - we create foods that bring people together. From La Brea Bakery artisan breads to Otis Spunkmeyer cookies, our products are enjoyed by millions of people every day. And behind every bite are talented manufacturing and support teams who take pride in their work and our food.

We're looking for hard-working people who will bring integrity, creativity, and a passion for excellence to everything they do - whether that's on the bakery floor, in the office, or supporting customers. In return, we offer a workplace culture built on care, ownership, and growth - where your contributions matter and your career can rise as high as our bread loaves!

With 13 commercial bakeries across North America and a reputation as an industry leader, Aspire Bakeries is rising together with our people and our customers to be the best all-around bakery solution. If you're ready to grow with us, we'd love to hear from you.

Why You'll Love Working At Aspire Bakeries

• Culture - Our culture thrives on collaboration, diversity, and a shared passion for excellence. We support team members, empower growth, and encourage everyone to bring their authentic selves to work.
• Health & Wellness - Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage, plus company-paid life insurance and additional voluntary options to fit your needs.
• Work-Life Balance - Paid parental leave, generous paid time off, and holidays so you can recharge and spend time on what matters most.
• Financial Security - Competitive retirement plans, plus short- and long-term disability coverage for peace of mind.
• Growth & Development - Opportunities to build skills, grow your career, and develop expertise through Aspire Bakeries' learning and development programs.
• Flexibility & Support - HSA and FSA plans to help you manage everyday expenses.
• Recognition & Rewards - Performance incentive plans that celebrate achievements across sales, bakery performance, and individual contributions.

About the Role

We are seeking a Continuous Improvement Manager to join our team at our Cayce, SC bakery. As a Continuous Improvement Manager, you will lead the plant's Lean Transformation Plan, coaching teams, implementing CI tools, and driving measurable improvements in safety, quality, delivery, cost, and inventory performance.

Core Accountabilities (What You'll Be Doing)

• Lead the development and deployment of the plant's Lean Transformation Plan in alignment with bakery and corporate leadership
• Drive Lean/CI projects to deliver measurable performance improvements across safety, quality, delivery, cost, and inventory
• Ensure CI tools, training, and best practices are available, understood, and effectively applied across all levels
• Coach teams in daily management, problem solving, root-cause analysis, and standard work deployment
• Develop and execute communication strategies to support CI adoption throughout the facility
• Facilitate Kaizen events, workshops, and training to build CI capability and eliminate waste
• Analyze key performance indicators and collaborate with plant leadership to identify and implement improvement opportunities

Minimum Qualifications (What You Bring to the Table)

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience (minimum 5 years leading Lean Transformations in manufacturing)
• Proven continuous improvement experience (Lean, TPM, Six Sigma, 5S, standard work)
• Demonstrated success leading Lean initiatives and educating teams on Lean principles
• Strong communication skills across all organizational levels
• Strong analytical, organizational, and project management skills

Preferred Qualifications (Extra Ingredients for Success)

• Lean Six Sigma Black Belt certification
• TPM experience
• Training and facilitation experience in CI tools and methodologies
• Experience in manufacturing operations
• Bilingual English/Spanish

Aspire Bakeries is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other legally protected characteristic. We do not use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to screen, assess, or select applicants.