Continuous improvement director

Pactiv Evergreen
Lake Forest, IL

Overview

Pactiv Evergreen is now a part of Novolex. Novolex is a leading manufacturer of food, beverage, and specialty packaging that supports multiple industries, including foodservice, restaurant delivery and carryout, food processing, grocery and retail, and industrial sectors. Our innovative product portfolio is designed to meet the diverse needs of businesses worldwide and the millions of customers they serve. Through continuous investment in research and development, we are committed to engineering more sustainable choices for the future. Our extensive manufacturing network spans North America and Europe, including two world-class plastic film recycling centers. Discover more about Novolex, our 20,000+ family members and our commitment to innovation and sustainability at .

Pactiv Evergreen is committed to a diverse and inclusive workforce. Pactiv Evergreen is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, religion, creed, age national origin, physical or mental disability, genetic information, gender identity and/or expression, marital status, veteran status or other characteristics or statuses protected by law. For individuals with disabilities who would like to request an accommodation, please call (847) 482-4320 or email [email protected].

All information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines and applicable laws.

Responsibilities

We are seeking a data driven Continuous Improvement Director to lead CI for our Food, Grocery and Retail business unit. This role will be based in our Lake Forest, IL office. Through data analysis, this role will identify continuous improvement opportunities for 28 manufacturing plants. You will partner with leaders across Operations, Finance, and Engineering to define and execute key projects. You will be a key leader in driving initiatives which lead to sustainable process improvements, optimize the quality of our products, improving business results.

Essential Job Functions

  • Partner with various Centers of Excellence to execute critical business programs across the business unit.
  • Partner with the Manufacturing Finance Directors to understand variances in manufacturing costs across our locations and partner with leadership to develop improvement initiatives to drive better business results.
  • Develop plans, schedules, and budgets for projects to improve existing processes and to support OPX 360.
  • Identify and drive business improvement projects utilizing data from our internal business systems (Power BI, Tableau, PiVision, Insight, Gainseeker, and SAP).
  • Identify, prioritize, and execute continuous improvement activities through standardization and consistency.
  • Support lean improvement processes with techniques such as Kaizen.
  • Bridge the gap between technical and operational teams, executing a range of CI solutions that move operations beyond current state to the next level of efficiency.
  • Identify cost savings through research or product requirements, manufacturing methods and equipment modifications.
  • Improve manufacturing organization by analyzing workflow, space requirements and equipment layout with the goal of cost-reduction, quality improvement and efficiency.
  • Ensure adherence to Lean Methodology, including Kaizen, 5S, Standard Work, Daily Management, Layered Audit Process and Business Plan development to eliminate waste.
  • Provide leadership to CI leaders across the business unit.


Education

Qualifications

Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering or related field

Experience

  • Demonstrates a safety first mindset in all situations.
  • A minimum of 10 years of manufacturing experience in technical or management roles with emphasis in continuous improvement.
  • Proven ability to lead change through others.
  • Proven ability to develop and execute actionable project plans and bring together key stakeholders to drive initiatives forward.
  • Strong analytical, mathematical/financial modeling and problem-solving skills, with an ability to simplify the complex and to identify and focus on what matters most.
  • Proven ability to analyze data from multiple sources to define and execute plans across an organization.
  • Strong organizational skills to include: Tracking, coordination across multiple programs, effective reporting of status and results to both Plant management and senior management.
  • Experience working across multiple locations at one time.
  • Must be able to demonstrate knowledge of statistical methods and process improvement techniques.
  • Effective communication skills (written and verbal), team building and demonstrated leadership skills with all levels in the organization.
  • Has knowledge in the areas of: 5S, SMED, TPM, VSM, FMEA, PDCA or equivalent, A3 Problem Solving.
  • Strong computer literacy, including proficiency in SAP/Other ERPs and Microsoft Office (Excel) .


Travel

  • Frequent, approximately 50%


A reasonable estimate of the current range is $167,100-$292,700 + bonus + benefits. The range displayed on each job posting reflects the minimum and maximum target salaries for the position across all US locations. Within the range, individual pay is determined by job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training. At Novolex, it is not typical for an individual to be hired at the top of the range for their role and compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case.

The benefits for this role include 401(k) plan with company match, comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance, flexible spending and health savings accounts, paid vacation and sick days, paid parental leave, paid holidays and wellness program.


Posted 2025-10-06

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