Plant Strategy and Continuous Improvement Manager

Relocation Assistance Offered Within Country

# 158944 - Cambridge, Ohio, United States

Who We Are

Colgate-Palmolive Company is a caring, innovative growth company that is reimagining a healthier future for all people, their pets and our planet. Focused on Oral Care, Personal Care, Home Care and Pet Nutrition, we sell our products in more than 200 countries and territories under brands such as Colgate, Palmolive, elmex, hello, meridol, Sorriso, Tom's of Maine, EltaMD, Filorga, Irish Spring, PCA SKIN, Protex, Sanex, Softsoap, Speed Stick, Ajax, Axion, Fabuloso, Soupline and Suavitel, as well as Hill's Pet Nutrition.

We are recognized for our leadership and innovation in promoting sustainability and community wellbeing, including our achievements in decreasing plastic waste and promoting recyclability, saving water, conserving natural resources and improving children's oral health.

If you want to work for a company that lives by their values, then give your career a reason to smile and join our global team!

Plant Strategy and Continuous Improvement Manager

The Plant Strategy and Continuous Improvement Manager is responsible for managing and driving the site's five-year strategic and productivity initiatives, using data analysis, benchmarking, and technical insights to enhance decision-making, strategic planning, and ongoing improvement. This role is pivotal in maintaining Factory Performance and Reliability standards through data verification, self-assessments, supporting Operational Excellence audits, and managing the SDM RCA process. This person communicates key initiatives, provides guidance on standards and systems, and uphold FP&R governance. The position demands extensive technical knowledge, strong communication and leadership skills to collaborate with manufacturing and senior supply chain management and FP&R teams.

• Develop and implement special projects aimed at enhancing plant efficiencies, capacities, and values, while also addressing immediate needs and opportunities for plant development. Teach and coach for Continuous Improvement Initiatives including equipment, operational strategies, and labor, (Material Loss Reduction, Unplanned Downtime Reduction, Lean Six Sigma Implementation) and key standard progression.

• Develop and lead continuous improvement systems as established by FP&R guidelines and standards by conducting regular data-driven CI reviews, coordinating multi-functional evaluations of CI projects through return on investment, Continuous Improvement Plans and Failure Mode and Effect Analysis (FMEA), and ensuring CI project timelines for optimization initiatives.

• Work closely with the Continuous Improvement Leader and Operations Manager to implement a site-wide approach for standard procedures and coordinate 5S implementation, ensuring visual standards are consistent and meet industry and regulatory requirements. Collaborate with the EOHS Leader and Quality Manager to integrate EOHS and quality standards into the visual workplace plan.

• Partner with Maintenance and Engineering to assign roles for the Planned Maintenance Program, establish a spare parts management system, and review maintenance plans for optimization.

• Work with Production Planning to ensure schedules align with demand plans and are communicated effectively, reflecting improvements in inventory levels and factory capacity utilization.

• Collaborate with Plant Management and Human Resources to fill key positions, implement the People Capability Standard, conduct skill gap analysis, and facilitate knowledge transfer and employee development.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's Degree in Engineering, Science or related field

• 5 - 8 years experience in Factory Operations, FP&R, Manufacturing, Production, Engineering and Supply Chain roles

• Strong analytical skills, Excel - Google sheets

• Data management visualizations tools (Domo, Tableau)

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience using FP&R principles and Lean Six Sigma processes

• Experience as Operations Manager

• Experience as FP&R Leader at strategic site

• Smart Factory

• Experience using ROI, Continuous Improvement and FMEA tools

• Experience in RCA (Root Cause Analysis) and RCM (Reliability Centered Maintenance)

• SAP proficiency

• Mechanical background

• 2 years people management experience

• Standards, weights and measure requirements

• FDA, USDA and other regulatory agency design requirements

• Proficient in Statistical Process Control, CpK (Process Capability Index) and Continuous Improvement Methodologies

Compensation and Benefits

Salary Range $115,200.00 - $163,000.00 USD

Pay is based on multiple non-discriminatory, individualized factors including but not limited to experience, job-related knowledge and education, skills and office/market location. In addition to base salary, salaried employees are eligible for annual discretionary bonuses, profit-sharing and, for Executive-level (salary grade 16 and above) roles only, long-term incentives in the form of Restricted Stock Units and/or Stock Options.

Subject to the terms and conditions of the applicable benefits plans then in effect, all salaried employees are also eligible for a competitive benefits package which includes:

• Insurance: Employees (and their eligible dependents) are eligible to participate in Company-sponsored Medical, Dental, Vision, Basic Life Insurance, Accidental Death & Dismemberment and Disability insurance plans.

• Retirement Plans: Employees are eligible to enroll in Colgate's 401(k) plan, which provides for company matching contributions subject to eligibility requirements

• Vacation/PTO: Employees receive a minimum of 15 days of vacation/PTO leave annually

• Paid Holidays: Employees receive a minimum of 13 paid/floating holidays annually

• Paid Sick Leave: Based on location and consistent with applicable state and local law, employees receive a minimum of 40 hours of paid sick leave on January 1st of each year

• Paid Parental Leave: Eligible employees may take up to eight weeks of paid parental leave and 12 weeks of unpaid leave (varies for employees with fewer than 12 months of service and is subject to hours worked requirements)

Our Commitment to Sustainability

With the Colgate brand in more homes than any other, we are presented with great opportunities and new challenges as we work to integrate sustainability into all aspects of our business and create positive social impact. We are determined to position ourselves for further growth as we act on our 2025 Sustainability & Social Impact Strategy.

Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Achieving our purpose starts with our people - ensuring our workforce represents the people and communities we serve -and creating an environment where our people f.