Production Associate Manager

Kraft Heinz is looking for a Production Associate Manager who is accountable for safe, compliant, and efficient daily production operations in their assigned area. This role drives safety culture, product quality, cost and service targets, continuous improvement, and delivery of new-line projects in collaboration with cross-functional stakeholders (EHS, Quality, Maintenance, Supply Chain, Engineering and external suppliers). The Production Associate Manager is a people leader who develops capabilities, enforces standards, and ensures sustained operational excellence.

Responsibilities

• Own and promote a zero-harm culture in the area; ensure all team members follow Kraft Heinz EHS standards, local regulations, and site procedures.

• Coordinate with EHS to prepare and approve risk assessments and method statements for routine and project activities; ensure LOTO, permits, and mandatory controls are in place before work starts.

• Lead incident investigations for events in the area, ensure corrective actions are implemented, and verify effectiveness.

• Deliver and track area-level EHS risk assessment, operational control, and continuous improvement initiatives.

• Deliver and track area-level EHS training and continuous improvement initiatives.

• Own area-level quality KPIs, conduct root-cause analysis for quality deviations, and lead corrective/preventive actions to prevent recurrence.

• Ensure product quality and food safety standards (HACCP, GMP, site QMS) are met for all production in the area.

• Coordinate with Quality and Microbiology teams on validations, product changeovers, and any corrective actions impacting customer requirements.

• Close out any incident reporting raised during operation, maintenance, or installation activities and ensure appropriate corrective actions are taken.

• Plan, schedule, and execute production to meet customer service, cost, and inventory targets while maximizing capacity and minimizing waste.

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams (Maintenance, Quality, Supply Chain) to resolve process issues and optimize resource utilization.

• Monitor and improve operational KPIs including OEE, throughput, downtime, yield/waste, changeover time, and labor efficiency.

• Lead daily operations management (shift handovers, Gemba, daily performance reviews, visual management) and rapid problem resolution through KHMS methodology and DMS.

• Ensure adherence to SOPs and best operational practices across shifts and production areas.

• Collaborate with Maintenance to support preventive and predictive maintenance strategies that sustain equipment reliability and reduce unplanned downtime.

• Provide technical support in troubleshooting, process validation, and performance optimization.

• Facilitate root cause analysis using 5 Whys and Fishbone tools to address recurring issues.

• Lead cross-functional improvement projects targeting cost reduction, productivity, and quality enhancement.

• Engage teams in Gemba walks, daily performance reviews, and visual management to sustain a culture of improvement.

• Drive standardization, training, and empowerment to strengthen problem-solving capabilities at all levels.

• Coach and develop operators and technicians in Lean practices and operational discipline.

• Foster teamwork, ownership, and accountability through transparent communication and performance feedback.

• Support succession planning and skill development for future operational excellence leaders.