Continuous Improvement Specialist

Build your career at Sazerac! With almost 400 years of rich history, Sazerac Company has thrived as an independent, American family-owned company with operations in the United States and around the world. Since the 2000s, Sazerac has averaged double digit growth every year! Sazerac Company produces and markets the most award-winning bourbons and whiskeys in the world, including Buffalo Trace, Pappy Van Winkle, Eagle Rare, Blanton’s, Traveller, and Sazerac Rye. Additionally, Sazerac owns many popular brands across a range of spirits, including Fireball, Svedka, Wheatley, BuzzBallz, Southern Comfort, Seagram’s V.O., Myers’s, Goldschläger, Parrot Bay, 99 Brand, and Platinum Vodka.

We’re proud of our award-winning culture and distilleries. Our Louisville office has been named one of the “Best Places to Work in Kentucky” four times, and our Buffalo Trace Distillery has earned the title of “world’s most award-winning distillery” through the dedication of our craftsmen for well over 200 years. Whether you’re a recent graduate or an experienced professional, Sazerac provides extraordinary opportunities for growth with competitive salaries and benefits in an exciting, entrepreneurial industry.

Since 1958, Robinson Stave has been making quality oak bourbon barrels to meet the needs of a burgeoning industry. We are committed and diligent about maintaining the highest quality standards for our barrels to ensure they produce the best bourbons in the world. Behind great barrels are great people. We are always looking for compassionate, qualified team members who share our vision and values of hard work, quality and enthusiasm. Come join our efforts to become a highly recognized and respected builder of bourbon barrels and one of the industry’s most-desired places to work! 

Job Overview: The Continuous Improvement Specialist is responsible for driving process improvement initiatives that increase efficiency, reduce waste, and improve quality across the organization. This role partners with cross-functional teams to analyze current processes, implement Lean and continuous improvement methodologies, and sustain measurable operational improvements.

Priorities

• Exceeding expectations across all customer segments, including external and internal customers. Needs in all areas are anticipated and requests and complaints are addressed as much as possible to the satisfaction of all customers. Creating raving fans of
• Comprehensive safety program developed and led by team members and managers to include safety training initiatives, written safety programs and rules tailored to the work of individual departments and designed to at least meet Federal, State and provincial safety requirements.
• PDS system design and implementation to include active PDS evaluation for each team member with regular feedback sessions between team member and manager, overall grid rating for each team member, 360 degree feedback program. Identify the #1 Skill to be developed by each team member.
• Grow sales volume, manage and optimize cost of goods and overheads - while delivering highest quality products. Priority Brands will grow in volume and profit at a faster rate than the total business, and will comprise more than 65%. Strategic and annua
• Maintain a prioritized list of new initiatives and ensure projects are communicated and managed in order to achieve target ship dates and volumes.
• Actively engage in activities supporting an exceptional Homeplace. Promote our distillery through positive interaction with our visitors. Exercise sound manufacturing practices including, but not limited to, good housekeeping and safety
• An ongoing effort to improve products, services, or processes. These efforts can seek "incremental" improvement over time or "breakthrough" improvement all at once. All are evaluated in the light of their efficiency, effectiveness and flexibility.
• This project is focused on US TTB compliance at manufacturing facilities.
• Operate the facility in such a way that it is driven by quality and customer service. Strive for excellence in operations and focus on the upfront procedures and processes that drive the award winning results.
• Create, Implement and Evaluate cost saving projects that will drive costs out of the business without resulting in a reduction in quality.
• Continuous communication and reinforcement of company culture. Team Member assessment of culture monitored on regular basis via Sazerac Culture Survey and limited use of Best Places to Work surveys. Tangible results in improvement of culture scores based on survey feedback.

Qualifications

MUST

• Ability to communicate with all levels of an org
• Detail oriented
• Knowledge of lean manufacturing principles
• Strong analytical and technical skills
• Strong planning and organizational skills
• Ability to handle multiple tasks at one time
• Ability to quickly learn new systems/processes
• Bachelor's degree
• Lean six sigma certified or relevant project management experience

PREFERRED

• Experience in alcohol beverage industry or cpg overall
• Master's degree in related field

Experience

MUST

• 2 years training, coaching, and curriculum development.

PREFERRED

• 2 years experience driving change in an organization