Director of Industrial Performance
See's Candies · Los Angeles · $180,000–$220,000 (stated in the posting)
Work is Sweet!
'Quality without Compromise' is not just a motto at See’s Candies. It is the most important ingredient in our recipe for success. See’s Candies has been in business since 1921 and maintains a reputation for producing the highest quality candy and providing superior customer service.
See’s is a leader in the confectionery industry with over 250 retail shops across the USA, a growing e-commerce business, and expanding opportunities internationally. We are seeking friendly, enthusiastic individuals who are passionate about helping us grow and thrive in our second century.
Job Description Summary:
POSITION OBJECTIVE:The Director of Industrial Performance at See’s Candies is a strategic leader responsible for driving operational excellence, productivity, and loss elimination across a multi-site food-manufacturing network. This role oversees the deployment, sustainment, and maturity of the Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) program and leads the Industrial Engineering (IE) function to ensure optimized manufacturing systems, labor utilization, line efficiencies, and capacity planning.
This leader partners closely with Plant Directors, Supply Chain, Quality, Safety, Engineering, and Corporate Leadership to deliver year-over-year improvements in service, cost, quality, and asset performance.
The pay range for this position at commencement of employment is expected to be between $180,000- $220,000 however, base pay offered may vary depending on multiple individualized factors, including market location, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience
Job Description:
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:
1. TPM Program Leadership
- Lead the multi-site (5) TPM strategy, roadmap, and governance to drive a zero-loss culture across all facilities.
- Build and mentor leaders and pillar owners (AM, PM, FI, T&E, Safety, Quality, EEM).
- Implement standardized TPM methodologies, assessments, and KPIs aligned with corporate standards.
- Facilitate maturity assessments and best-practice sharing across sites to accelerate capability building.
- Champion problem-solving tools (A3, Kaizen, RCA, 5 Why, SMED, CIL, etc.).
2. Industrial Engineering Leadership
- Lead the Industrial Engineering team responsible for productivity, capacity analysis, labor standards, and network optimization.
- Oversee development and maintenance of accurate labor models, line balance standards, and engineered labor standards.
- Provide support for standard costing implementation in close collaboration with the Finance team
- Conduct time studies and process mapping to identify improvement opportunities.
- Support capital planning through data-driven justification models, throughput analysis, and scenario modeling.
- Optimize plant layouts, material flows, ergonomics, and equipment utilization to improve efficiency and safety.
- Drive continuous improvement initiatives aligned with continuous improvement principles.
3. Multi-Site Operational Excellence
- Serve as the key thought leader for operational performance management across the manufacturing network.
- Establish consistent KPIs, dashboards, and governance routines that ensure visibility and accountability.
- Partner with Plant Directors to develop site master plans, capability gaps, and improvement strategies.
- Partner with Senior Leadership and build a culture of performance control system (PCS) on a plant and corporate level, structured problem solving, and disciplined execution.
- Lead cross-functional projects to improve throughput, reduce waste, simplify processes, and enhance service levels.
4. People Leadership & Capability Building
- Develop, coach, and grow TPM and IE talent pipelines across all sites.
- Train plant leadership teams in TPM concepts, loss tree analysis, and continuous-improvement foundations.
- Drive engagement by championing a high-performance, ownership-based working culture.
- Build strong cross-functional partnerships to strengthen collaboration between Operations, Quality, Maintenance, Engineering, Safety, R&D, Finance and Supply Chain Planning.
Qualifications & Experience
Required
- Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Operations Management, or related field.
- 10+ years of progressive experience in FMCG or food manufacturing; 5+ years in a leadership role.
- Proven experience implementing and maturing TPM in a manufacturing environment.
- Strong background in Industrial Engineering, including labor standards, layout optimization, and process engineering.
- Demonstrated success improving OEE, reducing waste, and driving operational performance.
- Experience leading multi-site programs and influencing without direct authority.
Preferred
- Master’s degree in Engineering or Business.
- Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt certification.
- Experience working in regulated food environments (FDA, USDA, HACCP, GFSI, SQF).
- Familiarity with automated systems, digital performance tools, and data analytics.
Competencies
- Strategic thinking with hands-on capability.
- Strong coaching and change-management skills.
- Excellent communication across all organizational levels.
- Data-driven decision-making and financial acumen.
- Ability to work in a fast-paced, high-complexity FMCG network.
- Continuous-improvement mindset and passion for developing people.
The total compensation package for this position may also include other elements, in addition to a full range of generous medical, financial, and/or other benefits (including 401(k) eligibility and various paid time off benefits, such as vacation, sick time, and parental leave), dependent on the position offered. Details of participation in these benefit plans will be provided if an employee receives an offer of employment. If hired, employee will be in an “at-will position” and the Company reserves the right to modify base salary (as well as any other discretionary payment or compensation program) at any time, including for reasons related to individual performance, Company or individual department/team performance, and market factors
See's is an EOE
See’s will consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable local, state or federal law (including San Francisco Ordinance #131192 and Los Angeles Municipal Code 189.00).