Who We Are and What We Do
Farmer Focus's mission is to promote and protect generational family farms by shifting farm-level decision-making and chicken ownership back to farmers and empowering them to farm the way they know is best. We are committed to consistently producing 100% organic and humanely raised chicken that is better for people, the planet, and animals. Our culture is rooted in servant leadership, and we live by our Farmer Focus CARES values: Community, Accountability, Respect, Excellence, and Stewardship.
Job Details
Job Title: Senior Continuous Improvement Manager
Department: Continuous Improvement
Reports To: Head of Engineering
FLSA Status: Exempt
Location: 779 Massanutten Street, Harrisonburg, VA 22802 / 350 Acorn Drive, Harrisburg, VA 22802
Work Arrangement: Onsite
Shift / Schedule: Full-time
Travel Requirements: Travel may be required once per year to attend trade conferences or training within the United States.
Employment Type: Full-time
Role Overview / Purpose and Scope
The Senior Continuous Improvement Manager is responsible for driving process and system improvements across Farmer Focus chicken production facilities by implementing programs with long-term, sustainable benefits. This role partners with continuous improvement team members, department leaders, and cross-functional teams to standardize systems, improve safety, quality, yield, and operational efficiency, and support achievement of enterprise goals. The position leads multi-disciplinary improvement projects, analyzes operational data, identifies underperforming areas of production, and develops action plans that close performance gaps while strengthening a culture of continuous improvement.
Key Responsibilities
Drive continuous improvement initiatives across Farmer Focus production facilities to improve safety, quality, yield, efficiency, and overall operational performance.
Lead multi-disciplinary team projects that implement standardized systems and support achievement of enterprise goals.
Continuously evaluate production processes and identify more efficient ways to operate while maintaining compliance with company policies and applicable government regulations.
Oversee personnel and drive Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) relevant to the Continuous Improvement Department.
Track and measure progress, analyze inefficiencies, identify underperforming production areas, and create action plans to close performance gaps.
Lead focused Kaizen improvement efforts aimed at breakthrough and incremental improvements in plant processes, departments, and line-specific opportunities.
Deploy change management tools and techniques to support stakeholder adoption, documentation, training, and long-term sustainability of improved processes and systems.
Define and implement processes that support a continuous improvement culture, including annual improvement planning, results review, issue identification, problem-solving, project launches, and sustainable solution implementation.
Oversee collection and analysis of operational efficiency data to identify opportunities for project initiatives.
Audit improved processes and continuous improvement initiatives for sustainability and compliance.
Partner with department managers and operations leaders to interpret data, prepare teams for high-level reporting and meetings, identify opportunities, and create action plans.
Lead meetings related to operational efficiencies, continuous improvement opportunities, and progress against action plans.
Oversee creation of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), Root Cause Analysis protocols, 5 Why processes, and related investigation support following incidents.
Create dashboards to organize data collection, root cause analyses, 5 Whys, and 6S activities.
Support senior operational leadership through meeting attendance, detailed organization, and effective interdepartmental communication.
Perform job responsibilities safely and efficiently while following applicable regulations and company policies.
Compensation
Compensation Range: $100,000-$130,000 annually
Additional Compensation: Not applicable.
The posted compensation range for this role should reflect the minimum and maximum amount Farmer Focus in good faith expects to pay at the time of posting, based on factors such as internal equity, relevant experience, market data, and the budgeted amount available for the position.
Benefits: Farmer Focus offers a competitive total rewards package designed to support team members' health, financial well-being, and professional growth. Available offerings may include weekly payroll, paid time off and sick leave, semi-subsidized medical coverage, dental and vision plan options, a 401(k) plan with company match, education reimbursement opportunities, employee assistance programs (EAP), and internal learning, development, and career growth programs.
All benefits, programs, and offerings are subject to eligibility requirements, plan terms, and company policies, and may be changed, amended, or discontinued by Farmer Focus at any time.
Qualifications
Bachelor's degree in industrial engineering, biotechnology engineering, food engineering, or a related engineering field required.
At least three years of experience leading continuous improvement or lean manufacturing initiatives across multiple facilities required.
Strong analytical, planning, problem-solving, and project management skills required.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office required, including advanced Excel knowledge.
Experience with Lean Six Sigma tools required.
Ability to conduct statistical analysis using Minitab required.
Ability to lead cross-functional teams, influence stakeholders, and support adoption of process improvements through documentation, training, and follow-up.
Knowledge of continuous improvement systems, Kaizen methodology, Root Cause Analysis, 5 Why processes, SOP development, KPI tracking, and 6S practices required.
Selected candidate must be able to perform the essential functions of the role with or without reasonable accommodation.
New team members must be able to pass a drug, alcohol and background screening post-offer and prior to the start of their employment. The Immigration Reform and Control Act requires that verification of employment eligibility be documented for all new employees by the end of their third day of work.
Work Environment, Physical Demands, and Travel
This is an onsite role supporting Farmer Focus production facilities located at 779 Massanutten Street, Harrisonburg, VA 22802 and 350 Acorn Drive, Harrisburg, VA 22802. The position requires work in office, meeting, and production-floor environments and may require adherence to facility safety, food safety, PPE, quality, and regulatory requirements. The role may involve time on the production floor, participation in operational meetings, observation of processes, data collection, and collaboration with department leaders and team members. Travel may be required once per year to attend trade conferences or training within the United States.
How to Apply: Qualified candidates should submit resumes through the Workday ATS system and send an email to the attention of Shauna Cunningham at Shauna.Cunningham@farmerfocus.com.
This position does not have an application deadline. Farmer Focus will recruit until the role is filled.
Recruiter and Agency Disclaimer
Unsolicited resumes or candidate profiles submitted by staffing agencies, recruiters, or search firms to any Farmer Focus employee without a current written agreement and an active, role-specific request from the Recruiting team will be considered the property of Farmer Focus. Farmer Focus will not pay a fee for any placement resulting from the receipt of an unsolicited resume or candidate profile.
All external recruiters and agency partners supporting Farmer Focus searches must comply with applicable federal, state, and local employment laws, including compensation transparency requirements and restrictions on seeking salary history where applicable.
About Farmer Focus
Farmer Focus exists to promote and protect generational family farms by shifting farm-level decision-making and chicken ownership back to farmers and empowering them to farm the way they know is best. We are committed to producing 100% organic and humanely raised chicken that is better for people, the planet, and animals. Our culture is grounded in servant leadership and guided by our CARES values: Community, Accountability, Respect, Excellence, and Stewardship. Our top priorities are people, safety, and quality. At Farmer Focus, our vision is to disrupt the status quo by creating bold opportunities for people who demand more and deserve better.
EOE, including disability/vets
Farmer Focus is committed to the principles of equal employment and to complying with all federal, state, and local laws providing equal employment opportunities, and all other employment laws and regulations. It is our intent to maintain a work environment that is inclusive and equitable, free of harassment, discrimination, or retaliation based upon an individual's age, race (including traits historically associated with race, which includes hair texture, hair type, and protective hairstyles such as braids, locks, and twists), color, national origin, ancestry, religion, sex, sexual orientation (including transgender status, gender identity, or expression), pregnancy (including childbirth, lactation, and related medical conditions), physical or mental disability, genetic information (including testing and characteristics), military status (including status as a uniformed servicemember, a veteran, or dependent of a servicemember), or any other status protected by federal, state, or local laws. Farmer Focus is dedicated to the fulfillment of this policy regarding all aspects of employment, including but not limited to recruiting, hiring, placement, transfer, training, promotion, rates of pay and other compensation, termination, and all other terms, conditions, and privileges of employment.