ManEx Support Manager - Foods

Job Purpose

Manufacturing Excellence (ManEx) Support Manager is responsible for driving the deployment, sustainability, and continuous improvement of Unilever Manufacturing System (UMS) across the factory. The role partners closely with factory leadership and cross-functional teams to accelerate operational excellence through loss elimination, capability building, digital transformation, and a continuous improvement culture.

The role is accountable for improving factory performance across productivity, quality, reliability, cost efficiency, waste reduction, and Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE), while embedding data-driven decision making and sustainable operational excellence practices throughout the organization.

Main Responsibilities

UMS Deployment & Governance

• Lead the governance, deployment, and sustainability of Unilever Manufacturing System (UMS) across the factory.
• Ensure alignment of pillar roadmaps, maturity progression plans, and performance deliverables with factory business objectives.
• Facilitate UMS assessments, identify improvement opportunities, resolve implementation roadblocks, and drive sustainable results through effective change management.
• Partner with Site Leadership Team and BU ManEx Lead to monitor and accelerate UMS maturity and business impact.

Continuous Improvement & Loss Management

• Drive site-wide continuous improvement initiatives through structured problem solving, Kaizen, and operational excellence methodologies.
• Lead loss identification, prioritization, and elimination activities by leveraging data analytics and root cause analysis techniques.
• Expand Zero Loss mindset and loss management framework across manufacturing and supporting functions.
• Promote best practice sharing and replication of successful improvement initiatives across the organization.

Productivity & Cost Deployment

• Lead Cost Deployment activities and partner with Finance and Operations teams to establish robust cost governance processes.
• Manage the factory productivity pipeline and ensure realization of targeted savings through focused improvement initiatives, transformation projects, and Kaizen activities.
• Consolidate and track factory productivity, waste reduction, and cost-saving projects to ensure sustainable business benefits.
• Support development of productivity roadmaps and factory master plans aligned with business priorities.

Capability Building & Culture Transformation

• Develop and sustain a culture of continuous improvement through training, coaching, mentoring, and capability-building programs.
• Build organizational capabilities in structured problem solving, root cause analysis, TPM, Lean methodologies, and continuous improvement tools.
• Coach leaders and teams to embed operational excellence principles into daily management systems and decision-making processes.
• Drive employee engagement and ownership in continuous improvement initiatives across all organizational levels.

Digital & Data Analytics

• Champion digital manufacturing and 0 initiatives to improve operational effectiveness and decision-making.
• Leverage data analytics, statistical tools, and digital platforms to identify improvement opportunities and monitor factory performance.
• Drive continuous enhancement of reporting systems, performance dashboards, visualization tools, and operational data quality.
• Support factory digital transformation programs and deployment of data-driven solutions.

Skill & Qualifications

• Strong track record in Manufacturing Excellence, Operational Excellence, Lean, Six Sigma, TPM, TQM, WCM, UMS, or related continuous improvement methodologies.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities with a data-driven decision-making mindset.
• Proficiency in data analytics and visualization tools such as Power BI, Power Apps, Power Automate, or equivalent platforms.
• Strong project management skills with experience leading cross-functional improvement initiatives.
• Ability to translate complex operational data into actionable business insights.
• Strong stakeholder management, influencing, facilitation, and coaching skills.
• Excellent communication skills in both written and spoken English.
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to work effectively in a dynamic and fast-paced environment.
• Good understanding of manufacturing processes, equipment reliability, and operational performance management.
• Passion for digital transformation, advanced analytics, and continuous improvement

Leadership

• Passion for High Performance
• Growth Mindset and Continuous Learning
• Agility and Adaptability
• Change Leadership
• Influencing Without Authority
• Stakeholder Management
• Data-driven Decision Making
• Coaching and Capability Building
• Communicating with Impact
• Collaboration Across Functions

Education & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Production Engineering, Engineering Management, or a related field. Master's degree is an advantage.
• Minimum 5-8 years of experience in manufacturing, operational excellence, or continuous improvement environments.
• Proven experience leading Lean, TPM, UMS, Six Sigma, Operational Excellence, or manufacturing transformation programs.
• Demonstrated track record of delivering measurable improvements in productivity, quality, cost, waste reduction, reliability, or OEE.
• Experience in project management and leading cross-functional teams.
• Hands-on experience in FMCG manufacturing processes and technologies.
• Familiarity with manufacturing systems, operational excellence frameworks, and continuous improvement methodologies

Curious about what it’s really like to work at Unilever? Explore our Life at Unileverยูนิลีเวอร์ประเทศไทย | Unileverand meet the people shaping our culture.

Unilever is an organisation committed to equity, inclusion and diversity to drive our business results and create a better future, every day, for our diverse employees, global consumers, partners, and communities. We believe a diverse workforce allows us to match our growth ambitions and drive inclusion across the business. At Unilever we are interested in every individual bringing their ‘Whole Self’ to work and this includes you! Thus if you require any support or access requirements, we encourage you to advise us at the time of your application so that we can support you through your recruitment journey.

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