Position Snapshot

Business area: Operations Manager 

Location: North York, ON located at 25 Sheppard Ave W, North York, ON M2N 6S8;  Hybrid 

A little bit about us:  

While Nestlé is known for KitKat®, Gerber®, Nescafe®, and Maggi®. Our recipe for success comes down to one thing: our people.      

We strive to lead a people-focused culture that empowers employees to bring their authentic selves to work each day. There are 3,400+ members of Nestlé Canada celebrated for taking action using agility, courage, and trust to find solutions that benefit the business or greater good. We’re a team of changemakers, who are curious and challenge the status quo, that take risks that will help drive us forward.     

Our focus is not only on nourishing our customers, but also on enriching you. We know that empowerment leads to strong employee engagement, a great work culture, and motivated employees.   

What to Expect: 

Joining Nestlé means becoming part of an inclusive workplace that inspires innovation, encourages strategic thinking and creativity, and celebrates your achievements. No matter where you work within the organization, you are empowered to challenge the status quo, embrace risk-taking, and pioneer new ideas. Our supportive and collaborative environment encourages bold ambitions and continuous learning so that everyone can grow and thrive.

The primary purpose of this role is to manage business relationship and serve as the main point of contact for Co-Manufacturing sites including all technical, operational, commercial and financial aspects of a group of contract manufacturers, while also recognizing and driving opportunity for  growth through innovation and renovation project ideation and execution. This role requires an entrepreneurial mindset with an ability to work collaboratively with the commercial/marketing side of  the business in an ambiguous space; thinking creatively to explore new product portfolios and processes, discover new manufacturing capability and technology, and work in an accelerated manner that allows the company to continuously win with the consumer.

Role Requirements: 

• Responsible for business relationship and main point of contact for Co-Man sites (technical, operational, commercial and financial). Responsible for ensuring site adherence/compliance to all Contracts, Agreements and Co-Manufacturing Standard.
• Manage all operational and technical aspects at a group of Contract manufacturing sites, including ensuring supply (planning through invoice), compliance with Nestlé Quality policies and procedures (example QA HACCP and GMP's), management of Nestlé product specific information (product specifications, material specifications, certifications, etc.), maintenance of SOP's and training.
• Provide strong onsite support for managing operations as the main point of contact working directly with site leadership and Nestlé cross functional teams.
• Ensure that a continuous improvement plan is in place to provide the lowest total delivered costs within the agreed to quality parameters.
• Ensure proper startup of new products at facilities including all required production related documentation being complete and available to co-manufacturer, achieving agreed upon timelines and compliance with Nestlé requirements.
• Ensure performance targets for assigned sites are being adhered to – including attainment, budgeting, costs (e.g. usage, PPV, tolling), savings targets, monthly variance reconciliation, consumer complaint reduction and first time right.
• Serve as the primary point of contact and liaison between the co-manufacturer and key internal interfaces to drive innovation & renovation concepts and project execution.
• Provide project leadership to coordinate cross-functional activities at contract manufacturer to ensure project is executed against timelines and budgets (PRO)
• Have a professional curiosity and entrepreneurial mindset to drive innovation throughout product portfolios and manufacturing processes in contract manufacturing sites
• Have a broad technical skillset and end-to-end understanding of manufacturing processes along with strong cross-functional relationships to leverage through project execution and outline business practices
• Ensure all co-manufacturers are fully compliant with Nestlé requirements and contract manufacturing agreements
• Foster relationships with existing contract manufacturers and be able to establish new working relationships when new contract manufacturers are brought into the network.

Key Outputs / Deliverables

Make or Buy:

• SPOC internally and externally to ensures the right resources are gathered for Make-or-buy analysis.
• Ensure that all projects outsourced to 3rd parties undergo an annual review with the relevant business, Procurement and Technical teams.
• Make recommendations on optimal Manufacturing solution between Co-Manufacturers/Packers and Nestlé factories, for decision by the Technical Manager in consultation with the Category BEM, Supply Chain, Procurement and Finance Directors as appropriate.

Co-Manufacturing Strategy Management:

• Develops and ensures Co-manufacturing strategy is aligned to the Business strategy and MBS ambitions. Leads the capability assessment process, including coordination of required assessments and audits.

Contract Management:

• Accountable to ensure all Contracts are in place and relevant to the Business and Manufacturing strategy.

Supplier management:

• Overall accountability for Operational Reviews. Ensuring the relevant Nestlé tools are utilized, appropriate KPIs, measures and mechanisms are in place to manage and continually improve site performance.

Exit/ Exception Management:

• Align with the business and relevant stakeholders to agree on sites that are to be exited and the associated timelines. Support Procurement to ensure contractual obligations in the agreement are followed.

Financial stability:

• Ensure that effective financial control is maintained for core Co-packers/manufacturers in line with Nestlé standards. Provide full, accurate and timely financial information to facilitate effective decision-making regarding raw materials, packaging materials, labor, and overall site performance.

Continuous Improvement:

• Identify TDC opportunities and ensure delivery of annual Operational Excellence targets and proactively scan the market to understand capabilities /capacities / compliance of potential contract manufactures

Supply:

• Accountability for Co-Manufacturer purchased raw materials, packaging materials, site capacity and capability to meet projected Nestlé Demand plans.

Innovation:

• Lead Co-Manufacturing relationships to deliver innovative/renovative solutions. Focus on scouting co-mans opportunities to deliver business profitability and growth.

Preferred Skills: 

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Food Science, Business Administration, Economics or related fields required
• Ability to prioritize and manage multiple demands & projects in an extremely fast paced, high pressure environment.
• Proven ability to work autonomously/Self-motivated
• Highly developed critical thinking and problem-solving skills
• Drive issues to resolution
• Strong verbal, written, and analytical skills
• Ability to build relationships and communicate across multiple levels of organizations (internal &external to Nestlé). Need to be able to represent Nestlé as the single point of contact within the Co-Manufacturing sites, providing leadership and guidance across all aspects of the business.
• Working knowledge of finance and operational costing
• Knowledge of SAP, Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint
• Broad technical skills and understanding with an End-to-End mindset in:
• Manufacturing process and product interaction
• Product development process and procedures
• Material Handling
• Finished Goods Management
• Quality Assurance
• Industrial Engineering/Operations Excellence/Loss analysis
• Business Financial accumen
• Commercial/Marketing understanding and/or experience
• Professional curiosity to drive innovation throughout product portfolios. Ability to operate in an entrepreneurial space.
• Know yourself – Understanding of your skills and abilities within the organization and strong existing relationships to leverage to drive business results.

Critical Experiences

• 5-8 years technical or manufacturing experience preferred
• Preferred experience in CPG product, process or packaging development and/or commercialization
• Preferred experience leading a cross-functional project team to bring a product to market
• Travel required: approximately 50% (will vary depending on workload) to various Co-Manufacturing sites and corporate locations.

Benefits: 

Comprehensive total rewards benefits package including Health and Dental benefits that start on day one of employment 

• Company matched pension plan 
• Vacation and personal days (Personal Paid Holidays) 
• Flexible and hybrid work arrangements 
• Excellent training and development programs as well as opportunities to grow within the company 
• Access to Educational Assistance & Tuition Reimbursement 
• Bonus eligibility 
• Gender affirmation benefits to ensure access to necessary care, resources, and coverage for gender-affirming procedures
• Fertility Services and Surrogacy Medical Coverage to support the pursuit of a path to parenthood regardless of medical conditions, gender or sexual orientation
• Adoption benefits to remove some of the financial barriers associated with adoption
• Access to the Discount Company store with Nestlé, Nespresso, and Purina products (Located across various Nestle offices/sites) 
• Comprehensive total rewards benefits package including Health and Dental benefits that start on day one of employment
• Company matched pension plan
• Flexible and hybrid work arrangements

What you need to know: 

At Nestlé Canada, we are committed to transparency and fairness in our compensation and job posting practices.

This position offers a competitive salary within the range specified above, aligned with our commitment to equitable pay practices.  This position is an existing vacancy

Compensation Range : $115,000 - $ 130,000

We will be considering applicants as they apply, so please don’t delay in submitting your application.

Nestlé Canada is an equal-opportunity employer committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. We welcome qualified applicants to bring their diverse and unique experiences as a result of their education, perspectives, culture, ethnicity, race, sex, gender identity and expression, nation of origin, age, languages spoken, veteran’s status, colour, religion, disability, sexual orientation and beliefs.

If you are selected to participate in the recruitment process, please inform Human Resources of any accommodations you may require. Nestlé will work with you in an effort to ensure that you are able to fully participate in the process.