Director, Manufacturing Excellence & Strategy

Mark Anthony Group is an entrepreneurial drinks company, built from the ground up by thinking differently, innovating and doing the unexpected. Our company is rooted in family values, a bold vision and relentless determination to continuously raise the bar and make a positive difference in consumers' lives. Founded in 1972, we’ve grown organically from a one-person import wine business into an international drinks company whose hallmarks include a portfolio of luxury wineries and iconic beverage brands, including White Claw® Hard Seltzer, Mike’s Hard Lemonade, and Cayman Jack.The Director of Manufacturing Excellence & Strategy is the enterprise steward of Manufacturing Excellence (ManEx), responsible for defining, deploying, and sustaining a standardized, world-class continuous improvement system across all manufacturing sites. This role ensures ManEx is embedded into how the business operates—linking safety, quality, service, cost, and people capability into an integrated performance system that delivers sustainable results at scale.AccountabilitiesOwn the enterprise Manufacturing Excellence strategy, roadmap, and governance model across all manufacturing sitesTranslate business strategy into standardized operating systems, tooling, and behaviors that improve performance and capabilityBuild and sustain a continuous improvement culture through leader enablement, coaching, and capability developmentEnsure ManEx drives measurable improvements in Safety, Quality, Cost, Service, and EngagementDevelop a strong pipeline of CI leaders and change agents across operationsKey Metrics & Financial TargetsManEx maturity progression by site and functionYear-over-year improvement in: OEE / productivity, Loss reduction, Cost savings / waste reduction, Safety and Quality leading indicators% of leaders and teams trained and certified in ManEx methodologiesSustainability of gains (standard work adherence, audit results)OwnEnterprise ManEx framework, standards, and roadmapCI methodology selection and deployment (Lean, Six Sigma, problem-solving)Capability model and certification pathwaysStandard work, loss analysis, and governance mechanismsInfluenceSite leadership teams on prioritization, resourcing, and adoptionOperations, Engineering, Supply Chain, Quality, and People Ops on integrated improvement initiativesCapital planning and project prioritization tied to performance lossesVetoNon-standard CI approaches that conflict with enterprise ManEx frameworkInitiatives that undermine standardization or sustainabilityCritical RelationshipsSVP Manufacturing & Site Directors / GMs and Site Leadership TeamsEngineering & Operational Technology, Quality, Supply Chain, Finance, People Operations / L&D, External ManEx and CI partnersSkills Needed To Be Successful10+ years in manufacturing operations and/or continuous improvement leadershipProven experience deploying CI systems across multiple sitesStrong Lean / Six Sigma expertise (certification preferred)Deep understanding of manufacturing KPIs (OEE, losses, flow, safety, quality)Exceptional change leadership, coaching, and facilitation skillsCompensationCompensation offered to prospective Team Members has taken internal equity into consideration and can vary depending on a positions’ location. The final agreed upon wage may vary based on the job-related knowledge, skills, and experience of the individual.Competitive annual salary of $167,000 - $209,000 in Chicago, ILBonus plan designed to recognize company performance and individual contributionsComprehensive health and welfare benefitsCompany matching 401(k) contributionsPaid time off including annual leave, paid sick time and holidaysExtensive opportunities for training, development, and career growthAt Mark Anthony, We Exist To Unearth The ExtraordinaryOur Purpose is not just a statement; it is a call to action that binds us together and ignites our passion for making a difference. It is the driving force behind why we do what we do every single day, connecting our global organization across all business units, roles, and locations. We are:Best in Our CraftWe set the standard with a pursuit of excellence that can be found in everything from our products and processes to our plants and people.Ambitiously CuriousWe stay curious, dreaming big and navigating the unknown with an enduring belief in better.Made With HumilityWe bring humility, authenticity, fun, and support to every collaboration and celebrate wins as a team.Daringly DisruptiveWe disrupt the status quo, moving fast to seize opportunities and acting scrappy to stay ahead of industry giants.