Continuous Improvement Leader II

From a small family business to a multi-billion-dollar global company, Sonoco has been changing the face of products and packaging since 1899 - all while keeping the heart of "People Build Businesses" alive.

Our talented people are at the core of our growth, constantly reinventing the Sonoco wheel with brilliant solutions every year. Today we are a world leader in global packaging solutions with diversified operations in over 34 countries. We're extremely proud of our portfolio of brands, our achievements in sustainability and industrialization and the groundbreaking work accomplished by our people.

Under the direction of the Director of Enterprise Project Management Office & Lean Management (EPMO & LM), the Continuous Improvement Leader II (CI) drives operational excellence through Lean Management and expert facilitation. This role leads high-impact, cross-functional process improvement initiatives using Lean methodologies to eliminate waste, enhance efficiency, and promote a culture of continuous improvement.

As a strategic partner to business unit leaders and shared services teams, the CI Leader facilitates workshops, Kaizen events, and process redesigns aligned with enterprise transformation goals. The role emphasizes the use of Lean tools, data analysis, and facilitation best practices to deliver sustainable improvements across key business functions, including Hire-to-Retire (HTR), Procure-to-Pay (P2P), and Global Master Data Management (R2R).

What You'll Be Doing:

• Lead and facilitate Lean-based process improvement initiatives-including Kaizen events, Value Stream Mapping (VSM), and Targeted Process Improvements (TPI)-to eliminate waste, reduce cycle times, and optimize workflows.
• Design and implement future-state operating models, conduct capability gap assessments, and develop scalable, standardized solutions aligned with Lean principles.
• Serve as a trusted facilitator for cross-functional teams, driving engagement, collaboration, and alignment throughout process redesign and improvement efforts.
• Perform detailed process analysis using VSM, root cause analysis, and data modeling to uncover inefficiencies and identify improvement opportunities.
• Provide Lean tools training, mentoring, and coaching to build internal capability in continuous improvement methodologies.
• Manage multiple Lean projects concurrently, ensuring alignment with organizational goals, timelines, and key performance indicators (KPIs).
• Partner with operational leaders to identify pain points, prioritize initiatives, and develop actionable roadmaps for process improvement.
• Promote a culture of operational excellence by embedding Lean thinking, sustaining improvements through governance, and reinforcing continuous improvement practices.
• Support organizational change management and stakeholder communications to ensure smooth adoption of process initiatives.
• Integrate automation, robotic process automation (RPA), and other technological enhancements to boost process efficiency.
• Track and report process improvement outcomes using KPIs, dashboards, and scorecards to demonstrate impact and sustain results.
• Contribute to benchmarking, maturity assessments, and compliance efforts to uphold best practices and meet regulatory standards.
• Additional responsibilities as assigned.

Location: This position is hybrid, with our physical location in Hartsville, SC.

We'd Love to Hear From You If:

• You hold a bachelor's degree in Business, Engineering, Operations Management, or a related field; Lean Six Sigma certification is a plus.
• You have 5-10 years of experience leading process improvement, operational excellence, or business transformation initiatives, with a strong foundation in Lean methodologies.
• You've successfully facilitated Kaizen events, Value Stream Mapping (VSM), and implemented Targeted Process Improvements (TPI) to enhance operational performance.
• You consistently eliminate waste, improve efficiency, and foster a culture of continuous improvement.
• You bring strong facilitation, communication, and stakeholder management skills, and are confident leading workshops and influencing teams across all levels.
• You're proficient in process mapping tools (e.g., Visio, Minitab) and data analysis platforms.
• You've worked in matrixed organizations and are familiar with regulatory environments.
• You use data-driven problem-solving to translate complex datasets into actionable insights.
• You have experience with automation, robotic process automation (RPA), and technology-enabled process improvements.
• You've worked in Global Business Services and Shared Services environments.
• You demonstrate strong problem-solving, critical thinking, and analytical skills.
• You excel at leading change, navigating ambiguity, and influencing decisions across global teams.
• You're passionate about operational excellence, customer-focused process design, and continuous learning.

Compensation:

Continuous Improvement Leader II: The annual base salary range for this role is from $135,600 to $152,550, plus an annual target bonus of 12.5% of base salary.

We are an equal opportunity employer, and we strictly prohibit and do not tolerate discrimination against employees, applicants or any other covered persons because of race, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, marital status, gender identity or expression, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any legally protected characteristic.