Continuous Improvement Manager

The Opportunity

At Real Pet Food Co (RPF) , we’re passionate about changing the game in pet nutrition. We make real food for real pets — and we’re proud to lead the way as Australia’s largest fresh pet food manufacturer. Our values — Work as a Pack, Make Your Mark, Lead with Passion, and Change the Game — drive everything we do. As we continue to grow and evolve, we’re seeking a Continuous Improvement Manager to help us take our operations to the next level.

Based at our chilled food manufacturing site in Yatala, this pivotal role is responsible for optimising and improving manufacturing processes and systems to deliver greater efficiency, quality, and safety across our pet food production operations. You’ll work in partnership with cross‑functional teams to identify opportunities, solve complex technical challenges, and lead change that makes a real impact.

Yatala is known as a ‘wet’ manufacturing site, so you will have to be comfortable working in and around raw animal protein.

About the Role

Reporting to the Site Operations Manager, in this newly created role you will :

• Lead site‑wide productivity improvement programs , driving measurable gains in yield, OEE, and cost reduction.
• Collaborate with Operations, QA, Maintenance, and NPD teams to implement process enhancements and new product introductions.
• Apply Lean and Six Sigma methodologies to reduce waste and variation.
• Champion safety, food quality, and compliance with HACCP, GMP, and environmental standards.
• Provide coaching and development to the people around you and your teams, fostering a culture of continuous learning and performance excellence.
• Embody and promote our RPF values — Work as a Pack, Make Your Mark, Lead with Passion, and Change the Game.

About You

You’re a strategic, forward‑thinking leader who thrives in a fast‑paced FMCG environment. You’re not just focused on tasks — you see the bigger picture and know how to inspire others to reach it.

You’ll bring :

• 8–10 years’ experience in process engineering, manufacturing, or a related field.
• Proven experience improving production line performance, yield, and efficiency – this is a hands‑on role, so come ready to not only identify areas we can improve in, but with your sleeves rolled up and ready to muck in with your stakeholders.
• Strong analytical, problem‑solving, and project management skills.
• Practical knowledge of Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, and root cause analysis tools.
• Tertiary qualifications in Chemical or Mechanical Engineering (or similar).
• Lean Six Sigma certification (Green Belt or higher) highly regarded.

Why Join Us?

At Real Pet Food, you’ll join a team united by purpose and passion. You’ll have the autonomy to make meaningful change, backed by a culture that values innovation, collaboration, and growth.

If you’re ready to change the game in manufacturing excellence , we’d love to hear from you.

Apply now and make your mark at Real Pet Food.

Lets dive deeper into who we are!

Welcome to RPF, where we believe in keeping it Real.

Since 1994, we have been Australia and New Zealand’s pioneers in fresher dog and cat nutrition. Our story is one of passion for a better way to care for pets, a belief in fresher nutrition, and an unwavering commitment to delivering this to pet parents and pets worldwide.

We’re dedicated to fostering authentic partnerships, encouraging real ambition, and providing real career opportunities for our employees to make a difference.

Real means fresher ingredients and fresher methods. We’ll never stop expanding, innovating, and trying new things. We compete in every pet category and channel, creating favourite brands such as Ivory Coat, Nature’s Gift, V.I.P. Petfoods, and Love ‘Em & Fussy Cat!

Since the establishment of RPF, we have grown to over 900 people across Australia and New Zealand, China, Southeast Asia and Europe.

With the pet industry growing rapidly (a $15 billion industry!) and pets becoming increasingly important in our lives and homes, this is a unique opportunity to be a part of our remarkable growth story and advance your career.

What’s next?

If you’re ready to unleash your potential and make a real difference in the booming pet industry, then we want to hear from you! Next steps will include :

• An initial telephone interview followed by two face‑to‑face interviews and a site visit.
• Two work references.
• A pre‑employment medical (depending on the job type).
• A psychometric test (depending on the job grade).

We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. Diversity’s not a buzzword here, it’s in our DNA. Diverse perspectives shape our culture and make our work better. If you need any reasonable adjustments, accessibility assistance or would like to note which pronouns you use at any stage of our hiring process, just contact us at accommodations : people&culture@realpetfoodco.com.au.

We look forward to hearing from you. Please note : NO agencies will be considered during this process. We encourage you to refrain from submitting unsolicited profiles.

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