Job description

Job Description Summary

Job Description

The Lean Leader works closely as a partner with the Leadership team to implement Lean practices, driving both a change in operating mindset and ensuring the Lean and Quality Management system fundamentals are effectively applied in support of strategic and operational business plans. The primary responsibility of this position is to develop the proficiency of the leadership team and employees in applying these fundamentals to continuously improve our Safety, Quality, Delivery and Cost performance. You will be responsible for the development and implementation of a multi-year continuous improvement program and coordination of all activities associated with deployment and execution…resulting in eliminating waste, improving customer satisfaction, and increasing market share.

You will be the leader on the application of LEAN, Six Sigma, statistical process control, and process analysis/implementation tools. Lead and execute strategic, cross-functional projects with high visibility and impact to the operations. The leader will interact with organizational leadership and stimulate thinking by posing new ways of doing things and challenge the status quo by demonstrating successful application of new methodologies.

Key Responsibilities

You will have an in depth knowledge of process improvement in manufacturing and/or supply chain, additionally, this role requires hands-on knowledge of manufacturing, warehouse, logistics, distribution, or engineering as well as experience as a Lean transformation leader with a broad cross-functional background.

Your role incorporates Standard Work, Value Stream Management, Kaizen with Lean techniques and Daily Management into an operating cadence where problem solving and action planning are employed to transform outcomes; all centered on Respect for the People that create value for our Customers.

• Managing and facilitating all Continuous Improvement initiatives and strategy
• Driving a continuous improvement culture within the organization by prioritizing opportunities and execution of a Lean transformation strategy and metrics
• Using metrics to provide support to process owners in linking projects to strategic operational objectives
• Driving plant cost savings initiatives
• Assisting teams in developing Lean roadmaps to use in the deployment of strategic objectives
• Ensuring successful definition and execution of large, cross-functional improvement initiatives tied to annual strategic priorities and capex
• Identifying best practices within and outside the company and serving as a channel for best-practice sharing and adoption across business units
• Providing guidance for projects and kaizen events
• Challenging organizational leaders when necessary to create an action-based culture of continuous improvement and increase CI and Lean-oriented thinking throughout the organization
• Working with the finance department to evaluate project savings estimates, validate reported CI benefits, and ensure accurate accounting of CI productivity
• Be an active participant and contribute hands-on to the lean efforts across the organization
• Responsible for design and build organizational capacity and self-sufficiency with the Lean fundamentals needed to transform the key value streams through kaizen events
• Support the leadership team in establishing key performance indicators (KPIs) and implementing a robust daily management system to drive continuous improvement.
• Assist teams in establishing daily, weekly and monthly operating rhythm.
• Establish a kaizen event rhythm and leverage that activity to develop lean proficiency for all employees; creating internal capabilities to facilitate kaizens and sustain continuous process improvement without external support

• Essential Skills

• Significant experience in large businesses (Automotive, Aerospace, etc), high paced and changing environments
• Previous demonstrated experience in Lean / Continuous Improvement of processes/shop operations by applying Lean principles
• Lean practitioner, capable of facilitating kaizen events and coaching the core tools of Lean
• Experience driving business-wide transformation preferably in a major turn-around. The ideal candidate has been through complex change; bringing a will to win with strong followership.
• Proven to be effective driving outcomes in large, matrixed organizations – understands Change agent, able to make the case for lean and demonstrate immediate impact
• Highly collaborative, comfortable with conflict and debate normally associated with change
• Critical thinker with the ability to bring others along, even those with conflicting priorities
• Impactful communicator from the shop floor to executives
• Strong working knowledge of Microsoft Suite, including advanced skills with Excel
• Humble: respectful, receptive, agile, eager to learn
• Transparent: shares critical information, speaks with candor, contributes constructively
• Focused: quick learner, strategically prioritizes work, committed

Desired Skills

• Degree level, process management, operations, industrial engineering, or engineering management

• Experience in process optimization, operations, or business management
• Advanced skills in the use of data management tools to monitor progress toward goals
• Certifications in quality or CI

Additional Information