Continuous Improvement Technician

Job description

Job Title: Continuous Improvement Technician
Salary: Up to £26, 570 PA
Benefits: Pension, BUPA, Bonus and much more
Location: Leeds Factory
Travel: 0%

COMPANY OVERVIEW

Unilever is the global company behind powerhouse brands such as Flora, Dove, Persil and PG Tips. We have the huge ambition of doubling in size and improving billions of lives through of Sustainable Living Plan.With over 35 brands in the UK covering foods, home, personal care and refreshments, the scope of activity and strength of expertise in Marketing is huge. Many of our brands have long-standing social missions. All offer fulfilling opportunities to gain valuable commercial insight and experience - working on great categories, taking on real challenges and making a lasting impact.

MAIN JOB PURPOSE:
This role sits within the Sourcing Unit Quality Team and is focused on improving the quality of finished products, the application of World Class Manufacturing methodologies to improve quality related processes and ensuring quality KPI's are achieved.

The primary focus of this role will be threefold:
a) The reduction of quality operational losses through focused improvements utilizing World Class Manufacturing methodology.
b) Investigating and handling customer and consumer complaints.
c) Managing finished goods stock.

The role holder shall utilise cross-SU expertise to provide in-depth investigations into Customer/Consumer complaints in order to establish root cause and the risk to consumers.

They will should provide technical expertise and in-depth investigations into manufacturing/packaging losses and lead improvements based on this and Customer/Consumer complaints in order to eliminate root cause and prevent re-occurrence using high level WCM techniques and statistical tools.

They will provide support for ISO 9001. This will include the preparation and review of procedures, and carrying out auditing activities.

They will promote a Quality Culture by providing training, assessment and verifications of quality skills.

They will be required to deputise for the Packing Quality Leader and support/cover the absence of Quality technicians when required.

JOB SUMMARY

SAFETY AND THE ENVIRONMENT
• Through application of Quality standards, ensure that finished products do not present a risk to consumers or Unilever employees. Particular focus should be made on aerosol safety (e.g. transportation and integrity of products).
• Ensure that thorough standards are applied to packaging materials and we do not present a risk to Unilever employees.
• Ensure that finished products and the materials used can be quickly and accurately traced to limit any potential consumer safety hazards.
• Lead and support quality activities that ensure that operational performance does not create safety or environmental concerns.
• Liaison with the Safety & Environment leaders on all quality defects potentially causing safety or environmental issues and Category Quality on issues across many countries.

QUALITY
• Ensure compliance with all relevant ISO 9001, Weights & Measures, Unilever guidelines and quality legislation, Activities include:
o Conducting audits.
o Implementing remedial/improvement activities utilising WCM methodology.
o Ownership of specific quality related documentation/ processes to support compliance with the IMS.

• Jointly lead Sourcing Unit response to complaints from Unilever MSOs/MCOs, consumers and 3PL providers by co-ordinating the packed product, packaging, process and operation investigations, in particular providing traces of finished good dispatches.
• Lead improvement programmes at SU based on operator and production line interaction with the product.
• Support the Quality leadership team in continuous improvement of quality performance across the site, fully embracing the principles of WCM.
• Help to promote a quality culture of pro-active management within the factory.
• Support the maintenance of the SAP QM module (inspection plans, data input etc.)
• Understand the interaction between line machinery and packaging materials.

CUSTOMER SERVICE
• Lead/Support the management of suspect substandard finished goods (packed stock) including the evaluation of fate of stock and arranging the rework, disposal, sale's route or SAP release.
• Lead/Support the management of Repack and Rework stock Quality (DHL)
• Support the Packing Quality Leader by providing a quick and effective decision making on material and packed stock issues to minimise the impact of quality non-conformance on the consumer, market, logistics and factory operation.
• Support activities related to the potential recall of finished goods from the market.

PEOPLE
• Provide support for the technicians to facilitate improvement in quality performance and enable cross-quality knowledge.
• Provide cover in the absence of Operational and Packaging Quality technicians.

TRAINING
• Carry out training in support of the Quality Programme (including packaging quality initiatives, packed stock and operator verifications).
• Support the process of ensuring compliance with these training requirements.

KEY REQUIREMENTS
• Act in a pro-active, flexible, logical and professional manner.
• Demonstrate strong team working.
• Adapt approach as necessary to deal with different groups
• Demonstrate strong Excel, SAP, WCM and analytical skills

HOW TO APPLY
Hear stories from our Unilever Makers and understand how you can start your own Unilever career at: http://www.unilever.co.uk/careers-jobs/professionals/.

Or to apply now, click on “Apply to this job”. All candidate applications are reviewed in accordance with the criteria outlined for the job role. Please note that the closing date for the receipt of applications is Thursday 9th March 2017.

Candidates who have applied online can track their application through the candidate tracking link or, if you have any additional queries, you may contact the Recruitment hotline number on 0800 0284390.