SUMMARY
As a Sr. Continuous Improvement Leader at Wilson Tool, you must be committed to upholding the values, policies, and standards of the company. He/she must first and foremost be an effective leader of people: an effective communicator, positive coach, and motivator, and capable of building a high-performance team of employees.
This position will deliver Shingo model training and actions throughout the facility while serving as a subject matter expert on Shingo and will lead and grow a culture of operational excellence with all activities at this facility while establishing enterprise-wide minimum standards for implementation and assessment of Shingo principles.  The Sr. Continuous Improvement Leader will facilitate continuous improvement projects focused on quality improvements, on-time delivery, inventory and cost reductions and process performance improvements aligned towards enterprise goals and results while adhering to the Shingo guiding principles including respect for individual and leading with humility.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Facilitate enterprise strategic planning sessions, with the support and help of sr. leadership team, to establish one to three year’s road map of actions to meet annual corporate goals.

• This role will be given the ability to hold president, directors, and departments accountable to the agreed upon road map and necessary actions to be executed each year including ensuring a culture of respect for individuals and leading with humility.
• To the best of our ability, resources, and support to be given to help departments carry out our all agreed upon actions.
• Facilitates Shingo model projects focused on Continuous Improvement, cost reductions, and process performance improvements. 
• Maintain Shingo implementation schedules for assigned projects, progress updates as required and provide documentation that demonstrates the direct link between Shingo implementation and process and plant operations improvements. 
• Provide Shingo training and coaching at all levels of the White Bear Lake Plant. 
• Provide assessment of implementation and recommendations for all entities. 
• Participate in and lead teams aimed at the resolution of quality issues and concerns. 
• Support production control, material control, material planning departments in improvement projects relating to scheduling inventory management and raw material flow and tracking. 
• Support prototype and pilot runs to address design and process feasibility concerns from a departmental aspect. 
• Interface with engineering on projects addressing staffing, manpower, time and capacity analysis. 
• Generate, provide, and participate in department specific training needs. 
• Calculate cost reductions and/or various analysis to determine optimal problem-solving methods. 
• Team with the Operations Director(s) to document savings and profit results of continuous improvement activities. 
• Accountable for tracking all CI Projects and reporting progress to plant staff. 
• Complete time studies to develop production standards for products. 
• Assist in monitoring department equipment (OEE) and interface with the Maintenance department to identify maintenance, repair and TPM. 
• Works with process owner to develop value stream maps for each process and each value stream family within the facility. 
• Utilizes the concepts of continuous improvement and cost reduction in the execution of the job function. 
• Employee education and training in lean/CI techniques.
• Kaizen Events:
  • Perform necessary pre-work and follow-up to ensure effective Kaizen events.
  • Act as a team lead for Kaizen events.
  • Provide lean development training as necessary for employees.
  • Work with area sponsors to ensure sustainment is achieved for all Kaizen events.
  • Provide input to the planning of future Kaizen events.
• Train employees in lean terminology and techniques.
• Mentor and develop Lean practitioners/specialists throughout the company.
• As a leader within the company, strive towards earning the respect of all employees and actively support and encourage employee development.
• Be a model of company values. Promote, communicate and encourage positive company values throughout the organization.
• Foster strong communication within all departments.
• Coordinate and supervise projects.
• Maintain a good understanding of overall company operations.
• Other duties as assigned by management.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• 4+ years of related experience in either Materials, Operations, Quality or similar role in a manufacturing environment or related field.
• Continuous improvement experience with demonstrated safety, quality, and cost impact. 
• Experience with Kaizen events and preferably leading said events 
• Implementation experience in Shingo Principles, Lean, Continuous Improvement or Process Improvement with demonstrated results 
• Strong understanding of financial analysis for business impact 
• Experience with data/statistical analysis (excel, access, graph/chart building, etc.) 
• Extensive background with manufacturing environment and processes.
• Must have leadership skills and the ability to mentor, coach, inspire and create a successful work environment.  Must also have strong interpersonal and team-building skills.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills (verbal and written) and the ability to communicate effectively and interact with all levels of the organization.
• Ability to motivate and create and maintain a positive work environment.

PREFERRED EXPERIENCE

• Experience with process optimization, including but not limited to value stream mapping and layout design 
• Knowledge of project leadership and execution, including training team members on improvements 
• Working towards Black Belt or Master Black Belt certification 
• Green Belt certified 
• Thorough understanding of cycle time reduction, waste reduction, yield improvement, productivity and throughput improvement 
• Experience with manufacturing engineering is strongly preferred 
• Degree in Mechanical, Industrial, or Manufacturing Engineering or equivalent preferred but not required.

ATTRIBUTES

• Adaptability: Ability to adapt to changing work priorities and environments, demonstrating flexibility and willingness to take on different tasks as directed by the hiring manager.
• Communication Skills: Effective verbal and written communication skills, enabling clear and concise communication with team members and supervisors.
• Safety Consciousness: Commitment to adhering to safety protocols and procedures, ensuring a safe working environment for oneself and others.

• Desire for Learning & Continuous Improvement: Eagerness to learn and develop new skills, with a willingness to participate in training programs and pursue continuous improvement opportunities within the role. Actively seek opportunities to improve efficiency and productivity within assigned tasks, suggesting ideas for process enhancements or workflow optimization.
• Reliability: Dependability in fulfilling assigned tasks and responsibilities consistently, contributing to the overall efficiency and effectiveness of the team.
• Positive Attitude: A constructive and optimistic approach to challenges and tasks, fostering a supportive and encouraging work environment.
• Team Player: Ability to collaborate effectively with colleagues, demonstrating respect, empathy, and cooperation in achieving shared goals.
• Problem-Solving Skills: Capacity to approach issues or obstacles with creativity and resourcefulness, seeking practical solutions to improve processes and outcomes.
• Professionalism: Conducting oneself with professionalism and integrity, adhering to ethical standards and company policies in all interactions and activities.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS
The physical demands and work environment are representative of those that must be met by the employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the job. In addition to continuous sitting and working on a computer, the role may involve continuous reaching forward between shoulder/waist, bending/twisting/rotating, and simple grasping and writing. Occasional exposure to an indoor manufacturing environment, chemicals, and/or fumes may occur. The ability to stand and walk frequently and occasionally lift and carry up to 25 lbs. is required.


WORK ENVIRONMENT
Inside, Office and some manufacturing floor.

MACHINES, TOOLS, EQUIPMENT, AND WORK AIDS 
Working knowledge of manufacturing machines and inspection equipment.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
Wilson Tool is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer Women, minorities, individuals with disabilities, and veterans are encouraged to apply.

This job description is not an employment agreement or contract. Management has the exclusive right to alter this job description at any time without notice.
Compensation: $92,202k - $138,304k DOE
 

Equal Opportunity Employer:

Wilson Tool is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. Women, minorities, individuals with disabilities, and veterans are encouraged to apply. For more information about equal employment opportunities, please review the EEO is the Law poster [Link: http://www1.eeoc.gov/employers/upload/eeoc_self_print_poster.pdf].
 

www.wilsontool.com/careers