Continuous Improvement Manager

**Position Purpose**:
Safety is a priority; expectations for this role is to lead or assist with safety incident management and/or routine EHS tasks and/or inspections when the EH&S Manager is not on-site.

**Key Activities**:
**Be the champion for Daily Visual Management (DVM) in the facility in the context of GATX’s “SQDC” management framework. Support/coach/lead DVM efforts across all work centers and all levels within the facility and ensure deep understanding and full adoption of SQDC.**

**Lead Kaizen/Blitz activities to drive change with sustainable results**:

- Analyze data, identify and scope improvement opportunities
- Acquire cross-functional involvement
- Develop ownership for results
- Responsible for establishing baseline and tracking/reporting realized improvement Ensure improvements are sustained

**Lead projects supporting strategic initiatives for the facility, as identified through goal deployment**:

- 5S implementation and sustainment through audits
- Development and implementation of site-specific and network-wide Standard Work Instructions (SWIs)
- Support facility capital projects

**Educate in the pursuit of creating a problem-solving culture in order to achieve goals within the Operations organization**:

- Plan and conduct problem-solving sessions and workshops
- Facilitate and empower teams to engage in local problem-solving Teach others to lead their own Kaizen events, and initiate rapid change at all levels within the facility

**Interaction**:
The Continuous Improvement Manager interacts primarily with department managers, service center managers and shop floor personnel. Through these interactions, the person in this position embodies the Lean tenet of “Go See, Ask Why, Show Respect,” in order to gain the trust of colleagues and effectively lead positive change. The incumbent must also be able to prepare, present, and defend recommendations and decisions to project sponsors and senior management.

**Education and/or Experience required (including certifications)**:

- Bachelor’s degree in Operations Management, Industrial Engineering, business or other relevant discipline required.
- Minimum of 5 years’ experience in an analytical role or facility management, preferably in Maintenance, Repair, Operations (MRO) or heavy industrial environment.
- Lean Six Sigma Green Belt or higher certification preferred.
- Strong direct experience in driving site-wide/multi-site transformation initiatives.
- Adept in the use of Value Stream Mapping (VSM) and other Lean Manufacturing tools Kanban System / Pull System, 5S, Total Productive Maintenance, Kaizen, U-cells, Continuous Flow, and Warehouse Inventory Optimization.
- Strong cross-functional (HR, Procurement, Commercial, Operations, Engineering) and cross industry (automotive, service, rail transportation, shared services, manufacturing) experience.
- Experience in the use of Process Mining Tool: Celonis, to analyze complex process issues.
- Experience in use and development of PowerBI dashboard.
- Proven experience influencing and persuading without having direct authority.
- Experience in a highly regulated environment.
- Strong knowledge of quality systems/standards, CAPA process, Audit, SPC, FMEA, Control Plan, and Process Capability.
- Adept in Management of Change in a matrix and multi-site environment.
- Ability to create programs, using programming languages, e.g., R, for machine learning is a plus.
- Project Management certification and experience is a plus.

**Key Competencies (non-technical behavioral skills, i.e., presentation, negotiation, customer service skills), in priority order**:

- Foster a respectful and inclusive work environment
- Interpersonal savvy in change management and conflict resolution
- Analytical skills and strong problem-solving skills
- Coaching
- Influencing and persuading without having direct authority
- Excellent verbal and written communication
- Systems thinker Strong cross-cultural collaboration skills through extensive experience working with diverse nationalities across multiple countries

**Other (i.e., physical requirements, travel, etc. that is not covered above)**:
Travel requirements vary with assignments, 5-10% of the time across N. America

**NOTE**: The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this job. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required of personnel so classified.