LOCATION: Chicago, IL preferred (HQ) or Remote with Travel

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Vice President of Lean Transformation is responsible for accelerating operational and financial performance through the development and deployment of Continuous Improvement strategies and tools. They will coach and collaborate with plant- and division-level leadership across twenty-eight (28) sites to drive Lean culture through the business, with a focus on problem solving and demonstration of company core values. The right candidate will act as a catalyst for change where Lean transformation progress is in its infancy, or in newly acquired facilities needed a jumpstart on building lean capability and continuous improvement culture.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES:

·       Developing and evolving a comprehensive Lean business operating system strategy utilizing CI tools and methodologies to achieve financial objectives

·       Developing Lean Transformation Roadmap, prioritized actions and implementation plan from corporate strategic vision and annual operating plans.

·       Driving Lean transformation in challenging locations including manufacturing sites or distribution centers where rollout is in early days of deployment or needs a catalyst for change, assisting with Lean deployment in newly acquired businesses

·       Coaching Divisional and Site Leadership in Strategy Deployment and building CI culture within their areas of responsibility.  Developing clear KPIs and targets to measure the effectiveness of Lean initiatives.

·       Exemplifying and promoting the culture of Continuous Improvement when collaborating cross-functionally at all levels from executive teams to shop floor.

·       Coaching a team-oriented problem-solving approach to analyze current conditions, diagnose problems, and make improvements

·       Supporting the business to achieve strategic deployment objectives by conducting workshops, Kaizen events, and providing guidance through the Lean transformation process  

·       Training teammates, peers, and executive leadership on Lean methodologies, both formalized in training sessions and stop-and-teach at Gemba

·       Identifying, coaching, and mentoring future Lean talent to support professional advancement

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

·       Bachelor’s Degree in related field; MBA preferred

·       Minimum 10-15 years of experience in leadership roles including Continuous Improvement, Operations Leadership, and General Management

·       Previous experience assessing lean capabilities and rolling out Lean/CI in newly acquired businesses.

·       Proven experience utilizing and deploying Lean tools including Strategy Deployment, Value Stream Mapping, KPI development, Transactional Process Improvement, 6S, Standard Work, FMEA, Problem Solving, Kanban, Visual Daily Management, 80/20, etc.

·       Global or multi-site management experience preferred, with a focus on manufacturing and distribution operations

·       Microsoft Office proficiency; general computer skills

·       Strong written and verbal communication skills including the ability to engage with all levels of the organization; training of peers and executives

Lean Focus LLC is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, sexual orientation, disability, or protected Veteran status.

COMPANY DESCRIPTION:

At Lean Focus, we help businesses overcome their biggest challenges by transforming them for the better, and for the long-term. A "who's who" of global leaders in every industry, our clients include some of the world's most respected brands and several members of the Fortune 1000.