Continuous Improvement Manager - Lean Manufacturing

With over 80 years as an industrial technology leader, Kennametal Inc. delivers productivity to customers through materials science, tooling and wear-resistant solutions. Customers across aerospace, earthworks, energy, general engineering and transportation turn to Kennametal to help them manufacture with precision and efficiency. Every day approximately 8,700 employees are helping customers in more than 60 countries stay competitive. Kennametal generated $2 billion in revenues in fiscal 2022. Learn more at www.kennametal.com. Follow @Kennametal: Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube.

Continuous Improvement Manager - Lean Manufacturing

Location - Position can be based either in Huntsville, AL or Rogers, AR.

Job Summary

The Continuous Improvement Manager is responsible for leading and implementing continuous improvement initiatives at multiple production facilities. They analyze existing processes, identify areas for improvement, and lead kaizen activities to optimize operations and increase efficiency. They will collaborate with plant management to drive alignment, gain support, train personnel and implement improvement initiatives and build lean culture.

Lean COMPETENCES

• Organize training for 5S, Product respect, TPM, SMED, Hoshin, STOP SCRAP, VSA, Kanban, Continuous flow, and lean industrialization in accordance with Plant / Multi - Site priorities.
• Assess whether the lean standards are applied properly.
• Permanently promote the Lean principles.
• Organize daily meetings with the internal Lean network.
• Perform annual professional competencies appraisal.
• Validate the annual appraisal of Lean engineer/technician/analyst, if any.
  
  

Lean STRATEGIES

• Challenge the Lean design concept & the systematic lean investment approach in each phase.
• Help the Site / Plant Manager to keep a continuous improvement mindset, behavior & policy whatever the operational situation.
• Support the internal physical flows of the Site / Plant Manager for the VSM master plan and propose the yearly workshops list.
• Ensure Lean deployment (KOS, standards, workshops, and Global lean initiatives) in all production and Logistics departments.
  
  

Lean GEMBA ACTIVITIES

• Do OJT to coach APU Lean engineers/technicians & Site / Plant members on the application of Lean tools and methodologies.
• Permanently help production Managers to detect and react to non-conformances against Lean standards.
• Lead permanent workshops.
• Lead pilot workshops for new Lean methodology for the site.
• Ensure the management of the maintenance of Lean tools through appropriate audits.
• Prepare & organize the weekly Site / Plant Lean committee, including agenda proposal, led by the Site / Plant Manager, review kaizen workshops, and write the minute.
  
  

Global Lean and Region Lean CONTRIBUTION

• Accelerate Plant / Site progress through production & Supply Chain best practices sharing and deployment of best practices from outside the Site / Plant.
  
  

Lean RESULTS

• Prepare the Site / Plant budget concerning Lean targets.
• Support Lean engineers/technician/analyst competence development and workshop pilots on results achievement and associated action plan.
• Manage the building of the tools to daily monitor the results.
• Ensure lean reporting and KOS metrics are correct.
  
  

Core Skills And Qualifications

Experience with the following methodologies and practices: FMEA, Kaizen, Lean Tools, 5S, Visual Factory Aids, SMED concepts, VSM, VOC and Poke Yoke

Knowledge And Practice Experience Of The Following Tools

• 5S & Zoning, visual management.
• Standard work and cycle time measurement.
• Muda Hunting.
• Pull flow/ Kanban.
• SMED.
• TPM.
• VSM.
  
  

Qualifications

• Education: Bachelors or above, but experience may be used in lieu of education.
• Minimum of 5 years manufacturing experience in leadership role.
  
  

Travel: Up to 25%

Kennametal Inc. is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. As such, it is the policy of Kennametal Inc. to afford equal employment opportunity without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, handicap, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, citizenship status, veteran status, or other protected status, group, or characteristic under federal, state, and/or local law or regulation. It is Kennametal Inc.'s policy to comply with all applicable laws and regulations.