Director of Operations/Continuous Improvement at Professional Placement Services

PPS is seeking a well-organized and motivated Director of Operations and Continuous Improvement for our state-of-the-art industrial machinery manufacturing facilities.
The position is based out of our Phoenix, AZ facility and will lead daily operations as well as the continuous improvement program at our manufacturing facilities in Phoenix and Nogales, Sonora. You will drive operational improvements through efficiencies in manufacturing operations, streamline the flow of product and warehouse operations, and organize manufacturing operations and our warehouse.   

Responsibilities:  

• Drive a culture of accountability and results through effective performance management.
• Achieve world class on-time delivery and quality performance to our customer base.
• Support the development, implementation, and evaluation of successful cost reduction plans that drive aggressive business results.
• Ensure planned key performance indicators such as revenue, gross margin, Defective Parts per Million (DPPM) and On-time Delivery (OTD) are met or exceeded.
• Actively participate in the New Product Introduction (NPI) process until product is production ready by ensuring new processes are implemented.
• Utilize data, best practices, and prior Lean deployment experience to identify performance gaps; work with department leaders to develop and execute improvement plans
• Facilitate impactful improvements through utilization of continuous improvement tools, Kaizen funnel processes, and systems to ensure better safety, quality, efficiency, cost, delivery, waste reduction, and morale improvement.
• Utilize a structured problem-solving approach to analyze current conditions, identify improvement opportunities, and deploy appropriate Lean tools to resolve.
• Lead and coach Kaizen events through hands-on participation.
• Train teams throughout the facilities in CI concepts and philosophy, both formally and informally.
• Oversee the recruitment, hiring, training and evaluation of manufacturing employees with special focus on leadership.
• Ensure a healthy and safe working environment, and compliance with federal and state regulations.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Year 1 Objectives:

• Lead Value Stream transformations at key sites with execution of Kaizen events.
• Build knowledge and buy-in across the enterprise through collaboration and wins.
• Assisting with the implementation of cascading scorecards and operating rhythms across manufacturing and distribution.
• Cover first year costs of Lean through measurable improvements.

The Ideal Candidate Will Possess:

• A Bachelor’s Degree in a technical discipline, preferably Engineering. (Relevant experience will be considered in place of a degree.)
• At least five years of experience in industrial management required.
• Deep understanding of Lean principles such as Value Stream Mapping, Just-In-Time, Single Piece Flow, Five S’s, Visual Management, Kaizen, Statistical Problem Solving, LEAN tools, or similar.
• Demonstrated success leading Kaizen events within a manufacturing environment.
• Proven ability to plan and manage operational processes for maximum efficiency and productivity.
• Strong working knowledge of data analysis and performance metrics, using business management software (ex: ERP, etc.)
• Able to travel up to weekly between our Phoenix and Nogales, Sonora facilities.
• Preference for bilingual (English and Spanish) candidates.