Continuous Improvement Engineer

Continuous Improvement Engineer

They are looking for a Continuous Improvement Engineer to join their team in Winfield, KS. The role will be utilizing Lean process improvement methods, will reduce costs, and increase plant efficiency in direct support of the Gross Productivity program at Newell. This is accomplished within the framework of a developing and ongoing implementation of Manufacturing PEAK (Newell’s LEAN program) initiatives with a specific emphasis on meeting Gross Productivity targets.

Responsibilities:

• Leading and facilitating cross-functional teams in manufacturing to optimize labor and materials to achieve the lowest overall cost. Lead, coordinate, and facilitate process improvements aligned with the PEAK program and business goals.
• Ability to Identify, Develop, and lead programs that address not only a “Gap from Standard” but a “New Target Condition” relative to today
• Execute data-driven Manufacturing Process optimization with a focus on the reduction of today’s labor dependencies.
• Co-develop Continuous Improvement plans to address LEAN and Gross Productivity objectives
• Substantial contribution to annual total CI Goal of 5% Gross Productivity improvement.
• Lead ongoing multiple team Kaizen/ 6S events focusing on bottom line productivity savings.
• Review and improve upon repetitive work processes.
• 50% of the engineer’s time is spent in the manufacturing environment evaluating and implementing improvements.
• Change agent to area leaders and team members, empowering employees through positive reinforcement in a team-oriented continuous improvement environment.
• Lead area leaders and team members through LEAN/PEAK events, identifying waste and inefficiencies.
• Communicate the status of all LEAN/productivity efforts to plant and corporate management. Documentation of issues, measurement, analysis, savings results, and benefits of achievements to be communicated regularly.
• "Best practice" method and idea sharing are expected of local management as well as to peers at other sites.
• The position works with all operating disciplines.
• Requires a hands-on approach driven by results.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering, Electrical, Manufacturing, or Mechanical Engineering preferred.
• Proven track record of successful leadership of manufacturing CI projects, proven track record of execution with appropriate tools within a LEAN environment
• Ability to lead Continuous Improvement events/projects.
• Experience with statistical data analysis required for CI and LEAN / PEAK
• Experience with Plant/Facility design/layout software.
• Adept with plant costing and financial measurements.
• Comfortable presenting to differing management levels
• Willing and able to flex schedule to support all shifts.
• Willing to share, lead efforts of smaller domestic plants to be identified in Newell’s Commercial business
• MS Office software skills including Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and statistical software such as Minitab or equivalent.
• Able to work with minimal supervision in a matrix organization
• High energy, self-motivated, enthusiastic, and well organized.

Good to have:

• Six Sigma Green Belt Certified.
• 3-5 years of Lean Manufacturing experience.
• 5+ years of manufacturing experience.
• Demonstrated ability to not only use but instruct in the proper use of Lean Principles such as DMAIC, SPC, Cpk, GR&R, Control Plans, DOE, Value Stream Mapping, 5S, Visual Factory, TPM, Kaizen, JIT, Demand Flow, Single Piece Flow, SMED as well as others.
• Exposure to investment and transition from manual to Automated assembly processes is a plus.
• Use of computer-aided design and drafting.