Job Purpose

The Quality Control & Continuous Improvement Supervisor role is responsible for championing, developing, and sustaining a culture of continuous improvement (CI) and knowledge about related methodologies/ activities (Lean, Six Sigma, ALPS) across all areas of the site with a strong focus on manufacturing and operations. The end purpose is to improve the real result key performance indicators (Safety, OTIF, cost, material efficiency, quality, and inventories) of the site. The CI specialist is actively involved in setting up and establishing a support structure to develop CI capabilities and mindset with guidance from central ISC - thus acting as an agent for culture change. This role personifies the Lean Six Sigma (L6S) capabilities and way of solving problems, making decisions, and setting standards.
Maintain and improve product quality by completing product, company, system, compliance, and surveillance audits; investigate customer complaints; collaborating with other members of management to establish improvement actions and preventative measures.

Key Responsibilities

Build Organizational Capabilities:

• Develop and expand local capabilities in applying continuous improvement tools and methods (Lean, Six Sigma) and promote a structured problem-solving approach. Inject passion for this activity by providing a vision and direction for the future development and performance of the site/
• Deploy and sustain the ALPS manufacturing program including a coaching support structure to drive CI initiatives and ensure sustainability of improvements.
• Coach Advanced and Lead Practitioners and local staff/MT on site and give reinforcement training on selected topics.
• Manage the monitoring, measurement, and review of internal processes especially those that affect the quality of our products and services, working cross-functionally to facilitate and develop proactive improvement plans.

Site Performance:

• Support and challenge the workforce and local MT in direction setting, prioritization (timing, resources, and sequence of actions), and implementation of improvement activities to best achieve the targets for the key performance indicators of the yearly site improvement plan. This includes the organizational and strategic deployment throughout the site.
• Review the ALPS operating framework (goals & targets, KPIs, operating processes, people) to ensure compliance with corporate and BA requirements and highlight to the site management team areas of concern to agree on corrective actions.
• Monitor and advise on the performance of the quality management system, producing data and reporting on performance, measuring against set standards.
• Respond to customer complaints and quality issues facilitating cross-functional teams and take the lead in facilitating their management, ensuring representation from key functions, ensuring adequate containment actions are carried out, leading root cause analysis and development and implementation of both short and long-term improvement actions as well as overseeing product recalls and withdrawals in a timely fashion.

Improvement Portfolio Management:

• Identify, validate, initiate, and drive new improvement opportunities and promote the passion for excellence and delivering on commitments values
• Manage the improvement project funnel including scoping, project assignment, resource planning, tracking of progress and benefits, and controlling sustainability of outcomes
• Run own improvement projects delivering value to the organization
• Represent customer needs to Supply Chain and R&D, instigating and implementing efficiencies and improvements to enhance customer experience.

ALPS Deployment:

• Lead/ support the local ALPS implementation and build-up of required capabilities and ensure ALPS full and successful implementation and practical application on a daily basis
• Network within the AkzoNobel CI community and share insights, problems, and opportunities to promote improved performance and problem-solving across the company as well as encourage others to do the same

Job Requirements

• 3-5 years of relevant work experience (operations, production, maintenance, logistics, (process) engineering, continuous improvement, etc.)
• Bachelor’s degree preferred (related to technical, business, or engineering).
• Proven Experience in continuous improvement methodologies such as Lean, Six Sigma, TPM
• Confident and experienced in coaching others
• Prior line management or team leader experience
  • knows how to use the skills and knowledge of the team to design and implement solutions

Total Compensation

• The salary range for these skills is: $65,000 to 75,000 + a 5% annual bonus
• Medical insurance with HSA
• Dental, Vision, Life, AD&D benefits
• 401K retirement savings with a 6% company match
• Generous vacation, sick, and holiday pay
• Paid Parental leave.
• Hybrid work for most exempt roles
• Active Diversity & Inclusion Networks
• Career growth opportunities on a regional and global scale
• Tuition Reimbursement