Lean Sensei

Wabtec•Kansas City, MO

5h•$91,100 - $129,800•Onsite

About The Position

The Lean Sensei will report to the VP of Operational Excellence and will partner closely with the Lean Coach and collaborate with operations teams, local lean leaders, and cross-functional stakeholders across the Global Integrated Supply Chain. This includes working with site leadership, functional teams, and executive leaders to drive transformation initiatives and embed lean principles into daily operations. You will operate in a highly collaborative, global, and matrixed environment focused on continuous improvement and operational excellence. Once the transformation foothold has taken root in the Global Integrated Supply Chain, the transformation will transition to critical business processes and business. Initial focus will be on the Propulsion and rotating equipment space. As a member of the Global Integrated Supply Chain / Lean Transformation team, you will play a critical role in driving lean transformation across manufacturing, value streams, and broader business processes. You will lead efforts to improve speed, delivery, quality, and productivity while enhancing the overall customer experience. In this role, you will act as a change agent, coaching teams at all levels—including executives—on lean principles, problem solving, and policy deployment (Hoshin Kanri). You will help define and execute the lean vision, establish standards, and ensure sustainable improvements through training, coaching, and operational rigor.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree from an accredited university or college
Minimum of 10 additional years of experience leading teams in a lean transformation(s) where both lean leadership and change management up, across, and down through the organization was demonstrated.
Demonstrated a deep faith in Toyota Production System (TPS) principles of servant leadership, connecting to the customer(s), building capability from the worker performing standard work and through the organization, and problem solving with the customer and worker always top of mind.
Experience leading change in a complex, globally diverse matrixed organization
Ability to travel up to 75%

Nice To Haves

Deep faith in lean and its principles with a proven track record leading in a TPS type transformation and business operating system transformation…. much beyond a lean-six sigma tool type continuous improvement initiative. A lean zealot.
Strong oral and written communication skills, demonstrated interpersonal and leadership skills
Clear thinker, able to analyze and resolve complex problems
Demonstrated ability to lead programs / projects ensuring buy-in from key stakeholders in a matrix environment at all levels.
Established project management skills, experience documenting, planning, and stabilizing programs
Ability to work effectively across functions; extensive experience leading cross-functional or geographically dispersed teams, proven mentoring and coaching abilities, ability to motivate & inspire others

Responsibilities

Work with Lean Coaches and Site Leaders to create the lean vision and implement a strategy to improve the customer experience through improvements in cycle time, delivery, and ensure all other customer critical to quality areas are at the forefront of the strategy.
Act as a change agent responsible for delivering performance excellence through execution of lean initiatives and providing thoughtful coaching of the functional standard work and problem solving.
Support the functional teams in developing and executing lean plans to improve the customer experience areas and metrics.
Coach executives in lean methodology and principles, Hoshin Kanri (Strategy Deployment), problem solving, etc.
Support implementation of lean across global operations and the business including establishment of standards, metrics, employee training, kaizen workouts, change implementation, and after-action reviews.
Continuously evaluate operational best practices for inclusion in lean standards; develop training materials and programs to support and sustain standard operating procedures.
Support the OPs Leader in creating a “One Global Process” for alike products and processes.
Develop and improve the Business Operating System known as the Wabtec Management System such that it is recognizable and trusted source of business operating practices and processes.