Operational Excellence Specialist – Value Stream Operations

Zoetis•Kalamazoo, MI

23h

About The Position

Identify and manage opportunities for process improvement and support process improvement initiatives as part of the Value Stream Operations (VSO) Team. Provide Lean Six Sigma tools, as well as analytical skills and support in problem-solving applying DMAIC and Lean frameworks. Drive cost improvement initiatives for Value Stream Operations (VSO) in collaboration with multiple functional groups. Partner with the Director of Value Stream Operations to help develop, implement, and drive VSO strategy and strategic initiatives, ensuring alignment with business objectives. Develop and support dashboards and other data and digital tools to allow the business to make better decisions based on data. Conduct all activities and make decisions that are in accordance with Company policies, SOPs, Zoetis Core Beliefs, global regulatory guidelines (including cGMP/cGLP/cGCP), and environmental guidelines, as appropriate.

Requirements

Demonstrated ability to execute and achieve results across functional boundaries, without direct authority, and with minimal oversight.
Demonstrated ability to coach, develop, and mentor colleagues.
Demonstrated ability to lead, influence, and motivate colleagues to meet defined objectives.
Working knowledge of Excel, Minitab and Power BI.
Kaizen/Continuous Improvement Project facilitation.
Strong commitment to product quality, continuous improvement, and strong knowledge of Operational Excellence principles.
Strong technical/analytical skills and possess a high degree of personal motivation.
Strong oral and written communication skills; excellent interpersonal skills.
Strong commitment to customer service.
University degree in STEM field with > 4 years relevant experience.
Six-sigma Green Belt Certified.

Nice To Haves

Experience with Microsoft Power Apps and Power Automate a plus.
Experience in manufacturing plant operations, experimental design, and GLP or GMP is preferred.
Master of Science, MBA a plus.
Black Belt a plus.

Responsibilities

Lead and support operational excellence initiatives, focusing on continuous improvement and process optimization across value streams.
Collaborate cross-functionally with teams such as Supply Chain, Quality, and Finance to identify and resolve operational bottlenecks.
Support change management efforts to facilitate successful adoption of new processes and improvements.
Develop, monitor, and report on key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure the impact of operational excellence initiatives.
Provide training and mentorship to team members on Lean, Six Sigma, and other operational excellence methodologies.
Partner with the Director of Value Stream Operations to help develop, implement, and drive VSO strategy and strategic initiatives, ensuring alignment with business objectives.
Partner cross-functionally to lead or support projects pertaining to process improvements (cost, process performance, data analytics).
Implement plans and programs to gain and stabilize improvements from these projects.
Drive and coordinate Lean Six Sigma Mindsets & Behaviors training and workshops.
Coach others on Root Cause Analysis/Yellow Belt projects, 5S, Standard Work, Line Balancing, and Lean projects.
Conduct workshops (e.g., Lean, SMED) to identify and sponsor changes in layout and practices for changeover improvement.
Support Manufacturing/Process Team in the use of appropriate statistical methods in problem-solving and continuous improvement initiatives.
Support Manufacturing/Process Team in estimating the benefits of proposed improvements and conducting cost/benefit analyses.
Complete Green and/or Black Belt projects as assigned.
Deliver annual savings/cost avoidance of $150K+.
Work with Finance, Operations, Quality Operations, Supply Chain, Site Leadership, etc. to ensure proper values are assigned to cost improvement projects and that impact is realized through the budgeting process.