Lean Improver Expert

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Job Description:

Airbus Americas, Inc is looking for a Lean Improver Expert to join our team based in Mobile, AL.

The Lean Improver Expert contributes directly to the Airbus Industrial strategy by defining and deploying ways of working within operational teams with direct contact with key stakeholders. With a deep knowledge of lean principles and a proven shop-floor experience in Manufacturing, you will address systemic operational performance issues with piloted, standardized & sustainable solutions through the Airbus Operating System.

Meet the Team:

Our Engineers at the Airbus U.S. Manufacturing facility take our aircraft from concept to customer delivery – working with production teams on every aspect of assembly from managing technical information, quality control, maintenance tasks and health & safety – along flowlines and flightlines. Join our team and watch our aircraft come to life.

Your Working Environment:

On ‘Airbus Way’ you will find the Airbus U.S. Manufacturing Facility for commercial aircraft. Opened at the Mobile Aeroplex at Brookley in 2015, the facility produces A320 Family aircraft and added a second product line for the A220 in 2019. The facility, which strengthens the U.S. aerospace industry, is part of Airbus’ strategy to enhance its global competitiveness by meeting the growing needs of its customers in the United States and beyond.

How We Care for You:

• Financial Rewards: Competitive base salary, incentive compensation which may include profit sharing schemes, retirement savings plan and the ability to participate in an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (“ESOP”)

  
  
  

• Work/Life Balance: Paid time off including personal time, holidays and a generous paid parental leave program.

  
  
  

• Health & Welfare: Comprehensive insurance coverage including medical (traditional and high-deductible health plans), prescription, dental, vision, life, disability, Employee Assistance Plan (“EAP”) and other supplemental benefit coverages. 

  
  
  

• Individual Development: Upskilling and development opportunities through our global Leadership University, including unlimited access to 10,000+ e-learning courses focusing on ways to develop your employability, certifications, career path as well as the opportunity to participate in accelerated development programmes and both national and international mobility.

  
  
  

Your Challenges:

Deployment: 50%
• Contribute directly to the Airbus industrial strategy by defining and deploying ways of working within operational teams and influencing plant management teams (CDT, plant managers, HO functions)
• Improve business efficiency and results achievement by advising plant stakeholders at manager and senior manager level on business priorities and how to make the most of the standards,
methods and associated behaviors.
• Deployment of business improvement / transformation road maps, the jobholder will identify which Lean/AOS standards best match the manufacturing areas needs OR trigger new Lean/AOS standards definition.
• Pilot the lean/AOS standards first implementations in the plant/FAL following the AOS deployment strategy with a "we do, you do" logic.
• Set up and support governance and steering at all levels (with Senior Leadership Teams), securing a deployment roadmap (architecture, ensure roadmap content) and a consolidated AOS architecture
strategy
• Contribute to key projects with Lean/AOS skills & competencies in the frame on adhoc Top Management Requests (Head of Function, COO, CEO) to ensure project outcomes are delivering tangible benefits for the company and enabling sustainable and long term performance.
• Facilitate workshops on dedicated topics in complex situations or for training purposes (vision, Hoshin Kanri, macro VSM, business VSM, kaizen, etc.)
• Run and facilitate specific Gembas and shop floor exercises coaching senior management.
 

Development, Industrial Assessment and Diagnosis: 20%
• Support development of Lean/AOS standards to answer the business issues & priorities. As per AOS/Lean brick 6 phase methodology: Stake, Standard way of working, Pilot, Learning solution, Deployment plan and Assessment
• Assess standard implementation is at the right level through the implementation checklist
• Lead assessments of industrial maturity integrating operations performance & AOS standard adherence
• Lead industrial task forces: diagnosis, solution definition and implementation, results achievement
• Advise managers on how to improve performance by running specific AOS diagnosis (Macro-VSM, shop-floor observations, etc.)
 

Coaching, Influencing and Training: 30%
• Design and provide on-the-job coaching of the AOS deployment architecture strategy with operational and local teams
• Design strategies for coaching, mentoring & training in regards to change management, Lean and AOS standards/tools
• Provide knowledge transfer in dedicated manufacturing areas/populations to local plant/FAL teams (from business managers to change agents)
• Growing the knowledge and autonomy of business managers and change agents by supporting the implementation of AOS/Lean standards & continuous improvement solutions in manufacturing
areas.
• Facilitate / co-lead / support training development and deployment
• Identify and escalate competence gaps to top management
• Promoting the use of internal good practices and external benchmarking by acting transversally with the extended manufacturing communities

Your Boarding Pass:
• Bachelor's degree in Manufacturing or Industrial Engineering or equivalent work experience

• 8+ years in lean/continuous improvement projects demonstrating tangible & sustainable results
• Solid knowledge and understanding of manufacturing processes, production management and industrialization principles.
• Experienced in project management, including multi-functional teams and financial aspects
• Able to demonstrate operational experience in the implementation and optimization of industrial systems (conception phase, implementation, management of production processes)
• Good communication skills, active listening and a proactive approach to problem solving & decision making
• Proven coaching / training competencies, Leadership, Assertiveness to influence and challenge the status quo

• Ability and experience to train managers, technicians and operators
• Deep knowledge and experience of AOS / lean manufacturing and lean management / problem solving
• Good knowledge and experience in industrial engineering, quality tools, problem solving, logistics engineering and process optimization (APICS basic level, lean/Six Sigma Black Belt, Kepner Tregoe or equivalent)
• Experience in leading lean manufacturing workshops such as kaizen, VSM, SMED, 5S, etc. -
• Experience in operations management within a best-in-class lean environment
• Coaching skills and experience with communication competences
• Ability to inspire and give meaning
• Aeronautical manufacturing basics
• Capability to design strategies for change management, coaching, mentoring and training
• Fluency in local language mandatory / English negotiation level

Preferred:
• APICS basic level, Six Sigma/Lean Black Belt, Kepner Tregoe or equivalent preferred

Travel Required
• 10% Domestic and International
 

Citizenship

• Authorized to Work in the US without Sponsorship

  
  
  

Physical Requirements:
• Vision: adequate to enter and read material on computer screens. Able to identify individuals to initiate greetings, the giving of directions and other business interactions
• Hearing: able to hear sufficiently to engage in conversation in office settings Able to hear safety alerts and warning signals.
• Speaking: able to engage in conversations in person and via electronic means and deliver information to groups of varying size with or without amplification.
• Equipment Operation Able to operate a wide range of personal and office electronic equipment.
• Carrying: able to occasionally carry up to 30lbs/14kg while engaging in training, addressing production issues or as part of continuous improvement projects.
• Lifting: able to occasionally lift up to 30lbs/14kg.
• Pushing/Pulling: able to push/pull items in office areas.
• Sitting: able to sit for extended periods of time at the computer and in meetings.
• Squatting/Kneeling: able to occasionally squat or kneel to retrieve or replace items shelved on bottom shelves.
• Standing: able to stand for extended periods of time.
• Travel: able to travel overseas and domestically sometimes for extended periods of time. Working outside hangers in changing locations.
• Walking: able to walk through office and production areas, around flightline and airstrips and sometimes on uneven indoor and/or outdoor surfaces.

A full job description will be provided to candidates who progress to the interview stage or any candidate upon request.

This job requires an awareness of any potential compliance risks and a commitment to act with integrity, as the foundation for the Company’s success, reputation and sustainable growth.

Company:

Airbus Americas, Inc.

Employment Type:

US - Direct Hire

Experience Level:

Professional

Remote Type:

On-site

Job Family:

Improvement & Performance Management <JF-BI-IP>

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Airbus provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, genetics, pregnancy, marital status, veteran status or other legally protected status. In addition to federal law requirements, Airbus complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, demotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, benefits and training. Airbus expressly prohibits any form of workplace harassment based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, genetics, pregnancy, marital status, veteran status or other legally protected status. As a matter of policy, Airbus does not sponsor visas for US positions unless specified. Only applicants with current work authorization will be considered. Airbus does not offer tenured or guaranteed employment. Employment with Airbus is at will, meaning either the company or the employee can terminate the employment relationship at any time, with or without cause, with or without notice. Airbus reserves the right to revise or change job duties and responsibilities as the need arises. This position description does not constitute a written or implied contract of employment.

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Airbus is, and always has been, committed to equal opportunities for all. As such, we will never ask for any type of monetary exchange in the frame of a recruitment process. Any impersonation of Airbus to do so should be reported to [email protected].