Portfolio Manager, Continuous Improvement - Americas - Scottsdale/Remote

Overview:

This position is responsible to identify, define, own, and implement master plan of improvement initiatives within APLL Americas operations network. This role monitors and provides direction to project resources (internal and external) to ensure successful implementation of process enhancements, best methods, and practices within APL Logistics Americas operations: CLS, CFS, DNS and LTS.

The Continuous Improvement Portfolio Manager applies the best form of process improvement (Lean or Six Sigma) to achieve desire business targets and goals.   This role is expected to manage multiple projects (portfolio of projects) simultaneously.

There is an expectation that a body of knowledge currently exists or will be obtained through training and practice in the person taking on the role.  The base knowledge consists of operations management, project management, communications management, scope management, resource management and change management. All areas that require planning and control in the execution of a supply chain strategy.

A portfolio tool must be kept updated and accurate to reflect the projects under this position’s leadership and guidance. This position has direct reports, and it is responsible for the performance and professional development and career guidance of those reports.  This position is also responsible to manage assigned project resources from other functional areas and vendors at local and regional level during the duration of a given project.   

 

Responsibilities:

This position is responsible for, but not limited to, the following:

• Translates key strategic questions into projects, identifying requirements and relevant stakeholder groups. Analyses business processes using gap analysis and/or PDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Act).
• Develops short- and long-term strategies. 
• Collaborates closely with local and global teams to define scope of work and requirements to create alignment on project goals and timelines.
• Leads and facilitates the development of Lean/ Six Sigma initiatives to achieve organizational and/or customer objectives.
• Identifies, charters, and executes organizational projects based on Lean/ Six Sigma methodology.
• Leads operations management continuous education programs. Collaborates with HR and Sr Management on the development and execution of training programs for operations management and end user teams.
• Leads change management supporting customer onboarding, new facility and/ or new solutions implementations.  Designs, leads, and facilitates training programs.
• Reviews, manages, and develops plans, schedules, and budgets for projects to improve existing processes.
• Establishes processes baselines and through applied methodology measures, monitors and tracks quantifiable metrics to demonstrate and validate realized improvements.
• Works closely with the IT and operations teams and collaborates with key stakeholders to ensure platforms, systems and applications are optimized to support the business needs.
• Monitors progress and establish trackable measurement standards to report out on progress.
• Provides mentorship, coaching and training to openly share guidance and technical expertise and ensuring that learning resources are widely available.
• Coaches, teaches, and mentors co-workers through implementation of lean principles, methodologies, and projects.
• Identifies best practices and lead standardization efforts across organization.
• Drives breakthrough performance and expectations through the network.
• Leads solutions to assigned tasks incorporating a proactive approach to problem solving.
• Ensures consistent application of methodology and standard work.
• Manages communications regarding project status- activities, cost, results.
• Drives culture of change through continuous improvement.
• Maintains a portfolio management tool that accurately reflects the projects being worked, the overall status of each, a high-level timeline, and who is leading

Key Results Areas:

• Update and accurate project portfolio representing all projects under responsibility.
• Project deliverables completed on time: CLS, CFS, DNS, LTS.  Target 100%
• Project completion under budget: CLS, CFS, DNS, LTS. Target 100%
• Quality of Product / Service being delivered through a project implementation: CLS, CFS, DNS, LTS. Target: 100%
• Develop, retain, and promote talent.
• Work with APLL existing project management tools and templates, maintain and enhance. 
• Develop new and cost-effective solutions through innovation and collaboration with other areas.
• Adhere to APLL POMs and guidelines for the onboarding of new customer and meet the financial indicators approved by corporate and regional head and local owner LOB. 
• Collaborate with other functional areas in the development of flexible, suitable, innovative, and cost-effective engineered solutions.
• Documented and agreed to project scope and controlled to prevent scope creep without financial protections.
• Delivery of customer supply chain strategies within agreed timelines, but accounting for changes agreed to through documented change management processes. 
• Risk management plans that reduce financial exposure through risk responses that are agreed to by APLL and customers.
• Cost control systems capturing planned cost and comparing against actual that predict outcome at the end of a project.

Qualifications:

• Successful leadership in executing continuous improvement / Lean / Six Sigma efforts and enabling efficiency, effectiveness resulting in demonstrable tangible financial benefit.
• Experienced designing, facilitating and leading operations change management programs: operations management and end user teams.
• Green Belt/Black Belt preferred.
• Must have thorough understanding of cycle time reduction, waste reduction, yield improvement, productivity, and throughput improvement in a manufacturing environment.
• Hands-on experience using Operational Excellence and Continuous Improvement methods (LEAN, TPM, Six Sigma).
• Proven leadership skills to coach and lead teams to fully deliver chartered objectives and projects.
• Must have excellent project management skills.
• Advanced problem-solving capabilities, attention to detail and numerical aptitude.
• Manager/Supervisor of direct reports experience desired.
• Distribution experience required.  Third-party logistics preferred.
• Demonstrated change management abilities.
• Bilingual: Spanish and English, a plus
• Detail-oriented, highly organized, with the ability to handle communications, reporting, status reports, issues logs, for multiple projects/ customers simultaneously. 
• Demonstrated ability to work in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment handling multiple projects simultaneously. 
• Ability to communicate and interact with all levels of management.
• Strong communication skills (Bilingual) to support weekly status call, steering committee meetings, customer presentations, etc. 
• Strong public speaking skills (Bilingual) to prepare and deliver oral presentations internally and with customer.

Requirements:

• Ability to work on operations environment, autonomously.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team. 
• Ability to travel within country and outside of the country to support meetings and/ or projects when required.
• The candidate must function in a fast-paced project environment, and lead and collaborate in the development of integrated solutions for existing operations as well as for new customers. 
• Excellent analytical, problem solving, conflict resolution, and decision-making skills. 
• Proficient process and analytical capabilities
• Able to identify and implement process design and re-engineering to achieve both incremental and transformational business impact.
• Able to break down information in a systematic and consumable manner.
• Successful at getting buy-in for your ideas with a demonstrated affinity for metrics.
• Respectful and influential.  Need to have the ability to push back when needed and can approach work rationally.
• Bias for action and work comfortably with ambiguity.
• Able to analyze information to find trends or diagnose problem areas.
• Passion for decomposing and defining workflows and processes.
• Eager to learn and utilize Agile and Lean principles of continuous improvement.
• Develop innovative solutions and collaborate with global counterparts and cross-functional teams to implement them.
• Strive to meet aggressive goals, and know when to reset expectations.

Candidates must be within 250 miles of an APL Logistics facility or office.

The typical starting salary range for this position is: $88,130 - $143,175.

The actual salary offer will take into account multiple factors including skills, experience, education and location. Please note that the salary details listed in role postings reflect the base salary only, not total compensation, which includes bonus and benefits.

Candidates are eligible for the following benefits: 
 
• PTO 
• 6 days sick time
• 9 paid holidays
• 1 paid "Personal Holiday"
• Company Bonus Plan
• 401(K) SAVE Plan
• Annual Fixed Contribution
• Medical, Dental, Vision, and Life & Disability coverage
• Voluntary Benefits
• Accident/Critical Illness/Hospital Indemnity Benefits
• Tuition reimbursement and student loan assistance
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Health Savings Account (HSA) with employer funding and wellness incentives
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
• Employee Referral Program

MAKING THE IMPOSSIBLE, POSSIBLE
APL Logistics provides innovative, global supply-chain solutions across Automotive, Consumer, Industrial and Retail markets. These solutions include Order Management, Distribution & Fulfillment, Customs Brokerage and Transportation products delivered across six regions. We also pioneered the use of visual data analysis and offer a robust Data Management and Analytics product suite to help you understand and solve complex problems that span systems and processes. Our brand was built alongside a culture of deep customer focus and attention, and we are known for providing flexible solutions to complex problems.  
AT THE HEART OF OUR OFFERING IS A GLOBAL, CROSS-FUNCTIONAL ABILITY TO MANAGE CUSTOMER ORDERS FROM ORIGIN ALL THE WAY TO FINAL DESTINATION VIA A NETWORK OF GLOBAL PROFESSIONALS.

EEO Statement for US-

The company is committed to and supports equal employment opportunity and affirmative action to all employees and applicants for employment. Equal employment opportunity means equal treatment of employees and applicants without regard to the following legally-protected characteristics: race, color, religion, creed, sex (gender identity), pregnancy (including childbirth and related medical conditions), sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, ancestry, age (40 and over), medical condition, genetic information (including characteristics and testing), veteran status, physical or mental disability status or any other legally-protected status.

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