Continuous Improvement Specialist

Lincoln Electric is the world leader in the engineering, design, and manufacturing of advanced arc welding solutions, automated joining, assembly and cutting systems, plasma and oxy-fuel cutting equipment, and has a leading global position in brazing and soldering alloys. Lincoln is recognized as the Welding Expert™ for its leading materials science, software development, automation engineering, and application expertise, which advance customers' fabrication capabilities to help them build a better world. Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, Lincoln Electric is a $4.2B publicly traded company (NASDAQ:LECO) with over 11,000 employees around the world, with operations in 71 manufacturing and automation system integration locations across 21 countries and maintains a worldwide network of distributors and sales offices serving customers in over 160 countries.

 Location: Euclid - 22801 - Cleveland, OH, United States (US)
Employment Status: Salary Full-Time
Function: Engineering
Req ID: 25285 

PURPOSE: This position consists of coordinating and analyzing compliance with strategic and tactical roadmaps developed by senior management. Successful candidate will engage project-based initiatives and drive these projects to completion, along with delivering continuous improvement training and activities throughout the organization. This includes responsibility for supporting the promotion and adoption of Continuous Improvement initiatives and serving as a Subject Matter Expert. The Continuous Improvement Specialist shall be a self-directed leader with exceptional organizational skills tasked with the integration of a continuous improvement culture into the Lincoln Electric Company. This will be done by creating a teaching and mentoring environment with a focus on problem solving to drive improvements in the organization’s safety, quality, operational performance, customer satisfaction, and overall financial health of the company.

JOB DESCRIPTION (DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES):

• Leverage/benchmark best practices and drive consistence implementation across the organization.
• Drive measurable improvements in process flow by identifying opportunities to remove waste, simplify processes, while driving optimization and cost efficiencies.
• Function as a resource for continuous improvement methodologies, through the facilitation and use of Lean tools, techniques, and methodologies in all levels and aspects of the business.
• Prepare and manage follow-up activities ensuring sustainment.
• Guide and challenge cross-functional teams in development and execution continuous improvement activities to reduce cycle time, inventory, and waste while improving process performance, quality, cost, and standardizing the processes.
• Leads in the development of methods and better practices to reduce process variation and supports in the development of new processes and products.
• Facilitate and communicate all supervised activities to all levels of the organization.
• Evaluate and recommend refinement to the effectiveness of overall business management systems, continuous improvement infrastructures, and management processes to implement the long-term strategic goals of the company.
• Interact with colleagues, functional leaders, and other departments to ensure that strategic objectives are considered in ongoing projects to achieve identified goals.
• Ensure continuous improvement training, tools, better practices, and resources are available to associates at all levels and are being utilized appropriately and effectively.
• Provide appropriate monthly reporting on continuous improvement initiatives and metrics.
• Ability to challenge status quo and comfortable with managing ambiguity.
• Assumes additional responsibilities as needed or directed in support of the company’s strategic plan.

BASIC REQUIREMENTS:

• Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering, Sciences (i.e. Physics. Etc.). Operations Management or equivalent degree required.
• Minimum of 3 years of Operations experience which includes a background with designing, building, and deploying processes that drive Continuous Improvement practices, quality improvements, process optimization, waste elimination, and cost reduction.
• Prior experience in continuous improvement methods, strategic and tactical management, successful project management, and the ability to have fun while deploying culture changing tools.
• Prior work experience in different operational roles to ensure the successful candidate sees linkages between functions, impact of decisions downstream, and how multiple functions work within a value stream.
• Strong interpersonal skills in listening, consensus building, presenting, training, and facilitation.
• Ability to communicate diplomatically, to motivate and inspire operational excellence at all levels of the organization.
• Demonstrated computer skills (Excel, Word, and Power Point).
• Excellent organizational skills to handle a constantly changing set of priorities.
• Manage multiple assignments in order to meet deadlines in a demanding environment.
• Ability to analyze problems/opportunities for efficiencies, make recommendations, and drive improvement.
• May require limited weekend and evening hours with minimal travel.

Lincoln Electric is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to promoting equal employment opportunity for applicants, without regard to their race, color, national origin, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions, including, but not limited to, lactation), sexual orientation, gender identity, age, veteran status, disability, genetic information, and any other category protected by federal, state, or local law.