Continuous Improvement Specialist

Nordson Corporation; South Carolina; On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Nordson Corporation seeks a Continuous Improvement Specialist to lead the deployment of improvement projects within the NBS Next initiatives. You will teach and develop through hands-on coaching and mentor teams to eliminate waste, driving improvements in KPI performance and building a culture based on common fundamentals and capabilities.

The role engages with all levels of the IC organization to implement standardized best practices, lead cross-functional CI initiatives, and contribute to the

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree preferred; 12 years of relevant experience can substitute.
• 4-6 years of progressive continuous improvement experience.
• Lean thinking applied in operations and transactional environments.
• Change management/transformation experience required.
• Experience leading process mapping via SIPOC or similar.
• Experience building and tracking projects with detailed plans.

Responsibilities

• Develop, train and coach all levels in Fundamentals of Continuous Improvement, driving NBS Next culture across functions.
• Define, execute, and lead short- and long-term CI strategy for IC Business.
• Standardize best practices across IC Business globally.
• Lead CI initiatives to improve Safety, Quality, Delivery, Inventory, Productivity and Cost and collaborate across functions.
• Identify, quantify, and prioritize cost-saving initiatives; maintain project pipeline.
• Represent IC on Nordson Corporation Global Continuous Improvement Steering Committee.
• Other duties as assigned.

Skills

Lean thinking

Change management

SIPOC

Project planning

Cross-functional leadership

MS Office

PowerBI

SAP

SharePoint

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering, Operations, Business or relevant field

12 years of relevant experience in lieu of a degree

Tools

MS Project

Job description

The Continuous Improvement Specialist will be responsible for leading the successful deployment of improvement projects aligned with the NBS Next initiatives. In this position the leader will engage with all levels of the IC organization to teach and develop through hands-on coaching. The position will mentor to create value through identification and elimination of waste. Successful implementation will show improvements in Nordson’s Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s) by building a strong culture of continuous improvement built on common fundamentals, capabilities, and implementation.

Essential Job Duties and Responsibilities

• Develop, train and coach all levels of employees in fundamentals of Continuous Improvement, driving the culture of NBS Next in all functions at all levels
• Help define, execute, and lead the short and long-term strategy for Continuous Improvement initiatives for IC Business
• NBS standardization and best practice sharing across IC Business globally
• Lead implementation of CI initiatives and problem-solving projects in collaboration with various business functions to improve Safety, Quality, Delivery, Inventory, Productivity and Cost (SQDIPC), as well as commercial and engineering functions.
• Facilitate identification, quantification, and prioritization of cost savings Initiatives; maintain project pipeline to support divisional savings targets
• Represent IC on Nordson Corporation Global Continuous Improvement Steering Committee
• Other duties as assigned.

Education and Experience Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering, Operations, Business, or relevant degree is preferred; 12 years of relevant experience is required in lieu of a degree
• 4-6 years of progressive continuous improvement experience demonstrating business acumen, leadership and ability to drive results
• Proficiency in Lean thinking with application in both operations and transactional environments in a variety of situations
• Change management/transformational experience required
• Experience leading process mapping sessions via SIPOC or comparable processes
• Experience building and tracking projects with a detailed project plan

Preferred Skills and Abilities

• Ability to think creatively and analytically
• Detail-oriented, self-starter with strong organizational skills
• Proven ability to lead initiatives working collaboratively and independently in a dynamic environment
• Strong interpersonal skills
• Demonstrated effective execution of concurrent projects and ability to multi-task
• Able to influence at all levels of the organization
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Proficient with MS Office, MS Project, SharePoint, PowerBI, and SAP

Working Conditions and Physical Demands

Office and manufacturing environment. To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed above are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Travel Required

Estimated 20% Domestic and International