Continuous Improvement Specialist

Job Title: Continuous Improvement Specialist

Shift: Days

Location: Mars – Topeka

Mars is looking to hire a CIS for our state-of-the-art manufacturing plant in Topeka, Kansas! Being a Mars Associate is all about opportunity.  The opportunity to do challenging, exciting work that shapes the world’s best-loved brands.  To work with real purpose, supported by talented, friendly people from different backgrounds.  Access the tools, training, and experience you need to positively impact our business, the planet, and, most importantly, your career.  Being a Mars associate is more than a job.  It’s the opportunity to start your day tomorrow.

As part of our overall total compensation package, Mars offers a competitive benefits package to all associates: Medical, Dental, Vision & Life Insurance, Short- & Long-Term Disability, and 401k match. Associates are also immediately eligible (based on hire date) for up to three weeks of vacation, 12 Paid Holidays per year, Sick Pay, Maternity & Parental Leave, and annual bonus earning potential, plus many other ancillary benefits not listed here.

The Continuous Improvement (CI) Specialist is responsible for leading loss elimination within an MSE team and is critical to supporting all MSE pillars, specifically FMOS and AM. The CI Specialist is expected to develop the operating teams’ technical understanding and mastery of process control, area operation and to support all Daily Management Systems (DMS) owners. CI Specialists are an integral part of the FMOS CP2/DDS meetings and owns integrity of data systems and leads process definition to identify Centerline targets and document standards. They also develop control strategies to enable operators to respond to out of control situations, analyze line data to identify and prioritize loss elimination opportunities, lead root cause problem solving efforts on key chronic losses for their area of responsibility, and coach teams on Centerline DMS execution and problem solving skills. CI Specialists must effectively facilitate team meetings; communicate issues within an area and across shifts, and follow-up on actions.  CI Specialists should be considered subject matter experts on the functional – technical aspects of their equipment and AM Pillar DMS’s.

Responsibilities

• Actively participates in daily FMOS meetings. Provides performance data for selected machines and communicates action plans and completed work effectively.
• Understand MSE pillars, specific focus on AM and FMOS with ability to coach in these areas.
• Perform AM DMS Health Checks.  Take action on identified Line Health Check gaps.
• Facilitates and owns the Line Loss Analysis.  Gather, interpret and report data on problem issues.  Maintain trend analysis.
• Expert for the AM DMS’s (Centerline - CL, Clean Inspect Lubricate - CIL, Abnormality Handling - AH, and 5S) and Changeover Daily Management Systems for the line organization.
• Leads process to identify Centerline targets and document standards.
• Develops control strategies and decision rules to enable operators to respond to out of control situations and improve line efficiencies.
• Leads root cause problem solving efforts on losses for the line/department. Uses appropriate problem-solving tools (basic and advanced) as needed.
• Collaborates with line associates and technical group on improvement recommendations.
• Provides regular, ongoing communication with line associates and line managers on status of identified losses and improvement activities.
• Works with Production Leader and team to ensure that all Line and Departmental metrics are achieved.
• Drive safety, quality and efficiency measures through proactive problem solving resolution, follow-up and follow through.
• Train and develop associates, building team capability in areas of expertise.
• Leads and launches MSE/Process improvement teams

Physical/Environmental Requirements:

• Standing on a concrete floor.
• Wearing proper personal protective equipment (hair net, bump cap, ear plugs, safety shoes, and uniform).
• Bending, stooping, twisting, turning, standing for extended time periods, reaching, climbing stairs, and lifting up to 50 lbs.

Educational Requirements:

• Associates Degree in Engineering, Supply, Business, or technical field of study with at least 2 years experience in a TPM manufacturing environment

OR

• 4 years experience in manufacturing at Mars with MSE pillar participation or AM/Autonomous Work Team experience

Preferred:

• Bachelors Degree in Engineering, Supply, Business, or technical field of study

Skills/Experience:

• Demonstrated excellent mechanical/technical aptitude
• Outstanding analytical and problem-solving skills
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Clear ability to relate to and motivate people
• Certified Trainer: Demonstrated capability to effectively train associates
• Provides clear effective coaching and feedback: process & performance
• Proficient in MS Office and SAP

What can you expect from Mars?

• Work with over 130,000 like-minded and talented Associates, all guided by The Five Principles.
• Join a purpose driven company, where we’re striving to build the world we want tomorrow, today.
• Best-in-class learning and development support from day one, including access to our in-house Mars University.
• An industry competitive salary and benefits package, including company bonus.

About Mars, Incorporated 

Mars is a family-owned business with more than a century of history making diverse products and offering services for people and the pets people love. With almost $35 billion in sales, the company is a global business that produces some of the world’s best-loved brands: M&M’s®, SNICKERS®, TWIX®, MILKY WAY®, DOVE®, PEDIGREE®, ROYAL CANIN®, WHISKAS®, EXTRA®, ORBIT®, 5™, SKITTLES®, UNCLE BEN’S®, MARS DRINKS and COCOAVIA®. Mars also provides veterinary health services that include BANFIELD® Pet Hospitals, Blue Pearl®, VCA® and Pet Partners™. Headquartered in McLean, VA, Mars operates in more than 80 countries. The Mars Five Principles – Quality, Responsibility, Mutuality, Efficiency and Freedom – inspire its more than 100,000 Associates to create value for all its partners and deliver growth they are proud of every day.