$500 million Global Manufacturer, Wilmington, NC 

(download PDF>>)   Director_Global_Six_Sigma-2

We’re looking for an experienced Six Sigma leader with broad business acumen, global perspective and experience, and the ability to drive, facilitate and sustain change in a fast-paced, highly entrepreneurial environment.

The selected individual will become our client’s Director, Global Six Sigma, and leverage her or his outstanding leadership, communications and technical skills to create significant and lasting impact and value at all levels of this organization.

And yes, it’s going to take an ambitious, determined and committed “A-player” to reap the rewards of success in this demanding role.  But what business transformation worthy of that designation wouldn’t be a major problem-solving opportunity, and a challenge of such caliber that it rigorously tests the mettle of even the best Six Sigma pros in today’s competitive manufacturing world?

Could you be up to this challenge?   

The Position
If you’re the right person for this position it’s going to be pretty obvious to us both that you’ve already done a lot of this once or twice before.  Negotiated, developed and set company-wide improvement objectives and goals. Led the corporate and site-level strategy and tactical teams. Championed and facilitated DMAIC and DFSS initiatives. Developed and led the Black Belt project teams. Built and tracked metrics, and then improved, rebuilt and retracked them again.  Trained, coached, counseled. And demonstrated that you, individually and together with the teams you led, could deliver the goods.

So, why then, might this position interest an expert like you?  Why could this be the right “next step” in building your career? And why must you take a closer look?

Here’s Why

Company Background

Our client is a leading global Tier Two supplier to the automotive industry, as well as a supplier to USA broader industrial and medical markets.  With revenues of approximately $500 million and over 2500 employees worldwide, the company has five manufacturing facilities in the US, two in the UK, and one in France.  China is next.  A private company, our client is owned by a major New York-based private equity firm which also holds controlling or significant minority interests in companies around the world that generate over $60 billion in annual revenues.

Conclusions -

1. You experience top management visibility and impact opportunity in a business that’s a size you can really get your hands around
2. You do hands-on international management in Europe and Asia
3. You receive exposure to private equity management issues and build direct understanding of how private investor-owned business leadership works
4. You have a shot at career growth opportunities here and also within other portfolio companies

Real-World Six Sigma Commitment

This company is about Six Sigma Quality in everything it does. Perfection is the target.  They understand that conformity and consistency are critical to their customers.  Every associate is involved in the pursuit of Quality and continually strives for excellence and ways to pass cost savings to the customer.  Manufacturing Excellence is delivered through:

• Philosophy of Lean Enterprise
• Focus on process efficiencies through Six Sigma techniques
• Real-time data for real-time decision making
• Cost-down and cost-out culture throughout the organization

Conclusions  –

1. You already have the core corporate support you need for your Six Sigma success
2. You won’t need to reinvent the Six Sigma wheel; build on the foundation, and make it even better, and take it to the next level
3. You’ll  develop the business skill sets and senses to drive Lean Six Sigma at broader and deeper operational and executive levels

Opportunity

“Best people” is where it all begins. Our client’s commitment to quality, innovation, sales and service begins with their people (possible you?). Attracting and retaining talent is key to the company’s success, and because they want only the best, they deliver exactly that in return:  competitive compensation, a healthy benefit package, additional opportunity for rewards, and always career growth possibilities.

Conclusions  –  Please draw your own.  And if you are indeed among the best-in-class Six Sigma practitioners today, perhaps an image of your possible next step on the career ladder is already forming in your mind.

Some Additional Details

The position of Director, Six Sigma reports to a company Vice President who is personally very strong and hands-on in continuous improvement, and also holds other major operational responsibilities within the business. He in turn, works directly for the CEO, who has also been personally and directly (Gemba level) involved in Six Sigma and Lean throughout his career.  You’ll be in good company.

The position is based on the Southeastern Coast of the US in a college town which is also known for its attractive seaside resort areas. Lifestyle is appropriate to the setting with scenic beaches and seafood abounding, and with ample cultural, educational and entertainment opportunities available as well.

Travel should amount to no more than 50%, and a good portion of that would be considered local (not necessarily over night).

Requirements

You’ll need to be a certified Six Sigma Master Black Belt from a recognized program, with at least a BS/BA in Engineering from a top university (an MBA would weigh strongly in your favor).

We’d like to see a minimum of 10 years Six Sigma operations improvement leadership experience with proven results, leading major change initiatives (multiple Black Belts, multiple locations, globally).

You must also show a few years of hands-on operations (manufacturing)  or plant management experience at some point in your career.  While some consulting background could be beneficial, our ideal candidate will most likely have built the bulk of his or her expertise while excelling as an internal agent of change.

Finally, you should genuinely believe in change, continuous improvement and growth, both professionally and personally.

Connect with Us

Please connect with me in whatever way is most convenient for you. We share no information about you with anyone outside our firm until we’ve agreed on this with you.

No resume?  That’s OK.  If you feel very strongly that you meet all our criteria, let’s talk first.  Call me… 

And, lastly, if you know someone who is absolutely the perfect candidate for this outstanding position, please let them know about the opportunity, or refer them to me in total confidence.

Adam Zak, CEO,  Adam Zak Executive Search

az@LeanRecruiter.com  http://LeanRecruiter.com

+1 (847) 304-5301 direct

Adam Zak Executive Search – Executive Recruiters for the Lean Enterprise

Amazing Amazon Kindle

Why You Want this Position   (and here’s where you can respond…)

• You crave the excitement of working with the visionary team which created the hottest consumer electronics gadget of the century. And, there’s more to come!
• You are obsessed with excellence and quality. This company is already attaining a level of world-class quality metrics that other consumer electronics makers would die for. Your mission: take your passion for quality and make it even better!
• You thrive in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial start-up environment where your daily decisions make a direct, clearly visible impact on the operational and financial performance of the company. You relentlessly pursue your personal and professional expectations for performance and results.
• You hunger for meaningful work with an exceptionally talented team, where it’s all about clear and open communication, genuine collaboration, and exceeding customer expectations  - across the whole business.     

Introduction

Our client creates highly engaging and innovative consumer-centric electronic product solutions. The business has grown rapidly in size, scale and scope but still retains, at heart, the start-up mentality which has fueled its wild success. This outsized growth rate requires our client to massively scale-up many of the systems, process and procedures (and their functional leadership) so vital to support the company’s continued advancement into new products and global markets.  Hence this new position, Director, Product Quality. 

The position will be based in the Silicon Valley, California metro area and will report remotely to the company’s Vice President, Global Supply Chain, who is based in Hong Kong.  All product design, development and support functions are performed in California, while manufacturing is currently done on a contract basis in Shenzhen, China. Our client is the wholly-owned subsidiary of highly successful and profitable Fortune 500 parent company, which is also located on the West Coast.  

The Role

Define, lead and take ownership of the product quality organization.  Develop world-class quality thinking and the programs, systems, principles and processes through which quality manifests itself throughout the company.  The results of this effort will be threefold:  exceed customer expectations in every way; reduce total warranty costs across all product lines, and; build the culture and supporting structures to ensure continuous improvement in both.  

What Your Bring to the Table

• You have demonstrated both deep-dive, hands-on experience in shop-floor quality problem solving, and 30k-foot strategic-level quality issues perspective and sophistication.
• You have demonstrated the ability to rapidly and scientifically assess and deal with day-to-day quality correction, while simultaneously anticipating, developing and implementing the quality philosophies, infrastructure, and practices critical to the company’s future success.
• You offer a proven track record driving operational excellence and continuous improvement initiatives, focused on product quality, utilizing Lean Manufacturing (Toyota Production System) and Six Sigma methodologies.
• You have outstanding communications skills.  This enables you to interact with senior management executives and influence their decision-making, as well as to effectively partner with other exceptionally talented people broadly across the organization.
• You have recently worked in a high-volume 3C (computer, communication, consumer), fast-moving product lifecycle  electronics organization and have extensive on-the-ground experience in mainland China.
• Chances are your resume will include the names of other word-class consumer electronics companies such as Apple, Palm, Philips, Sony, Nintendo, Nokia, Cisco and more.  

Travel  -  Because even the best video communications technology has its limitations, the Director, Product Quality should expect to travel frequently, at times on very short notice, to China.

Compensation  -  Excellent base salary, sign-on bonus and restricted stock units (RSUs).  Equity awards consist of stock in our client’s parent company and are historically a major, continuing preferred form of executive compensation.

Connect with Us  -  Please connect with me in whatever way is most convenient for you. We share no information about you with anyone outside our firm until we’ve agreed on this with you.

Adam Zak, Principal,  Adam Zak Executive Search    +1 (847) 304-5301 direct

resume@LeanRecruiter.com      az@LeanRecruiter.com

Follow Adam at   http://Twitter.com/LeanThinker    Our primary Web site  http://LeanRecruiter.com