Lean Champion Job

Primary location: Macon, Georgia 
Relocation offered: No 
Employment status: Full-Time 
Travel: <10% 
Non-compete: No 

The estimated base salary range for this role is “$100,000 to $120,000” per year.  
Individual pay is based upon location, skills and expertise, experience and other relevant factors

​What does it mean to work at Armstrong? 

It means being immersed in a supportive culture that recognizes you as a key player in Armstrong's future. We are a large company with a local feel, where you will get to know and collaborate with leadership and your colleagues across the company.

 By joining us, you'll have the opportunity to make the most of your potential. Alongside a competitive remuneration package, you will receive:

A benefits package including: medical, dental, prescription drug, life insurance, 401k match, long-term disability coverage, vacation and sick time, and many more.
Personal development to grow your career with us based on your strengths and interests.
A working culture that balances individual achievement with teamwork and collaboration. We draw on each other's strengths and allow for different work styles to build engagement and satisfaction to deliver results. 
​

The Value Stream Improvement Champion will have the technical expertise to initiate and lead significant process improvement activities, including, but not limited to, changes involving mechanical, electrical, chemical and human elements.  Additionally, the successful incumbent will have the leadership abilities to assist the Value Stream Manager in acting as a catalyst and leader for significant organizational transformation including improving uptime, rate and yield as well as creating and executing value stream roadmap for improvement. 
 
What’s in it for you?
•    Lead high-impact improvement initiatives that directly shape plant performance and operational excellence.
•     Collaborate with cross-functional leaders while influencing major organizational transformation across the value stream.
•    Develop and apply advanced Lean and continuous improvement skills with opportunities for certification and professional growth.

What does a Lean Champion do?
•    Utilizes technical expertise and leadership skills to identify, initiate and implement significant process improvement activities.
•    Collaborates with Value Stream Managers, Technical Resources and Maintenance to develop value stream roadmap for improvement  
•    Identifying and executing projects in the Value Stream or plant wide including identifying improvement opportunities, understanding current projects, determining needed resources and procuring those resources
•    Aligning the A3 / kaizen events and hoshin projects with Value Stream / Plant results.
•    Leading Kaizen events – identify team members, prepare agenda, conduct training, implement improvements, create and track measures, and actions
•    Supports Value Stream to meet all KPIs.
•    Works directly with the Value Stream Teams to identify opportunities and execute projects in the value streams.
•    Organizes and analyzes data sets that outline the systematic improvement opportunities in the Values Streams.
•    Drives proactive problem solving and root-cause elimination at all levels of the plant.
•    Ability to effectively execute basic continuous improvement tools: 5S, TPM, AM/PM, Value Stream Mapping, Poka-Yoke, Standard Work, and Kaizen
•    Directs the activities of Kaizen teams, Maintenance support personnel, production employees and support staff.

Required Qualifications
•    Bachelor’s degree with 5+ years of relevant experience preferred OR High school diploma (or equivalent) with 10+ years of relevant experience
•    5+ years required of manufacturing, maintenance or engineering, and plant experience
•    Strong leadership, facilitation and meeting management skills
•    Kaizen Leadership and facilitation experience
•    Computer proficiency in, Excel, Word, Power Point, with basic skills in Minitab, or similar statistical software
•    Ability and desire to learn Lean methodology and employ those skills across the value stream and plant
•    Effective communication, writing, presentation, and data organization skills.
•    Ability to effectively execute basic continuous improvement tools: 5S, TPM, AM/PM, Value Stream Mapping, Poka-Yoke, Standard Work, and Kaizen
•    Demonstration of strong project management and facilitation capabilities

What will make you successful?

•    Project management skills.
•    Supervisory experience.
•    Ability to leverage relationships to drive results.
•    Process Improvement execution and facilitation experience.
•    Experience using SAP

What will make you stand out?

•    5+ years of experience in a continuous manufacturing process.
•    8-Step Problem Solving/DMAIC/PDCA Utilization.
•    Thorough knowledge of plant business system processes such as: work order process, raw material flow, project planning, production, Down day planning, work rules.
•    Green Belt/Black Belt and/or Lean Certification

Physical and Mental Demands 
The demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.  While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to:  sit or stand for prolonged periods; repetitive motion of hands/wrists/fingers; concentrate and repeat the same physical or mental activities over and over; think analytically and be exact or highly accurate; make decisions such as to identify complex problems, develop options and implement solutions; work in a team; ability to maintain regular, punctual attendance consistent with the ADAAA, FMLA and other federal, state and local standards; pay attention to and remember details; communicate effectively including active listening to understand points being made, and asking appropriate questions and not interrupting inappropriately; speak to convey information effectively; write to communicate effectively as appropriate for the needs of the audience; read to understand work related documents; move between different physical locations within and between buildings; and push, pull, carry and lift in the normal course of travel.
 

Work Environment 
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the functions of this job.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.  Requires working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions with standard level of noise common to an office environment including office equipment and co-workers speaking to each other and on phones.  Employees are required to wear personal protective equipment when entering the floor of manufacturing facilities based on the specific requirements of each location.

Why should you join Armstrong World Industries?

Armstrong World Industries (AWI) is an Americas leader in the design and manufacture of innovative interior and exterior architectural applications including ceilings, specialty walls and exterior metal solutions. With approximately $1.4 billion in revenue, AWI has about 3,700 employees and a manufacturing network of 21 facilities in North America.

At home, at work, in healthcare facilities, classrooms, stores, or restaurants, we offer interior solutions that help to enhance comfort, save time, improve building efficiency and overall performance, and create beautiful spaces.

For more than 160 years, we have built our business on trust and integrity. It set us apart then, and it sets us apart now, along with our ability to collaborate with and innovate for the people we're here to serve - our customers, our shareholders, our communities and our employees.

We are committed to developing new and sustainable architectural solutions, with design and performance possibilities that make a positive difference in spaces where we live, work, learn, heal and play. It's an exciting, rewarding business to be in, and we're committed to continue to grow and prosper for the benefit of all of our stakeholders. We hope you join us.

Our Sustainability Ambition

"Bringing our Purpose to Life" - lead a transformation in the design and building of spaces fit for today and tomorrow.
We are committed to:

• Engaging a diverse, purpose-driven workforce;
• Transforming buildings from structures that shelter into structures that serve and preserve the health and well-being of people and planet;
• Pursuing sustainable, innovative solutions for spaces where we live, work, learn heal and play;
• Being a catalyst for change with all of our stakeholders; and
• Making a positive difference in the environments and communities we impact.

Armstrong is committed to engaging a diverse, purpose-driven workforce.  As part of our dedication to diversity, AWI is committed to Equal Employment Opportunity and all qualified applicants receive consideration for employment without regard for race, sex, color, national origin, ethnicity, gender, protected veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, or religion. We are also committed to providing reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities and disabled veterans in our job application procedures. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, you may contact us at by email at AWI talent acquisition and let us know the nature of your request and your contact information. Requests for accommodation will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Please note that only inquiries concerning a request for reasonable accommodation will be responded to from this email address.

Come and build your future with us and apply today!