At Transitions Optical we help people live more vibrant lives by enhancing their vision and the way they perceive light.
We are the manufacturer of Transitions eyeglass lenses, the world's leading photochromic lens. Transitions lenses automatically adapt to changing light. They darken outdoors and return back to clear when you come inside.
Our talented people make significant advances in color science and lens materials, setting new standards of advanced performance to provide ever increasing visual comfort and optimum harmful blue light protection, and always blocking 100% of UVA and UVB rays.
Product leadership, consumer focus, and operational excellence have made Transitions lenses one of the most recognized brands in optics.
Transitions Optical is part of EssilorLuxottica, a global leader in the design, manufacture and distribution of ophthalmic lenses, frames and sunglasses.
Position: Continuous Improvement (CI) Manager
Location: Transitions Optical (Thailand) Limited - TOTL, Amata, Chonburi
Reporting Manager: Plant Director
Job Function Requirements
- Support overall TOTL initiatives for continuous drive towards Vision to be a world-class operation bringing value to our customers.
- Accountable in assessing the effectiveness of TOTL functions and processes, recommending and driving continuous improvement initiatives that will contribute to improved efficiencies, cost reductions, and customer satisfaction.
- Challenge existing operational processes. Identify and actively facilitate the delivery of major CI opportunities within the framework of LIFE systems.
- Support each department to identify strategic projects to improve quality, service, and cost over a 1-3 year time frame. Ensure the project pipeline is populated with achievable activities and accurately detailed to maximize chance of success.
- Work closely with the other team members and the plant leadership team to accurately quantify relevant opportunities and develop action plans to enable full delivery of each opportunity.
Key Responsibilities
Animate the company LIFE (Lean Initiative for Excellence) program, in order to improve performances and generate cost saving program.
- Ensure deployment of this breakthrough program
- Support the plant in the implementation of the LIFE system and related CI tools (Kaizen, 5S, QRAP, Loading file etc)
- Lead specific Workshops/Kaizen/Diagnosis in order to bring changes and improvements on the floor
- Make sure priorities are defined and action plans aligned accordingly
- Make sure results are properly consolidated, communicated, and commented at all levels
Continuous Improvement
- Drive a continuous improvement culture through development of standards and routines
- Define, implement, and administer a local continuous improvement (CI) program structure to align with TOTL strategy and LIFE programs. Program structure to include team(s) structure and communication plan.
- Lead the overall CI team to drive achievement of annual plant goals ($ savings, mispack ppm, etc)
- Coordinate and facilitate regular LIFE Steering Committee reviews and CI reviews with Management Team and key stake holders. Work with CI team members to improve project management, data analysis, and presentation skills as needed to provide accurate and clear reporting of project goals, progress, and recommendations.
- Routine benchmarking with CI leaders at other facilities to identify best practices and training opportunities for the local team.
- Communicate with key suppliers to identify and deploy improvement initiatives.
- Actively oversee, direct and facilitate cross functional process improvement teams to help them in the execution of the projects and achieve business goals.
- Support constructive change from an improvement project's conception and transfer the ownership to the appropriate team leader as the project matures to implementation.
- Develop and measure standard metrics of business processes
- Identifies resource/capability bottlenecks, finds help to address them, and escalates when appropriate
- Prepare reports and statistics, and work with frontline staff to identify improvement opportunities and coach employees on how to work more efficiently.
Total Work Systems
- Provide information, guidance, trainings, and tools to aid decision making, projects prioritization and projects execution
- Leverage on Lean, SPC, TQM, and Six Sigma in cost reduction initiatives
- Build capability on CI Tools and Methodology at all levels of the organization through training, coaching, and hands on demonstration and application of CI
- Train, coach and develop project leaders and teams on the proper use of CI tools and methodology
Management of Change
- Generates documentation and change notices whenever projects or new processes are to be implemented, performance risk assessment and enters the results in the corresponding controlled documentation.
Pre-requisites/Qualification
- Bachelors degree or higher
- Minimum 8 years experience in manufacturing environment
- Proficient in the use of Lean, Six Sigma, TWI, and TPM
- Spoken and written English, experience with creation of technical reports
- Proficient on operations and maintenance of production processes. Able to understand and explain scientific and engineering principles of production processes.
- Project management methodologies, can coordinate with internal and external stakeholders
- Pursues improvement projects with energy, drive, and a need to finish. Seldom gives up before finishing, especially in the face of resistance or setbacks.
- Uses rigorous logic and data driven methods
- Open to change, learn quickly
