Title: Value Stream Leader (VSL)

Location: Bedford Park, IL 

Reports To: Site Leader

SUMMARY OF POSITION

Ownership of operational responsibilities for the assigned value stream.

This position is in Northstar’s Operations Department, and reports to the Site Leader. The position works with all levels of employees throughout the organization as needed. This is a full-time position.

This position is responsible for training, coaching, mentoring and facilitating Lean/Continuous Improvement concepts and principles such as Value Stream Mapping (VSM), 5S, Work Standardization, The Visual Workplace, Cellular Manufacturing, Set-up Reduction (SMED), and Total Productive Maintenance (TPM).

Responsible for the overall supervision of assigned value stream. The VSL exercises independent discretion in planning, organizing, facilitating a self-directed workforce regarding production tasks within the assigned value stream. A key goal of this position is to ensure the assignment meets all scheduling and specification requirements in an efficient, economical, and safe manner. The VSL also ensures that all quality standards, time requirements, and good manufacturing practices are met, and works to prevent any injuries or unsafe conditions for production workers.

Responsible as the primary customer interface for assigned program while interfacing with performing departments and senior management to ensure program, technical, schedule and cost objectives are met. This individual must be able to lead a team, as may be assigned, and build consensus within a matrix management environment.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Maintain a safe, healthy, and risk-averse production environment
• Responsible to value stream production schedules.
• Accountable to production measurements: CPI / FPY / Takt time / Schedule attainment / DCI
• Direct employees in adherence to Employee Standards of Conduct
• Maintain personnel relations consistent with applicable collective bargaining agreements
• Exercise discretion in directing assigned department to reduce waste and improve overall effectiveness
• Enforce all quality standards and adherence to QMS elements
• Investigate and analyze production defects, safety issues, and employee concerns or complaints
• Support Lean/Continuous Improvement activities in line with Northstar’s business goals and objectives
• Identify training needs and allocate training resources
• Monitor performance of hourly personnel and provide counseling, coaching, or discipline where appropriate
• Provide key input for performance appraisals and compensation evaluations
• Establish standard work and best practices
• Interact with all functions of the operation (e.g., purchasing, management, etc.)
• Dotted line management to value stream QE and ME
• Manages the work of a multi-disciplinary team, ensuring all customer requirements are satisfied throughout all phases of the project
• Acts as the principal point of contact with the customer and ensures effective day to day communications and relations are maintained
• Responsible for all project deliverables, including customer satisfaction, quality to specification, technical achievement, and schedule adherence.
• Ensures compliance with all aspects of the project specification and that tasks/work packages are undertaken in accordance with company policies and procedures; i.e.: project scope management
• Recognizes the need for effective internal communications and ensures appropriate project visibility, using best practice disciplines and procedures to identify risk, and track schedule adherence
• Provide oversight of supply chain management and manufacturing support to ensure customer requirements are achieved

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE REQUIRED

• Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree in technical discipline or engineering
• Minimum of three (3) years in a supervisory capacity in an organized labor environment
• Knowledge of close tolerance manufacturing applications
• Demonstrated increasing levels of responsibility
• Ability to work with all levels of workers in a team-oriented environment
• Demonstrated understanding of Lean Manufacturing concepts and 6-Sigma defect analysis
• Demonstrated capacity to exercise independent supervisory judgment with regard to personnel matters

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree
• Demonstrated understanding of Lean Manufacturing concepts and 6-Sigma defect analysis

MINIMUM PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• Ability to wear proper personal protective equipment (earplugs, safety glasses, safety shoes, etc.)
• Regularly required to sit; stand; walk; reach with hands and arms, use hands to finger, handle, or feel parts
• Specific vision abilities required by this position include close vision

NOTICE REQUIREMENTS

• EEO: https://www.dol.gov/ofccp/regs/compliance/posters/pdf/eeopost.pdf
• FMLA:  https://www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/posters/fmlaen.pdf
• EPPA:  https://www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/posters/eppac.pdf
• E-Verify:https://e-verify.uscis.gov/esp/media/resourcescontents/e-verify_participation_poster.pdf