We are Covestro. We are curious. We are courageous. We are colorful. We refine chemical material solutions with game-changing products. Let us empower you to push boundaries. Join us and our 18,000 colleagues now and together we will make the world a brighter place.

WHAT WE OFFER

The Head of North America (NA) Supply Chain (SC) Center of Excellence (COE) is on the leadership team of the NA Supply Chain &Logistics (SC&L). The position has two key strategic thrusts: (1) incremental and continual improvement in SC costs and performance, as well as (2) transformation of Covestro's supply-chain processes and organizations through the adoption of digitalization and artificial intelligence. This position requires someone with strong leadership, strategic-thinking skills that allows one to see possibilities beyond the status quo, a technical background to better understand these emerging technologies, the ability to partner with the Business Entities (BEs) as Covestro undergoes this transformational journey, and to help develop a change-management strategy for the employees, whose jobs and daily work will change dramatically.

The Covestro SC digital transformation will require a coordinated end-to-end SC transformation that includes the Planning & Product Supply organizations as well as the manufacturing plants (BE Operations). The SC COE Head needs to be a "bridge builder" across these organizations to avoid sub-optimization and to maximize end-to-end SC cost and performance. The COE Head also works with the plants to build Operation Excellence strategies and capabilities.

Major Tasks and Responsibilities

• Lead regional or global initiatives when called upon for supply chain or Six sigma expertise.
• Responsible for the co-development and execution of short-term and long-term supply chain and manufacturing improvement strategies within the NA region.
• Implement strategies and tactics to systematically increase the degree of supply-chain process automation as well as to exploit all benefits from digital customer interfaces.
• Develops dashboards and project pipelines for supply-chain and manufacturing-relevant improvement opportunities with prioritization protocols based on cost savings, product available to market, and risk mitigation.
• Expert in building bridges/ networks between BEs, manufacturing sites and Service Units to lead root cause analysis to resolve problems/disruptions.
• Responsible for embedding process improvement methodologies (e.g., Lean Six Sigma and Defect Elimination) in the NA region. Lean Six Sigma and Defect Elimination are structured methodologies for identifying and eliminating root causes that lead to issues in Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Procurement, Safety, Quality, Environmental, and Financial Accounting and Controlling.
• Identifies supply chain and manufacturing risks and evaluates potential actions. Ensures that potential risks are proactively tackled.
• Coordinates, aligns and prioritizes improvement projects that are driven by business cases. In cases where resources are unavailable, selects and contracts external support for projects.
• Leads an agile team that is sufficiently flexible to changing priorities to rapidly address unplanned events that pose a significant risk to compliance or product availability.
• Management of employee development in the areas of Lean Six Sigma, Defect Elimination, and Change Management, and Supply Chain Academy.
• Coordinates with other two regions COE Groups to deploy resourcesfor projects with largest benefit around the world.
• Leadership role for North America in local, regional, and global Product & Process Quality (PQ) management activities.
• Lead organization of 17 employees/ contractors. The SC COE Head has 9 direct reports and 8 employees/contractors reporting to one of the Head's direct reports.
• Lead or support initiatives for improvements in supply-chain and manufacturing processes in Covestro NA and achievement of supply chain and, in some cases, manufacturing KPI targets. These include but are not limited to service level, working capital, asset utilization, operational costs, FAM costs, and underutilization of production assets due to unplanned losses both internal and external.
• Development and execution of our employee Six Sigma methodology training program (Green Belt and Black Belt) has led to employees now owning a toolbox of problem-solving tools to utilize in day-to-day problem solving and continuous improvement in their departments.
• Direct NA's Supply-Chain Academy program, another vehicle for SC employee developments
• Creation of transparency in supply chain costs and performance, particularly from a defect perspective.

WHAT YOU OFFER

Basic Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree (Engineering, IT or Supply Chain discipline preferred) with at least 8+ years of experience OR Master's degree with 6+ years' experience
• Experience in one or more of the following areas: Logistics, Product Management, Product Planning, Manufacturing, Order to Cash functions, or Product/Process Technology
• Lean Six Sigma Black Belt required

Preferred Qualifications:

• 15+ years' experience in Logistics, Product Management, Product Planning, Manufacturing, Order to Cash functions, or Product/Process Technology
• Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt

Knowledge and Skills:

• Expertise in negotiation skills as related to influencing others over whom the incumbent has no direct authority and skilled in change management
• Experience in facilitating personnel and management in highly charged situations to reach a logical and pragmatic solution with buy-in from all of the stakeholders
• Solid grasp for quantitative and qualitative evaluations of operational risks and prioritization of activities to move a project from concept to completion.
• Understands supply-chain modelling and simulation tools and methodologies
• Excellent communication and facilitation skills
• Skilled in strategic project portfolio management
• Experience in personnel management and in fostering talent
• Experience in developing both short- and long-term strategies that have resulted in process/ business improvements/ cost savings, etc.
• Expertise in root-cause analysis with deep understanding of the influence of systemic factors on operational failures'
• Travel required as necessary

YOUR APPLICATION

Are you as curious, courageous and colorful as we are? If so, we can offer you an exciting career opportunity. We look forward to receiving your application and resume. Become part of our team - apply now!

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