Lean Leader Jobs in Michigan (NOW HIRING)

Conditions of Employment

This position is subject to meeting U.S. export compliance and/or U.S. Government contracting citizenship eligibility requirements.

Parker Hannifin

Parker Hannifin is a Fortune 250 global leader in motion and control technologies. For more than a century, we've enabled engineering breakthroughs that make energy cleaner, transportation safer, medical treatments more effective, and manufacturing more efficient.

With empowered team members in more than 40 countries, Parker serves customers across aerospace & defense, energy, HVAC & refrigeration, in-plant & industrial equipment, off-highway and transportation.

Our scale is global, but our purpose is personal. We enable breakthroughs that improve lives, strengthen communities and create a brighter future.

Our Purpose - Enabling Engineering Breakthroughs that Lead to a Better Tomorrow - comes to life through our people-first culture where teamwork drives performance, inclusion fuels innovation and growth is encouraged. This environment fosters collaboration and empowers team members from engineering and manufacturing to finance, supply chain, human resources, information technology and beyond.

By combining deep expertise with an entrepreneurial spirit, we help customers succeed in markets that demand performance, reliability, and sustainability.

As we look to the future, Parker is advancing initiatives in energy efficiency and sustainability while developing the next generation of talent and leaders to engineer a better tomorrow.

Are you ready to shape a brighter future? 

In Motion Systems Group and Pneumatic Division, we play a pivotal role in applications that change our world. We are in almost everything that moves. With our wide range of technologies, we help our customers solve their most complex engineering challenges by living our purpose: enabling engineering breakthroughs that lead to a better tomorrow. 

We believe that our team members are our key assets and that a diverse workforce is a driving force to bring our purpose to life. We foster a culture where every team member feels safe, included and empowered.  

We all belong, we all matter, and we all make a difference. 

We have an exciting opening for a Lean Leader based in Richland, MI OR Wadsworth, OH.  If you are looking for an opportunity to make an impact and grow your career, consider putting your experience in motion at Parker Pneumatic Division (PDN). Here you will find a passionate team built on a winning culture that puts our people and customers first. We are inspired by our purpose of Enabling Engineering Breakthrough that Lead to a Better Tomorrow. 

The Lean Leader provides continuous improvement support focusing on targeted improvement initiatives. This role will be tasked with leading focused improvement actions to ensure the Division is following the Parker Lean System. The Lean Leader will be tasked actions such as performance metric improvement, site turn-around, other large project support and will be the Division's main point of contact for all Lean topics and initiatives. 

SCOPE/SUPERVISION AND INTERACTION:

This role will report directly to the Business Unit Manager with potential for direct reports.

Multiple Site / Group Support

The dimensions of this role typically include manufacturing sites with specific improvement initiatives and may include deployment in an international operating site of division's location.

Your Main Responsibilities:

• Parker Lean System deployment, ownership and Governance

  • Expert in the Parker Lean System (PLS) methodologies and tools within the site, multisite or Division as needed. 

  • Lead development, documentation, and deployment of PLS fundamentals (e.g., standard work, 5S/6S, visual management, tiered daily management) to drive the varied value streams at the site to top quartile performance.

  • Partner with and coach site leadership to drive strategy deployment activities: data gathering, deciding on prioritization inputs, determine the goals that will align with strategy, and portfolio tracking; support kaizen chartering and preparation.

  • Ensure best practices across site(s) and/or across Division or Group; drive sustainment checks and countermeasure follow-up.

• Event and Project Execution

  • Prepare and provide expert Lean expertise support in large kaizen events for key business critical processes; coordinate logistics, decide on appropriate baseline data to drive strong analysis, track action items, and ensure sustainment activities.

  • Assess actions and use expert judgment to determine the correct PLS tools for the project/events and to drive data collection (e.g., time observation, waste walks, spaghetti diagrams, SMED elements, flow/pull pilots) in a manner that supports and allows improvement for the value steam and/or site. 

  • Drive value stream, site or multisite continuous improvement projects to completion timely within one or more value streams; manage timelines, stakeholders, and basic benefits validation.

  • Drive continuous improvement activities throughout the Division.

• Problem Solving and Analytics

  • Expert coach to team members on how to determine and apply appropriate problem-solving tools and methods (5-Why, 10 step problem solving, PDCA; exposure to DMAIC), as needed, to issues of increasing complexity that span multiple PLS elements.

  • Coach team member to gather and analyze continuous improvement data (e.g., cycle time, changeover, WIP, FPY) to identify waste, quantify improvements, and update Continuous Improvement dashboards/boards.

  • Oversee and assess data gathered for accuracy to drive root cause decisions around improvement projects or additional projects focuses for continued site or multisite improvement. 

  • Ensure control and sustainment plans, including standard work updates and visual controls are deployed and following in the value stream, site or multiple site

• Cross-Functional Collaboration

  • Participate in, support and coach functional direction to High Performance Teams (HPT's) within the site.

  • Using insights and judgments to build productive working relationships with Operations, Supply Chain, Engineering, and Quality to implement process improvements and procedures across one or more value streams.

  • Provide direct guidance and leadership on project teams to ensure correct lean processes/practices are being implemented; provide direction/ensure adherence to lean principles in occasional direction settings and prioritization discussions.

  • Liaise with vendors and customers on specific issues under guidance from managers or location leadership.

• Communication and Change Support

  • Provide clear status updates on activities, risks, and needs; contribute to report-outs and project reviews.

• Lead training and coaching on PLS basics, or advanced PLS topics for operators and team leaders as needed.

We are looking for talent with:

• Minimum four-year Bachelor's Degree (Business or Engineering)
• 6 or more years' experience within operations, continuous improvement lean discipline.
• Experience working Internationally is a plus.
• 3 years of experience in a plant environment in Supply Chain, Operations, Lean, Quality, or Engineering roles. 
• Strong collaboration, communication, and interpersonal skills
• Ability to travel 75% of the time, if based in Wadsworth, OH; Ability to travel 25%, if based in Richland, MI.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Parker is an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer. Parker is committed to ensuring equal employment opportunities for all job applicants and employees. Employment decisions are based upon job related reasons regardless of race, ethnicity, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, national origin, disability, gender identity, genetic information, veteran status, or any other status protected by law.  However, U.S. Citizenship, Permanent Residency or other appropriate status is required for certain positions, in accord with U.S. import & export regulations.
("Minority / Female / Disability / Veteran / VEVRAA Federal Contractor")

If you would like more information about Equal Employment Opportunity as an applicant under the law, please go to Employees & Job Applicants | U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

Drug Tests

Drug-Free Workplace
In accordance with Parker's policies and applicable state laws, Parker provides for a drug-free workplace. Therefore, all applicants seeking employment with Parker will be subject to drug testing as a condition of employment.