Operations Work Team Leader

Why join us?

Our purpose is to design for the good of humankind. It’s the ideal we strive toward each day in everything we do. Being a part of MillerKnoll means being a part of something larger than your work team, or even your brand. We are redefining modern for the 21st century. And our success allows MillerKnoll to support causes that align with our values, so we can build a more sustainable, equitable, and beautiful future for everyone.

Job Title: Operations Team lead

Purpose of job:

Leads and manages an assigned department to achieve operational objectives (in areas such as safety, product quality, reliability, cost, continuous improvement, and employee morale) that align with and promote the achievement of Operations' and the corporation's business strategy. Achieves results through successful leadership and team development, as well as effective planning, organization, implementation, and execution.

Entry criteria: A minimum of c3 years’ experience in manufacturing/production, including an understanding of manufacturing IT systems and warehousing/logistics. Previous supervisory experience. In many cases vocational/practical skills will have been developed through a recognized training programme or formal vocational training.

Alternatively considerable experience of semi-skilled tasks and a knowledge of company procedures and systems, including MKPS, PDCA and ISO9001/ISO14001, as well as an understanding of how the work area inter-relates with other departments will be required.

Good interpersonal skills, computer savvy, good standard of numeracy and literacy skills essential.

Must have the ability and willingness to motivate a team and to develop a positive team culture.

Must be prepared to undertake all the roles within their area; willing to cover other Production areas.

Must be prepared to take accountability for delivery of agreed results.

Skill and Ability

To include, but not limited, to the following:

• Effectively communicates with employees to always ensure the best working relationships.
• Motivates and develops employees by setting an example and coaches team members to achieve team and personal goals.
• Confidently supervises employees by setting targets and providing honest feedback.
• Considers the priorities of the operation and can handle these issues with compassion and empathy when communicating the company expectations to employees.
• Confidently able and willing to deal with minor employee issues as the first line supervisor of the area to prevent such issues being escalated to senior managers; whilst understanding when to escalate employee concerns or issues to ensure they are dealt with adequately.
• Ability to understand the operational issues that arise and can integrate with other managers and departments on matters affecting the operation as a whole.
• Responds positively to meet the needs of their team, other departments and sets high service standards and acts professionally when with colleagues, clients, visitors and contractors.
• Demonstrates an awareness of Units Per Labour Hour costs.
• Able to communicate and implement change as directed, owning company messages
• Ensures timely information is shared with employees to maintain engagement at all times, including carrying out regular team briefings and training.
• Ability to report on daily operational status as required.
• Ability to take appropriate actions to diffuse conflict or other situations arising and escalating, ensuring that all employees feel safe, happy and comfortable at work at all times.
• Has sound practical understanding of Visual Load planning systems.
• Are confident operating computer packages, i.e MS Word, Excel and emails.

• Critical competencies for this position include integrity and trust, customer orientation, job knowledge, decisiveness, relationship building, effective communication, systemic thinking, future focused, managing and developing talent, flexibility, innovation, and business knowledge
• Demonstrated ability to identify and understand issues and make appropriate decisions.
• Proficient in ISO quality systems fundamentals and Lean Manufacturing principles

Level of Responsibilities

To include, but not limited to, the following:

• Safety: Ensure a safe working environment for all employees and visitors. Responsible for the team's safety program, implementation, and commitment to 5-S principles, ensuring all safety training and development is completed for all employees, administration of safety policies and procedures, and compliance with all applicable legislation. Manage and monitor the achievement of corporate and plant environmental goals. Real time investigations for any incidents & accidents
• Shop Floor Focus: Responsible for spending most of the time directly on the shop floor where the key value-added activities take place, to understand the current state of the operation and gain direct input from employees in order to make improvements.
• Continuous Improvement: Responsible for facilitating change by using kaizen as a tool to improve the organization's capability by utilizing people's skill to solve problems proactively and constantly move towards the ideal situation or 'true north'. Responsible for engaging in kaizen activities every day to proactively go after problems with a shop floor focus.
• Professional Challenge/Participation: Responsible for motivating and involving employees in improving processes through creativity, problem solving and learning. This is accomplished through setting expectations, teaching, encouraging, coaching, and holding direct labour employees accountable to utilize standardized work to improve operations, as well as, participating in the implementation of improvements through day-by-day kaizen. Solicit employees' ideas for improvement and create a work environment where employees are encouraged to take risks and share their ideas for improvement.
• Quality: Ensure the team's performance and accountability to zero defects. Responsibilities include identifying and solving department problems that cause poor quality. Must partner with customer service and corporate quality teams to ensure the identification of quality issues and their root causes, as well as, designing and implementing solutions. Must also manage and monitor compliance to MillerKnoll quality plan and ISO 9000 certification.
• Recognition/Feedback: Responsible to show appreciation of those individuals and teams that demonstrate outstanding performance, which is directly aligned with the company's values. Also responsible for providing timely feedback including formal performance reviews, performance coaching, and discipline.
• Reliability: Ensure 100% on-time delivery of quality products to the customer
• Deputise for Operations Manager as requested or required.
• Responsible for maintaining the Hour-by-Hour charts in the work area.
• Support the department Manager in implementing strategic plans and objectives, and other projects.
• Administration duties as required to ensure daily KPI performance is achieved.
• Daily organisation of manpower, machines, method and materials to ensure daily and weekly plans are met.
• Train, coach and monitor staff in standard operating procedures (SOPs) and Safe Systems of Work (SSoW), including new employees/agency worker inductions and tool box talks. Ensure the business has multi skilled teams for holiday & sickness cover and job rotations.
• Ensure daily shift briefs/meetings are handled effectively, with queries being addressed in a timely manner.
• Hold detailed Record of Discussions (ROD) with any member of staff not complying with the expectations or policies of the business or business area and raise issues accordingly.
• Maintain highest levels of housekeeping, in all areas.
• Undertake safety inspections and risk assessment monitoring as required. Implement effective and documented corrective actions.
• Ensure compliance with environmental policies, systems, and processes in accordance with ISO 14001, FSC and PEFC certifications and compliance. Supports the audit process.
• Maintain control of waste streams, segregation, and recycling.

Behaviours Expected

Over and above that of a Grade B+ or B team member to include, but not limited to:

• Focus on continuous improvement activities by improving methods of working and applying and demonstrating use of MKPS techniques.
• To approach improvements, targets, and overtime requests in a supportive, motivating and effective manner, with a focus on maintaining good working relationships and developing a culture of cooperation.
• To professionally communicate with the operations management team and other internal stakeholders within the organisation as necessary.
• Confidently able to seek assistance from outside the department and the company when necessary to resolve problems.
• To be empowered to make decisions regarding movement of labour within the cell and between cells, regarding agency staff and their suitability. To provide regular and honest feedback regarding temporary employees’ performance, conduct and attitude, based on evidence, to ensure the right selection of agency staff are being made on a weekly basis.
• Is confident, self-motivated and willing to be flexible to cope with changing job demands.
• Accepts accountability and responsibility. Does not simply escalate difficult issues. Is willing to stand up and be counted when issues need to be dealt with. Is not afraid, when relied upon, to provide factual accounts of incidents involving employees for investigations etc
• Driven by continual improvement and with high personal standards and integrity. A company ambassador, acting in the best interests of the company at all times.
• Encourages others to apply safe working procedures to achieve good output and quality.
• Ensure company disciplines, values and policies are upheld at all times.
• To work overtime whenever you require the team to work overtime in your cell – the payment for this within the week is included in the salary – additional payments as specified will be paid for weekend working.

Education / Qualification

BE with 3 years of experience or

Diploma with 8-10 years Supervisory experience

Who We Hire?

Simply put, we hire everyone. MillerKnoll is comprised of people of all abilities, gender identities and expressions, ages, ethnicities, sexual orientations, veterans from every branch of military service, and more. Here, you can bring your whole self to work. We’re committed to equal opportunity employment, including veterans and people with disabilities.