Product Development Process and Continuous Improvement Manager

Job Title: Product Development Process and Continuous Improvement Manager

Function/Department: Product Transformation/Products & Solutions

Work Location: Onsite at Westerville, OH

Vertiv, a $8.0B global organization with nearly 31,000 employees, designs, builds and services critical infrastructure that enables vital applications for data centers, communication networks, and commercial and industrial facilities.  We support today’s growing mobile and cloud computing markets with a portfolio of power, thermal and infrastructure management solutions.

Job Summary

The Global PMO team mission is to continuously develop and improve our Product Lifecycle Management Processes, which includes New Product Development and Introduction (NPDI), Sustaining, and Phase Out.  The Product Development Process and Continuous Improvement Manager is responsible for identifying and leading initiatives that reduce Vertiv’s product development cycle time – the manager will be responsible for defining and driving Operational Excellence in the product development process.

The Continuous Improvement Manager acts on process improvement actions from many sources, including our Operating Model KPIs, Leadership actions, Lessons Learned, lean workshops and Kaizens.  The Continuous Improvement Manager will use lean principles, identify waste, and continuously improve NPDI processes.   Process improvements will be documented in Standard Operating Procedures, built into the Operating model, and accompanied by communications and training for process users.

The Continuous Improvement Manager will support on the job training affected functions for key process steps in the NPDI process.  It is anticipated improvements can occur across any of the functions in the development process – not just engineering.  Additionally, then manager may engage in assisting PM’s in documenting their critical path, summarizing the critical path norms across the portfolio, comparing the complexity rating of projects to TTM performance, understanding root causes and recommending corrective actions for projects with high Schedule Slip and/or TTM, and helping to drive accountability for Schedule Slip and TTM.  This work may will also yield sources of best practice to further incorporate into process updates.

The role will entail a combination of working closely with Business Unit Project Managers as well as supporting functional team members to define critical path steps, sequencing, and areas for improvement required.

The Continuous Improvement Manager will work closely with the GPDO team and functions to implement necessary process improvements and actions.

Responsibilities:

1. (80%) Identify, prioritize, develop, and implement lean product development process improvements
2. (20%) Learn the NPDI process and be capable to mentor/train and execute the process.

Requirements:

• BS in Engineering or a closely related field, or equivalent required
• Advanced degree preferred but not required
• Design for Six Sigma / Lean Six Sigma / Design Thinking experience preferred
• 10+ years cumulative experience working in Operational Excellence and Continuous improvement, specifically in complex product development organizations – preferably ones with Phase Gate processes
• Strong communication skills to communicate effortlessly with PMO Leads and global functional leaders
• Be Self-Starter – be able to take high level instructions and convert them into comprehensive end to end action plans
• High self motivation, drive, and inquisitiveness to transform our business performance and strong curiosity and critical thinking skills to arrive to correct conclusions and drive proper countermeasures.
• Strong ability to summarize large amounts of information into clear and concise summaries for actioning
• Ability to take directions, lead ad-hoc teams, and drive for results
• Experience utilizing Google AppSheet is strongly preferred
• High proficiency in MS Office is required (including Excel Pivot Tables)

The successful candidate will embrace Vertiv’s Core Principals & Behaviors to help execute our Strategic Priorities. 

OUR CORE PRINCIPALS: Safety.  Integrity.  Respect.  Teamwork.  Inclusion.

OUR STRATEGIC PRIORITIES

•  High-Performance Culture• Customer Focus

•  Operational Excellence

•  Innovation

•  Financial Strength

VERTIV BEHAVIORS

• Own it
• Act with urgency
• Foster a customer-first mindset
• Think big and execute
• Lead by example
• Drive continuous improvement
• Learn and seek out development
• Promote transparent & open communication 

About Vertiv

Vertiv (NYSE: VRT) brings together hardware, software, analytics and ongoing services to enable its customers’ vital applications to run continuously, perform optimally and grow with their business needs.  Vertiv solves the most important challenges facing today’s data centers, communication networks and commercial and industrial facilities with a portfolio of power, cooling and IT infrastructure solutions and services that extend from the cloud to the edge of the network. Headquartered in Westerville, Ohio, USA, Vertiv employs around 34,000 people and does business in more than 130 countries. Visit Vertiv.com to learn more.   

Work Authorization

No calls or agencies please. Vertiv will only employ those who are legally authorized to work in the United States. This is not a position for which sponsorship will be provided. Individuals with temporary visas such as E, F-1, H-1, H-2, L, B, J, or TN or who need sponsorship for work authorization now or in the future, are not eligible for hire.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Vertiv is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. We promote equal opportunities for all with respect to hiring, terms of employment, mobility, training, compensation, and occupational health, without discrimination as to age, race, color, religion, creed, sex, pregnancy status (including childbirth, breastfeeding, or related medical conditions), marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity / expression (including transgender status or sexual stereotypes), genetic information, citizenship status, national origin, protected veteran status, political affiliation, or disability. If you have a disability and are having difficulty accessing or using this website to apply for a position, you can request help by sending an email to [email protected].

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