Lean Manager - The Toro Company

Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of a school/employment or any other visa, regardless of expiration date, now or in the future. 

Who Are We?     

At The Toro Company in Plymouth, WI, we pride ourselves on being a leading distributor for the enterprise. Our distribution center in Plymouth stands as a place for people to learn and thrive. We take pride in the products we package and send out to the customer. We contribute to building communities, cities, and the world.     

As the Lean Manager, you will execute the implementation of consistent Lean business practices to drive increased growth, operational excellence and empowered employees. Participate in the development, execution, and maintenance of transformation plans, delivering coaching and training on Lean principles, concepts and tools, leading kaizen events, knowledge sharing, and helping to identify future Lean minded personnel.  Partner with the broader TTC Lean Enterprise Team to evolve the TTC Lean Enterprise system, share knowledge and best practices, and assist other manufacturing sites across the Company with increasing Lean competencies.

What Will You Do?  

In order to grow and build a successful career with The Toro Company, you will be responsible for:  

• ​​​​Promote, guide and lead transformation teams in the implementation of the TTC Lean Enterprise system, which includes the use of various process improvement tools including, but not limited to: Value Stream Mapping, Kaizen, 5S, Standard Work, Cell Design, Continuous Flow, Material Flow, Visual Management, Change over, TPM, Root Cause Analysis

• Collaborate with Operations leadership team to develop annual plans in support of continuous improvement to drive improvements in key metrics such as safety, quality, delivery, cost, cash, employee engagement, and growth, identifying indicators for future improvement opportunities

• Drive Lean operating principles and establish location specific principles, communication, knowledge sharing and reporting strategies to provide visibility into continuous improvement efforts

• Support Lean Enterprise system maturity self-assessment process and coordinate gap closure planning with corporate Lean enterprise team.

• Provide training, coaching and mentoring of Lean principles, concepts, behaviors and tools that enhance the existing culture to one of continuous improvement at all levels of the organization

• Facilitate kaizen teams/events, track progress, and follow up to ensure gains are sustained

• Train and coach others at the location to become Lean practitioners and team facilitators

• Communicate to site leadership teams on overall Lean Enterprise initiatives, continuous improvement projects, kaizen status and assessment of customer needs on a regular basis

• Participate as a member of the Corporate Lean Enterprise Team to evolve the Lean Enterprise system, share best practices, report progress and provide support to other Lean Managers as necessary

• Stay current with technologies and Lean concepts through continuing education and benchmarking

• Create and maintain an environment that promotes safety for people and processes

• Interface with location team members daily

• Assess efficiencies of labor, set up, processes, etc., in a continued effort to identify and communicate cost reduction opportunities

• Support quality improvement efforts associated with work processes and procedures

• Utilize SAP, QlikView, and supporting system skills for efficient operations

• All other special projects and tasks as assigned

What Do You Need?  

To be considered for this role, an individual should meet the following minimal requirements:  

• Bachelor’s degree (BA, BS) in Engineering, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Business or similar field

• A minimum of 5 years of experience in Lean Manufacturing and Project Management in operations

• Proven history of experience grounded in Lean principles, tools, and systems such as Value Stream Mapping, Cell Design, Material Flow, Plan for Every Part, Visual Management, Standard Work, 5S, TPM, Change Over, Mistake Proofing, Root Cause Analysis

• Demonstrated experience with transforming business processes, with the ability to promote and sustain continuous improvement efforts/projects and culture through engaging, influencing, inspiring, and motivating others

• Practical experience in project/ program management and lean implementation.  Strong management, communication, and leadership skills.  Should be motivated with a positive attitude, with ability to work in a group/team setting

• Progressive work history in manufacturing environment demonstrating growth in position and/or responsibility

• Strong analytical skills with the demonstrated ability to analyze multifaceted, complex situations, problems, and concepts

• Strong written and verbal communication skills and the ability to effectively interact with individuals from a wide range of backgrounds

• Highly self-motivated and directed, able to work well under pressure, manage and prioritize multiple initiatives concurrently, attend to details, and meet deadlines

• Strong organizational skills, including the ability to be flexible, adaptable, and change priorities and direction as needed, allowing for optimum effectiveness

• Aptitude and desire to gain understanding of situations, processes, and procedures in an effort to improve them

• Ability to anticipate problems and take necessary action to minimize likelihood and impact of problems

• Proven ability to solve problems and consistently meet project deadlines and department objectives

• Proficient in Microsoft Suite. SAP and QlikView preferred

• Lean practitioner and/or Six Sigma certification preferred

• Previous functional management experience preferred

• Previous experience working within defined Lean system preferred

• Supply Chain and/or engineering experience preferred

• Ability to travel out of support area up to 15%

Other Job-Related Components:

• Position will partner with the broader TTC Lean Enterprise Team to evolve the TTC Lean Enterprise system

• Ability to walk and stand throughout working hours, up to 10 hours per day

• Manufacturing setting with moving equipment and varying lighting, temperature and noise levels

• Typical office environment as it pertains to lighting, temperature, and noise level when in administrative/operations offices

• Ability to work up to 75% of time in manufacturing environment to collaborate with teams and identify/implement improvements

• Dexterity of hands and fingers to operate a computer keyboard and mouse, and to handle other computer components

At The Toro Company, we are committed to fostering a secure and trustworthy recruitment experience for our applicants. Recruitment fraud is a growing concern for job seekers, so please be aware that throughout our recruitment process, you’ll never be required to pay any fees or disclose personal financial details when applying to TTC opportunities. All legitimate job opportunities must be applied for directly through our official careers page at jobs.thetorocompany.com or via Workday, our applicant tracking system. 

The Toro Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We consider all qualified applicants based on merit and do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), parental status, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, military service, or other non-merit factors. We are committed to creating a welcoming environment for all employees. 

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