Operations Lead

The Operations Leader is responsible for all aspects of the safety, quality, cost, and production for the Brüggen, German plant. This position is accountable for a multi-shift operation and plays an integral role in the establishment of a strong and sustainable safety culture.  The Operations Leader must demonstrate leadership across department boundaries to safely produce a quality product, at the lowest possible cost, while maintaining environmental and policy compliance through the successful application of TPM principles of loss identification and elimination.

Brüggen is part of Owens Corning’s Nonwovens, Composites Solutions Business and manufactures a number of different coated products that are being sold in Building & Construction and Industrial markets. The Brüggen plant has 70 total employees, running 2 lines in 5 shifts (24/5). Consistent with Owens Corning’s manufacturing excellence focus, Brüggen did start the TPM journey and driving the plant to the JIPM Certification level 1 will be a priority for the Plant Leader and his team by 2026.

REPORTS TO: This position reports to the Plant Leader, Brüggen

SPAN OF CONTROL: This position directly leads a team of 1 Production Supervisor and 5 Shifts Leaders, supervising 30 Operators.

1. Direct operations that drive towards manufacturing excellence

• Leads with a clear view of where the organization needs to be in 1-3 years
• Communicates strategic direction to employees and how it fits with the day-to-day actions and results being driven. Ability to achieve results through the team. Effective utilization of 2-way communication tools to share strategy and target objectives
• Coordinates resources and organizes an optimal functioning of the Operations activities in line with the set targets to guarantee:
  • Production in a timely manner according to planning
  • Productivity and cost in line with budget
  • Quality accordingly and exceeding costumers’ expectations
  • High machine performance (observe, check, act)
  • An optimal production throughput (monitor, act) including: analysis of down time, appropriate machine operations, cleaning instructions,…)
• Proactively analyzes and manages all relative operations performance metrics
• Operates with zero environmental non-conformities to applicable company, government and regulatory policies
• Continuously improves the plant operations environmental footprint consistent with company goals and community interests
• Demonstrated change agent who can lead transformations.

2. Lead, Coach, and Develop the Team to a Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) Operating System

• As AM Pillar Leader, act as an effective change agent to create the vision and environment to successfully implement and sustain operational excellence transformation through the application of TPM methods
• Integrate Operating System into daily management across the whole plant, enabling operators to work proactively in order to make manufacturing processes reliable
• Define and deploy the AM masterplan with an integrated link on T&D, PM, QM
• Effectively assess, upskill, develop, and manage both the salaried and primaries talent on the Operations team
• Establish and sustain standards of performance across all shifts in pursuit of zero injuries, zero defects and zero losses.

3. Lead Safety, Health, and Environmental Standards for an injury free work environment, while maintaining a high level of quality and meeting plant KPIs

• Ensure a culture which enables a safe and secure work environment for all employees, contractors and visitors
• Shows a passion and caring for our people, and leads from a place of “safety and” the other objectives of the business with a focus on safe behaviours, choices, housekeeping and environment
• Ensure a clear and effective measurement system is followed and used to drive results; rewards and celebrates safe behavior and achievements; ensures accountability
• Coach people on the shop floor and actively participate in EHS programs (ie: BBS, Keep if Fresh, LPA Hazards analysis, etc.)

4. Know the business and our customers

• Create an environment where all employees are engaged, empowered and focused on serving our customers
• Provide leadership to all manufacturing process areas to ensure quality standards are upheld and ISO requirements are maintained.
• Ensure understanding of quality losses and capacity to lead production team through standards necessary to eliminate.

5. Work Collaboratively Across Departments and Functions

• Partner with peers, site resources, and functional support to gain an in-depth understanding of all aspects of the plant’s processes, and then work together to achieve the plant’s goals and objectives
• Collaborates with other pillar leaders to enable effective embedment of TPM culture
• Networks with sister plants to drive for best practices sharing and adoption

6. Develop and Maintain an Effective Labor (Employee) Relations Partnership

• Ensures a positive, creative, diverse and collaborative work environment where employees own the success of the business
• Selects, trains, ensures the proper tools, processes and systems are in place, then empowers employees to deliver against clear expectations
• Ensures compliance with company policies and/or government regulations and actively participates and models effective dispute resolution.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS :

• Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering, Business, or related field
• 5+ years manufacturing experience or equivalent applicable experience with 3 years of operations leadership experience

TYPE OF INDUSTRY:

• Strong background in Continuous Improvement and Lean manufacturing experience, TPM/WCM exposure is an asset
• Experience managing and activating people on the shopfloor, with a safety mindset
• Paper and pulp, automotive, electronics, bulk industries
• Language: German mother tongue level, English business-fluent

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS:

• People driven leader with high empathy for the human factor in achieving business results.
• Inspiring and charismatic leader to (further) develop on the floor leadership
• Proven track record as an autonomous people manager in an industrial environment, tenacious and has a good understanding of figures
• Must have a ‘can do’ mentality, working in a pragmatic and goal-focused way
• A ‘getting things done’ and ‘problem solver’ manager, eager to build on success and a patient bridge builder
• Thinks and acts strategically with insight vision and business sense, operating with a processdriven mindset
• Acts as an organizational steward with integrity and high ethical standards, lead by example

TRAVEL:

Travel of up to 10%