Kalmar is moving goods in critical supply chains around the world, with the vision to be the forerunner in sustainable material handling equipment and services.
We are making every move count
We at Kalmar are seeking a talented Director, Continual Improvement who will be responsible for leading and coaching the development of a sustained, exceptional continual improvement culture and way of working within Kalmar, driving and catalyzing strategic transformation to achieve Kalmar's vision of efficient leadership in its industry.
Main tasks and responsibilities
- Develop and coach the implementation of Kalmar's continual improvement way of working and culture that supports, aligns with, and delivers the company's strategy and performance objectives.
- Define and promote a compelling, visionary narrative for the objective of becoming a recognized "Continual Improvement Leader" in the industry.
- Recognize and leverage the "levers of change" to accelerate transformation in efficiency and productivity, ensuring market leadership among competitors.
- Build a culture of continual improvement and respect for people within the organization by promoting the importance of core behaviors and principles that encourage employees to embrace lean thinking and its related practices in their daily work activities.
- Elevate the organizational capabilities for continual improvement and a learning organization (making yourself eventually unneeded) by training and mentoring people at all levels of the organization.
- Train and mentor people in the thinking and practices of appropriate improvement skills and competencies. Work with employees across the organization, from leadership to the frontline, to establish and improve fit-for-purpose strategy, improvement and daily management processes.
- Support the integration of the Kalmar approach to improvement into business processes and drive a holistic way of working in pursuit of Kalmar's business and strategic objectives.
- Measure and analyze performance to identify areas for improvement, including using data analysis tools and cross-functional metrics to track progress and identify opportunities that drive improvement by reducing waste and improving efficiency. Develop and implement data-driven daily management.
- Facilitate and support improvement projects and coordinate with cross-functional teams.
- Develop and enhance continual improvement as the engine for progress in Process Leadership.
What you'll need to succeed
Education (Desirable):
- Master's level degree.
- Qualified Master Black Belt in Lean Six Sigma.
Experience:
- More than 8 years of relevant experience in leading performance-based transformation and improvement activities.
- Strong knowledge and experience in various aspects of process thinking, statistical thinking, and design thinking, as well as practical experience in these areas.
- Experience working in a multicultural environment. Ability to work in a matrix organization and to build networks and communities of practice.
- Experience in implementing business process management or business process leadership.
- Experience in developing and implementing a company-wide Continual Improvement program.
- Genuine interest in understanding business operations beyond the surface level of financial performance.
- Highly analytical and systematic working style with a focus on data-driven decision-making.
Competencies:
- Manage and lead cross-organizational and complex transformations.
- Sensemaking, appreciation for simplicity, and systems thinking.
- Lead without direct power relations.
- Train, coach, and facilitate Continual Improvement principles and practices.
- Communicate effectively.
- Possess deep knowledge of Continual Improvement (both mindset and practice aspects).
Other:
- International travel required, percentage to be agreed.
- Located in Europe (at one of Kalmar's locations - Bulgaria, Finland, Poland).
What we offer:
- Opportunities to grow your career in a global environment with extensive professional development. Our culture promotes continuous learning and development, supported by our internal platform, LEARN, offering hundreds of online courses on various topics.
- We prioritise work-life balance, providing flexible working hours and a hybrid work model tailored to meet both your needs and those of your team.
- A fixed monthly salary, determined by your experience and skills, along with a performance-based bonus system.
- Benefits package.
- A place where you can make a real impact with long-term career prospects and meaningful opportunities. As a proud member of the UN Global Compact initiative, Kalmar is committed to sustainable and ethical business practices. Visit our website to learn more about why Kalmar is a great place to work and meet our people.
Interested to join?
If you are excited about this opportunity, please submit your application and CV in English.
#Li-Hybrid
Kalmar (Nasdaq Helsinki: KALMAR) offers a wide range of industry shaping heavy material handling equipment and services to ports and terminals, distribution centres, manufacturing and heavy logistics. Headquartered in Helsinki, Finland, Kalmar operates globally in over 120 countries and employs approximately 5,200 people. In 2023, the company's sales on a carve-out basis totalled approximately EUR 2.0 billion.
www.kalmarglobal.com