Rolling Manager at Kaiser Aluminum in Newburgh, Indiana

Job Description:

Kaiser Aluminum Warrick has been on the path of innovation, embracing the latest technologies for almost 60 years! We have revolutionized the industry and lead the way in the development of sustainable aluminum products the you use every day for food and drinks. Our people are the bedrock for our operations. Along with their dedication to excellence and integrity, our people are drivers of continuous improvement who build on new ideas while flourishing within our growing business. We provide opportunities for you to think outside the box and bring creative and progressive solutions to our operations. Our passion for inclusion, diversity and equity is a value at the core of our organization and people. Are you ready to start your journey with us and be the future of Kaiser Warrick Aluminum?

The Rolling Manager position has full accountability for leadership in the areas of safety, environment, production, maintenance, engineering, quality, cost, and customer service. The principal emphasis of this role is to manage strategic business plan deployment and operations alignment with tactical execution of the monthly production plan. These goals need to be accomplished while building a safe and effective organization through sustained employee engagement at all levels of the organization and application of lean manufacturing principles to maximize profitability.

The Rolling Manager reports to the Manufacturing Manager. The successful candidate in this job must run the Rolling department like a business and function as a business partner with other managers/leaders within the plant, within the BU (FRP), and within greater Kaiser to drive results beyond their department. The candidate must also deliver results in a manner in which they can be sustained, leveraged, and built upon for future success. The ability to lead and develop people is essential, along with passion, drive, vision, and a record of disciplined execution.

The Rolling Manager position has two direct reports: the Hot Mill Production Superintendent and the Cold Mill Production Superintendent. They have 13 additional salaried leaders providing varying levels of 24x7 leadership to ~150 bargaining unit employees in operations. The Rolling Manager and Production Superintendents are supported by Safety, Quality, Engineering and Maintenance resources and provide both the day-to-day prioritization and longer-term strategy for optimizing right first-time quality, throughput and manufacturing efficiency of the Rolling Department. Total headcount under the guidance of the Rolling Manager is ~300 people and includes Scalping, Pre-heating, Hot Rolling, Cold Rolling, Thermal / Annealing and the Roll Shop departments.

Responsibilities include:

Strategy

• Be knowledgeable of plant’s products, processes, and technologies which allow the plant to meet customers’ expectations and needs, so that each customer is appreciative of the customer-supplier partnership with Kaiser.


• Establish and communicate a strategic vision with appropriate stretch goals that establish a clear direction for the organization, while providing the tools necessary for binary communication with employees at all levels of the organization.


• Develop strategic manufacturing direction for the three-year planning horizon, utilizing lean manufacturing techniques and coaching for improved reliability focused maintenance execution.


• Lead the ongoing development and modification of product strategies to optimize costs, product performance and financial return for the business. Key partners in this process will be commercial teams, Quality, Procurement, and plant/BU leadership teams.


• Significant participation in the preparation of operational budgets, capital plans, appropriation requests, and project follow-up.


• Implement improvement strategies to increase efficiency, spend performance, customer delivery, and safety record.


• Efficient operation and management of all departments and related multi-discipline activities involved in production, in order to maximize return on investment consistent with service, product quality, and social responsibility objectives.


• Establish and maintain effective organization and production facilities to assure competitive manufacturing for increased profits and greater penetration into the marketplace (domestic and international).


• Teach and coach direct reports in establishing new innovative processes for making products, with the goal of improved customer satisfaction and return on investment.


• Act in such a manner that the dignity of the position constantly and consistently reflects Kaiser’s values with integrity, people, etc.

Safety

• Ensure effective safety and health programs are in place to meet or exceed safety goals.Monitor key program indicators to identify periodic need for program effectiveness review and improvement.


• Ensure effective environmental programs are in place to meet or exceed compliance requirements. Monitor key program indicators to identify periodic need for program effectiveness review and improvement.

Operations

• Manage the production and velocity of material through the Rolling Department to meet customer demand within stated customer specifications.


• Support and coach department leaders on tactical execution of monthly production and maintenance plans, ensuring monthly financial goals are met.


• Coordinate and direct departmental activities so that the necessary sustaining maintenance and established production schedules are met at optimum cost. Of equal significance is the incumbent's concern with constantly improving the effectiveness of the people, processes and facilities under his or her direction. The incumbent will also have a demonstrated ability to identify and improve system issues across the entire plant flow path.


• Ensure safe, efficient, cost effective and reliable production that meets changing volume requirements and production schedules.


• Analyze and implement process flow, inventory, and velocity improvements throughout entire value stream, including key supply base and outside vendors.


• Monitor the work flow and inventory levels to ensure that schedules are met and bottlenecks are identified and corrected.


• Manage relationship with union committee; maintain compliance with collective bargaining agreement.


• Work with planning, sales, quality and finance to ensure cooperative spirit, continuous improvement and customer satisfaction are constantly driven forward


• Oversee process integrity and equipment reliability, ensuring that production goals are met by designing and implementing definitive metrics, employee support, and strategic planning for current production processes as well as future needs.

People

• Create an environment that ensures a high level of engagement, performance, fulfilling and challenging jobs, employee participation, effective development and utilization of human resources under his/her direction, and compliance with all government requirements.


• Create a positive work environment where employee contributions are encouraged and recognized, and where individual employee growth is fostered while integrity is developed and protected.


• Represent Kaiser in the surrounding communities in a positive fashion, demonstrating both personal and corporate responsibilities in all actions.

Basic qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in business or technical field


• 10 or more years progressive management experience in heavy industry


• Change management and continuous improvement experience in a lean manufacturing environment


• Leadership experience across a range of metal manufacturing processes including ingot casting, hot rolling, cold rolling, and finishing.

Preferred qualifications:

• Advanced college degree


• Significant level of exposure to, and familiarity with, aluminum production equipment, processes, and customer base.


• Broad experience with production, maintenance, and engineering


• Good communication skills (both oral and written)


• Ability to lead a team


• Ability to analyze problems and develop creative and effective solutions


• Excellent interpersonal skills; can build solid and lasting relationships at all levels of the organization


• Excellent working knowledge of organization and how it operates, or the ability to quickly acquire knowledge of the operation


• Ability to think creatively


• Ability to be a change-agent in both creating and driving change


• Ability to make tough decisions and execute accordingly


• Excellent organizational skills; results orientation

ENVIRONMENT:

Approximately 60% of the job function is performed in an office setting requiring normal safety precautions. 40% of the job function is required in the plant. There is exposure to operating machinery and a manufacturing environment.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

• This position requires performing tasks on a computer.


• There will be periods of walking and standing.


• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.


• The employee frequently is required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, sheet samples and climb or balance.


• The employee is occasionally required to reach with arms; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl; and talk and hear.


• The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

About Kaiser Aluminum Warrick:

Talented people join our team because we are a company passionate about environmental sustainability, employee growth, contributing back to our communities and championing a diverse and inclusive culture. We are strongly committed to expanding inclusion, equity, and diversity – how we hire, develop, and inspire our diverse team members that reflect and relates to the increasingly multicultural community.

Kaiser Aluminum encourages applications from women, people of diverse backgrounds and those with different skills and life experiences. Kaiser is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and is an affirmative action employer. 

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