Responsibility
About Nouryon
Nouryon Specialty Chemicals is world leader in the production of essential chemistry with operations in 80 countries and over 10,000 employees. We invest approximately $120 million in RD&I every year, are #1 or #2 in 80% of our market segments, and we are ranked #1 in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index.
Here in North America, we have nearly 2,000 employees across 22 production, research and office sites, including the world’s largest fatty amines facility, located in Morris, IL. We are dedicated to providing industries worldwide with the materials they need to manufacture everyday essentials such as paper, plastics, detergents, personal care and hair styling products, as well as key ingredients for the construction, oil and gas, agricultural, mining and pharmaceutical sectors. Building on our long-standing commitment to safety, sustainability and open innovation, we have established a world-class business built on strong partnerships with our customers. The global headquarters for two of our core businesses – Surface Chemistry and Polymer Chemistry – are located in Chicago, and the region as a whole accounts for approximately one quarter of Specialty Chemicals’ annual worldwide revenue. For more information visit www.nouryon.com/
With leading market positions and global brands, our Ethylene and Sulfur Derivatives Business Unit (BU) ensures that industries worldwide are supplied with quality ingredients: chemical intermediates and performance chemicals such as cellulosic specialties, chelates, ethylene amines, micronutrients, polysulfides and sulfur products.
BU Ethylene and Sulfur Derivatives has invested in developing a sustainable, long term culture of continuous improvement based on Lean Six Sigma (L6S) principles and methodology. Using this one global system that promotes eliminating waste and reducing variation, BU ESD aims to drive for stronger business performance every day.
Nouryon Ethylene and Sulfur Derivatives (ESD)- has an outstanding opportunity for a Black Belt Project Manager. The Black Belt Project Managers go on site to lead complex improvement projects that have significant impact on the BU. They operate across business and functional lines to drive change and improve the efficiency and effectiveness of BU operations. They will typically work in their home regions but as required, will lead global projects. Projects vary in size but typically will be six to nine months in length with an average benefit in excess of €400k. Black Belts must be passionate about continuous improvement, be effective change agents, capable team leaders and able to effectively lead Lean Six Sigma projects in whatever environment or setting they are sent into.
Specific Tasks:
- Takes responsibility for leading teams in the execution of complex Lean Six Sigma projects in manufacturing and business sites that deliver benefits in excess of €400k. Will lead multiple projects simultaneously.
- Provides those working on the projects with a clear sense of direction, motivating and empowering them to initiative sustainable improvements to their current processes and work environments. Builds teamwork through engagement and aligns team members by tying to individual and collective goals.
- Helps teams to understand, learn and use Lean Six Sigma tools and techniques for current and future purposes.
- Uses data and all sources of information to break down scenarios to root causes, to find patterns and relationships and to solve problems in a practical, permanent way.
- Maintains a customer focus and uses it to drive for improvement in the BU business and processes.
- Pushes for innovative improvements but understands the need for assessing risks and balancing relative to practicality and compliance. Challenges existing boundaries but does not compromise on legal or safety requirements.
- Works well in a pressurized environment, is a highly capable planner and can prioritize, both at work and to maintain a good work/life balance
- Travels to BU locations as required fulfilling their overall responsibilities. Travel may be required as much as three to four days per week in some weeks. Typically there will be two or three days per week overnight travel.
- Communicates about their activities including weekly Black Belt progress reports and quick win results, via articles about their projects and L6S subject matter for the BU and local newsletters.
- Is responsible to fully document the status of their active and closed projects then log all projects on the L6S Connect site. Acts as the key resource for rapid replication of their projects at other sites.
- Acts as a change agent in building a continuous improvement culture in the BU.
- Able to identify improvement opportunities and assist process owners in writing concise project charters to define the problem statement, desired future state and benefit to be achieved.
- Conducts Lean Six Sigma content based workshops and site audits as required to help sites improve their performance.
- Trains and coaches Brown Belts and Green Belts in the details of Lean Six Sigma and the successful execution of local projects. Works with them to help them reach certification.
- Assists in the education and training of the BU employee population, including supervisors and management on the fundamentals of Lean Six Sigma.
- Provide general support to the L6S organization and community.
- Provides assistance to the Master Black Belts, Program Operations Manager and Program Manager as required in developing curriculum and resource materials to improve and further build the L6S program in BU.
- Helps in the Black Belt recruitment process, answering questions from potential candidates and acting as community liaisons.
- Actively promotes L6S via presentations to groups, newsletter articles and participation in workshop and conferences (internal and external).
- Supports the Master Black Belts in realizing the goals of the L6S program.
- Supports the L6S Program Manager, as required, to help grow and sustain the program.