JOB SUMMARY

This position leads Continuous Improvement and Quality Control initiatives for Kansas City Southern de Mexico with a focus on the Customer, Railyard Terminal performance, and Best-in-class execution working alongside the Regional Superintendent. Primary responsibility is to ensure that the quality of the transportation service meets our customer expectations.  This may include acting as a liaison between Marketing, Customer Service, Network Design team, key customers and the Terminal. Works closely with functional leadership to identify areas of improvement and develops, manages, and tracks projects that support KCSM's strategies and goals. This role is responsible for implementation of core workflow processes, identifying opportunities to drive cost savings and improve standardization, and improving productivity. This role requires change management leadership by implementing best practices using process improvement methodology, tools and technologies. Fundamental to this position’s success is a specialized project management skillset (which includes running Lean/Kaizen events as example), an entrepreneurial spirit and proven success in achieving on customer commitments, timelines, KPI’s, and savings goals. All with the aim to drive improved performance that can be sustained into the future.

This role reports to the Business Excellence Organization, but will serve as a key business partner for Transportation with the Operations Regional Superintendent, the two will work together to guarantee the use of standard procedures to keep controls on achieving the Transportation Service Plan, maintaining budgetary expenditures, meeting key performance targets, and improving customer performance through operational efficiency gains. This person challenges the status quo in order to achieve the optimal future state through Lean & Six Sigma methodologies. This includes, but not limited to, reviewing current business practices, challenging processes for opportunities and improvement, and developing recommendations and controls for sustained improvements. Serves as the Operations lead in the Terminal office for developing the Business Excellence training toolkit, providing training materials, and serving as mentor for the methodologies during execution. This person will have the authority to lead the Regional Superintendent and their team to provide Root Cause analysis, implementation of the exception model, exception elimination. Key objectives of this role is to report out to Senior Leadership on key findings, while not always positive, will be fact-based, through the development of a Management Escalation process, we will develop the capability of implementing immediate actions and changes to the betterment of the facility.

JOB DUTIES

• Ensures the quality of service to customers meets expectations of division and senior leadership.
• Provides ongoing evaluation and ensures KPI (Key Performance Indicator) targets are met
• Interfaces and communicates with internal and external customers regarding escalated issues or operational difficulties.
• Works closely with the Transportation Design team to make adjustments to the Service Plan as needed and utilize MCS (Management Control System) and computerized planning tools to include, but not limited to, diagnose and remedy errors with trip plans, work orders, equipment statuses and all aspects of inventory data management.
• Mobilizes the team to meet the tactical and strategic goals of the train routes – ensure on-time delivery to our customers.
• Manages all aspects of process improvement efforts including strategy, organization development and deployment.
• Develops business process improvement planning processes and prioritizes improvement initiatives linked to KCS Strategy & Vision framework.
• Collaborates with functional leadership to ensure effective execution of improvement projects and initiatives, with attention and review of profit and loss scope, resource needs and business objectives.
• Establishes and drives culture change of fact-based decision making through mentorship and imparting continuous improvement knowledge throughout the Terminal.
• Directs the process efficiency and improvement movement through continuous examination of business results, operating metrics, and business processes.
• Works with stakeholders to identify, define and execute significant process improvement projects. Brings successful resolution to high-impact, complex and cross-functional processes.
• Implements process improvements that produce sustainable improvements in key performance indicators and cost savings, and reductions in unwanted variation in performance.
• Exemplifies KCS Vision, Values, and Culture in each interaction with team, clients, and stakeholders.

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited university or college, preferably in a job related major field of study;
• Minimum three (3) years of experience directly or indirectly leading projects within the rail industry;
• Minimum seven (7) years of relevant professional experience, including leading and managing projects or programs with outcome focused deliverables, or equivalent combination of education and experience;
• Minimum one (1) year of experience directly or indirectly leading a team.

PREFERRED REQUIREMENTS

• Strong command of English and Spanish languages - read, write, and speak.
• Master’s degree from an accredited university or college, preferably in Engineering, Logistics, Business or Data Analytics.
• Customer Service oriented and experience.
• Intuitively assess the best course of action to take in a given situation and understand how and when to apply Lean Six Sigma guidelines.

CERTIFICATIONS

• Six Sigma Black Belt Certification

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• On-call responsibilities are an essential function of this job. Employees must have the ability and willingness to support operations of mission critical systems and/or processes 24 hours per day/7 days per week. On-call assignments may include after-hours, weekends and holidays.
• Focuses time and energy on the most important priorities. Manages time and resources well, plans ahead to avoid unnecessary last minute rushes.
• Knowledge of data mining principles: predictive analytics, mapping, collecting data from multiple data systems on premises and cloud-based data sources.
• Experience working with and creating databases and dashboards using all relevant data to inform decisions.
• Ability to travel internationally based upon project demands.
• Proficiency in MCS, EWM, SAP - Business Objects, Power BI, and LMS systems preferred.
• Proficiency in Microsoft PowerPoint, Word, Excel, Visio.
• Ability to simplify and communicate complex concepts to broad audiences.
• Ability to manage multiple sets of priorities and deliverables in a fast-pace environment.
• Strong facilitation, active listening and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to develop and foster strong relationships with business units.
• Ability to deal with complex situations holistically.
• Experience managing and working through organizational behavioral change.

Required Skills Required Experience

• High School diploma or GED is required. Previous inventory control or data entry experience preferred.
• Must have a strong attention to detail and be comfortable working independently to achieve production expectations.
• Must be well organized and able to communicate effectively with various departments within the organization.
• Must be able to work outside normal working hours to accommodate production needs when required.
• Must be able to drive a stand up-reach forklift.