Supply Chain Optimization Manager

Location: Remote Opportunity As a strategic leader within the KBA Production Control organization, this role spearheads the continuous transformation and optimization of supply chain operations across Kohler’s Kitchen Bath manufacturing plants in the Americas region. This role is responsible for architecting and revolutionizing material flow, conveyance, and intra-logistics strategies. The core mission is to drive unprecedented levels of efficiency and productivity, ensuring a synchronized ecosystem where the right inventory is strategically stored, readily available, and delivered to the right place at the right time. Key deliverables include governance of the Plan for Every Part (PFEP) and a high-impact blend of strategic leadership and tactical support for regional continuous improvement initiatives to achieve end-to-end Supply Chain optimization. SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES 1. Strategic Design Lean Material Flow • Integrated Systems Design: Design and implement material flow, conveyance, and inventory management systems fully integrated with Lean Manufacturing principles. • Infrastructure Layout: Lead new facility and warehouse design by optimizing material flow and developing layouts/models using Lean tools; drive improvements in existing facilities as needed. • Facility Tactics: Partner with plant teams to implement supermarkets, kanban, and smart buffers to ensure seamless production support. • Packaging Strategy: Collaborate with Purchasing and Packaging Engineering to define optimal packaging for internal and external components, minimizing waste and maximizing density. • Physical Information Flow: Ensure effective synchronization between physical movement and information flows to maximize conveyance performance and minimize total logistics and operational cost. 2. Industry 4.0 Smart Logistics • Strategic Transformation: Lead the transition to a Smart Material Handling ecosystem, leveraging Industry 4.0 to enhance digital visibility and real-time decision-making. • Advanced Automation: Deploy autonomous vehicles and intelligent robotics where feasible to reduce manual conveyance and increase responsiveness to operational changes. • Digital Visibility (IoT): Implement IoT-based tracking (e.g., smart containers/pallets) to improve real-time visibility, storage utilization, and inventory accuracy. • Predictive Analytics: Utilize predictive analytics to forecast and prevent bottlenecks, material shortages, and equipment-related disruptions. • Design flexible, energy-efficient workflows that boost agility, throughput, and sustainability in intra-logistics. 3. Operational Excellence Governance • PFEP Ownership: Develop and maintain the Plan for Every Part (PFEP) for all components; conduct plant audits and coach teams on PFEP compliance and end-to-end material flow. • KPI Governance: Define and track key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure success and drive a culture of continuous improvement. • Best Practice Deployment: Scalability of regional best practices for warehouses, supermarkets, storage, kanban, conveyance, and line feeding across the network. • Benchmarking Innovation: Advance modern warehousing by evaluating best-in-class picking and delivery technologies, recommending high-impact adoption opportunities. • Process Standardization: Remove flow constraints through sustainable solutions; standardize processes and performance metrics through rigorous benchmarking. 4. Project Management Data Intelligence • End-to-End Leadership: Lead complex projects by building project teams, defining resources, developing schedules, and managing scope, cost, quality, and timing. • Cost Management: Identify and execute cost-reduction initiatives; build robust cost/benefit analyses and own savings reporting via Power BI and related tools. • Labor Productivity: Optimize direct labor productivity through continuous improvement dedicated Lean activities. • Data-Driven Insights: Consolidate and analyze large datasets from service and delivery performance to identify trends and implement improvements at the point of use