About this role
Job Description
Ultium Cells Ohio Area Manager – Warren, OH
Onsite: This role is categorized as onsite. This means the successful candidate is expected to report to our Ultium Cells is a battery cell manufacturing facility.
Sponsorship: GM DOES NOT PROVIDE IMMIGRATION-RELATED SPONSORSHIP FOR THIS ROLE. DO NOT APPLY FOR THIS ROLE IF YOU WILL NEED GM IMMIGRATION SPONSORSHIP (e.g., H-1B, TN, STEM OPT, etc.) NOW OR IN THE FUTURE.
The Role:
Our electric future is now! Ultium Cells is a battery cell manufacturing facility committed to using the most technologically advanced methods in the industry to produce the very best of those battery cells. This requires us to employ the most energetic, forward thinking, and diverse talent to ensure we meet the challenges of developing the innovative manufacturing processes required within our cutting-edge facilities. Selected candidates will have the opportunity to learn new skills as well as influence the development of battery cell manufacturing processes to support this historical and game-changing progression in electrification.
This position is a unique opportunity to influence the way we as Ultium Cells operate in our battery cell manufacturing plants. This position will function to lead operations for one of our two night shift operating crews and will act as a lead for a process of Operations. Ultium Cells Ohio operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in a 4 crew, 2 shift pattern, with 12-hour shifts. Flexibility with shift assignment is a requirement of this role.
What You'll Do (Responsibilities):
As an Area Manager of Operations, you will have supervisory duty over a large group of team members and the implementation and execution of the established business processes for a specific process area (in this case Cell processes). The business area of responsibility will be in production operations as well as plant overall operations across the assigned shift & crew. The successful candidate will need to foster an atmosphere of teamwork and cooperation in a Joint Venture (JV) environment. The work is of a technical nature using independent judgment within the limits of our Ultium Lean Manufacturing System; focusing on Safety, People, Quality, Responsiveness, Cost, and Environment (SPQRCE). Candidates should possess the ability to deal with complex problems, ambiguity, and have strong collaborative and “influence without authority” skills to lead successfully and build relationships within our joint venture. This role will supervise a large group of salaried employees involved in multiple departments/processes; it will be the lead role in the facility during the operating shift and will report to the Plant Director. This role will require flexibility to collaborate across multiple shifts and with other Area Manager and Technical Manager LG Energy Solution (LGES) peers.
The successful candidate will be required to maintain awareness of safety and quality standards, ensure adherence to our UAW contract, communicate/drive accountability for department safety, quality, yield, and throughput goals, and leverage resources to solve issues in these areas. The Production Area Manager must build and maintain good working relationships with team members, leaders, and our parent companies (General Motors and LG Energy Solution). This is a GM Seconded position in which the successful candidate will also be an Ultium Cells team member. Candidates will remain GM employees but be expected to represent Ultium Cells and our Ultium Cells team members as an independent entity.
• Manages night shift operations for the plant within the crew/shift
• Co-partner with day shift Cell Production Area Manager for Cell Production deliverables
• Supervise Production Shift Leads, who:
• Set direction within their process and across all crews on their shift
• Manage production supervisors in their process area
• Partner with their alternate shift peers to lead initiatives
• Sets direction for, understands, promotes, educates, communicates, and drives accountability for safety processes, deliverables, and initiatives
• Leads “Go See” events for the crew/shift ensuring deep dive and irreversible corrective actions are implemented
• Responsible for developing and maintaining a systems approach to communication, throughput/yield improvement, lean manufacturing, and problem solving
• Participates in the selection of new employees and strategic improvement of operations organizational structure
• Trains, develops and evaluates salaried and hourly employees to develop a highly effective team, emphasizing people leadership utilizing standardized methods, and technical skill development
• Leads lean manufacturing processes across multiple departments and serves as a principle champion for a lean pillar
• Meets or exceeds production schedule while ensuring safety & quality requirements are met
• Ensures adherence to control plans and acts/escalates accordingly
• Ensures a robust system of JIT (job instruction training) is implemented and sustained, including training validation
• Coaches, teaches, and mentors supervisors and shift leads in their responsibilities
• Leads a culture of collaboration and strong relationships with key support resources, like Maintenance, Engineering, Quality, HR, Supply Chain, IT, LGES Foreign Service Employes (“FSE”, equivalent to GM ISP), etc.
• Serves as “Leader 2” for Maintenance, Quality, and Materials on their shift.
• Works with and supports LGES FSE peers aligning technical and operational improvements within the team
• Has excellent communication, planning and organizational skills
• Has knowledge of quality control procedures, technical manufacturing processes, technical support systems, and management systems for production operations
• Adept at leveraging IT systems in the plant to optimize production/CI activities
• Must be willing to rotate shifts if requested
• Champion of process area and team metrics, ensuring metrics/deliverables of the team are understood and aligned with overall plant metrics/deliverables
• Leads regular crew/shift meetings for cross-shift communication, planning, and key performance indicators, ensuring alignment across 4C2S teams.
• Manages budget and achievement of productivity improvements.
• Has strong technical aptitude and willingness to learn how to operate the equipment within the area of responsibility
• Required to act as the highest-level leader on the shift, and as an incident commander for incident/injury/emergency response, ERCT
• Ensures environmental requirements are met within the crew/shift
Your Skills & Abilities (Required Qualifications)
• Bachelors Degree required
• Demonstrated technical aptitude in manufacturing operations required
• Previous manufacturing experience in a large, multi-shift operation required
• 5+ years of Manufacturing Experience required
• Previous manufacturing leadership experience required (or equivalent)
• Experience with lean manufacturing systems required
• Experience in cross functional leadership required
• Proven experience in building relationships required
• Proven experience of technical experience/aptitude required
• Proven history of delivery results in a high-volume manufacturing operations required
• Demonstrated leadership of both salaried and hourly employees
What Will Give You a Competitive Edge (Preferred Qualifications):
- Proven problem-solving skills (Six Sigma, Black Belt, Red X, or equivalent preferred)
- Multi-manufacturing plant experience – preferred
- Experience working in a battery, chemical, semiconductor, or other highly regulated manufacturing environment.
- Experience implementing advanced manufacturing technologies, automation, and Industry 4.0 solutions.
- Demonstrated ability to lead within a multicultural and global business environment.
- Advanced degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations, or Business.
- Technical degree and experience preferred
- 10+ years of Manufacturing Experience preferred
- Battery cell manufacturing experience preferred
- Experience in a JV operation preferred
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