Summary of the Position:

To support the Senior Manager, LEAN by using LEAN tools and techniques to drive efficiency, effectiveness and optimization into the US Walgreens products, vendor manufacturing operations, and WBA Asia sourcing internal operations. The incumbent supports the development of a culture of continuous improvement by providing technical learning, and facilitation to cross functional teams over the course of driving daily operations enhancement in HR, Finance, IT, Supply Chain, and Quality.

Responsibilities & Specific Accountabilities include:

The Senior LEAN Specialist role supports the delivery of the local LEAN/Continuous Improvement agenda by providing, supporting, constructive challenging to cross functional teams.

Operating Network

• Operating as part of global LEAN network, maintaining strong links across Asia and support the development of robust channels of communication and feedback with UK/US colleagues. Demonstrable ability to influence senior stakeholders across internal Asia operation – influence other internal teams from head to doer, negotiate better solution, and facilitate changes successfully
• Key role in facilitating productivity improvement at vendor base, which will require smooth communication/negotiation with numerous regional vendor bosses, factory managers, and operators, for effective change solution.

Financial Dimensions

• Responsibility to identify waste reduction opportunities linked to the US$ 600M of product sourced through the Asia Sourcing operations. Both external product/factory improvement and internal operations process are included

Key Performance Indicators

• Support the delivery of benefits equivalent to 1% of annual sourcing spend. Driving LEAN culture successfully established within Asia Sourcing is another KPI

LEAN Strategy Deployment

• Working closely with the Senior Manager, LEAN, and support the deployment of LEAN strategy, which underpins WBA culture of continuous improvement and embeds end-to-end improvement from sourcing, logistics, and to retail operations
• Take communication ownership for the cross functional LEAN network to ensure that good practice is shared across local Asia Sourcing teams, massive vendor base in the region, and with Global Sourcing & Supplies colleagues in UK and US
• Lead or facilitate regional value stream improvement projects, from simple to complex, thus ensure the benefits are delivered to the bottom line

Customer value

• Ensure maximizing customer value is at the heart of all the decisions we make by sharing insights and providing constructive challenge to cross functional colleagues in HK
• Work with teams to establish a robust understanding of ‘fitness for purpose’ to ensure that products and supporting processes are simplified with less wastage

Assessment of DNA for LEAN

• Deliver a thorough LEAN induction to new joiners in cooperation with HR
• Periodic technical training and on-job coaching to internal employees to support improved ways of working and deployment of LEAN tools and techniques
• Work with Senior Manager of LEAN to deliver LEAN Expert workshop, and facilitate certification program of LEAN Expert
• Provide training workshop for massive vendor base within Asia region
• Continuously update personal LEAN knowledge (tools and techniques)

Improving Supplier Performance

• Maintain high visibility of supplier performance and drive improvements by spending time in the regional vendor base, engaging in Supplier Development Program (e.g. QCLDM) and acting on opportunities identified through personal observation
• Maintain vigilance in terms of supplier conformance to Ethical requirements
• Proactively engage stakeholders across the business (from director to buyer) and suppliers (from boss to operators), to ensure the LEAN activity deployment is returning maximum benefit from the value chain
• Lead or facilitate complicated end–to-end process improvement, from local factory production, product design, logistics, and US store operations

WBA HK Operational Excellence

• Lead or facilitate business process change initiatives, ensuring cross functional colleagues actively contribute in the improvement event, through the skill of change management and broad knowledge of functional operations process (HR, FIN, IT, logistics, quality, and etc.)
• Work with the Senior Manager - LEAN to develop and sustain a LEAN culture

Year on Year Improvements

• Work with cross functional colleagues and suppliers to capture learnings and feedback to inform future development cycles e.g. in improving X’mas gift design
• Support dialogue across cross-functional teams in HK to ensure that we leverage our increasing LEAN knowledge for better and efficient internal processes
  
  

The role requires a mixture of project management, training, coaching, facilitating others working on projects and routinely requires constructive challenge of the status quo. It’s typical change agent role that requires exceptional change management skill across all levels of internal organization and massive supplier factories in Asia region:

• Graduate / equivalent with a minimum of 5 years full-time LEAN practical experience in a product development/manufacturing/sourcing environment, with a track record of deploying LEAN tools and techniques to drive value stream improvements (Operations/Manufacturing/Sourcing background is a plus)
• Six Sigma training and certification to Green Belt level. Black Belt is a plus
• Result driven and demonstrate aptitude for LEAN & continuous improvement
• Solid experience in project management and facilitating complex process change
• LEAN training and certification as Champion, Navigator, Captain, and etc.
• Ability on influencing cross functional colleagues (outside traditional reporting lines) and external third party vendors 
• Experience of change management and facilitation, including the cultural aspects of change
• Excellent data analysis, reporting and presentation skill, attention to detail
• Energized, Ability to see the big picture and identify opportunities
• Proficient in English, Mandarin and Cantonese

For more information about us, please visit http://walgreensbootsalliance.com, http://www.boots.com/and http://www.walgreens.com/

Interested parties, please send your CV with expected salary and availability.

We are an equal opportunity employer. Information collected will be treated in strict confidence and be used for recruitment related purpose only. All personal data of unsuccessful applicants will be retained for 6 months for future recruitment purpose and will then be destroyed.

Walgreens Boots Alliance is the first global pharmacy-led, health and wellbeing enterprise in the world.  Our purpose is to help people across the world lead healthier and happier lives.

Walgreens Boots Alliance was created through the combination of Walgreens and Alliance Boots in December 2014. This transaction brought together two leading companies with iconic brands, complementary geographic footprints, shared values and a heritage of trusted healthcare services through pharmaceutical wholesaling and community pharmacy care, dating back more than 100 years.

The Company, with a presence in more than 25* countries, employs over 370,000* people and is the largest retail pharmacy, health and daily living destination in the USA and Europe, and South America, middle East and Asia (including equity method investments).

Our retail pharmacy brands are having Global Sourcing Head Office in Hong Kong. To support the strategic growth of the business, we are always looking for high calibre individuals to join Walgreens Boots Alliance. (http://www.walgreensbootsalliance.com/ http://www.boots.com/ http://www.walgreens.com/)