The Requirements

To be a good fit for the Operations Superintendent opportunity you should have:

• A bachelor's degree in a manufacturing or management discipline or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Solid related experience in fast-paced manufacturing environments (such as JIT suppliers) supporting high demand customers; automotive industry experience is a plus, and a Tier I background would be ideal.
• Proven strong leadership skills, including the ability to:
  • Track and manage to KPIs (hourly rates, overall throughput, safety, scrap, etc.).
  • Guide and coach supervisors.
  • Leverage a process orientation to ensure adherence to best practices. Quick question for you - click here
  • Analyze equipment efficiency.
• Experience in union environments.
• Computer proficiency, including intermediate skills in Excel and Word.
• Strong organizational and communication skills.
• A valid driver’s license.

Just as important as your experience and skills will be the following characteristics and competencies:

• The ability to multi-task and handle high-stress situations in a fast-paced environment.
• Demonstrated organizational skills.
• Excellent communication, mathematical and analytical abilities.
• A proactive approach and the ability to "think on your feet."
• Solid problem-solving skills.

You also will need to be willing and able to work any of our three shifts:

• The A shift runs Sunday through Thursday from 6 AM to 4:30 PM.
• The B shift runs Tuesday through Saturday from 6 PM to 4:30 AM.
• The C shift runs Friday and Saturday from 6 AM to 4:30 PM, and Sunday and Monday from 6 PM to 4:30 AM.

The Role

Our Chicago facility has about 300 employees involved in material handling, assembly and material sequencing. Our main deliverables are fascia (front and rear bumper assemblies) and overheads (interior cabin headliners/ceilings. This is a key role and you will oversee all operations on your shift, acting as the buck-stops-here point of escalation, promoting behaviors consistent with our culture, and interacting directly with the customer.

Reporting to the Operations Manager, you'll oversee the work of the entire production team including the materials department, the fascia and overheads commodities, and maintenance. You'll provide direct leadership for two Production Supervisors and supervisors in Quality, Materials, Production and Maintenance. Typically, you'll indirectly supervise about 100 associates. Quick question for you - click here

In addition to production, you also will be responsible for the line of communication with our customer, the assembly plant we serve that is four blocks away. This requires you to be fast on your feet when faced with a challenge. Problem resolution skills are essential, as are the skills to resolve issues without antagonizing the client. You must also have the ability to decide when to escalate issues to either your manager and/or the Plant Manager. You'll take point on communicating with the customer when there are issues, keeping them in the loop and managing expectations.

This is a fast-paced, often unpredictable environment with high volume -- we produce over 640 units for each of our three products: front bumper, rear bumper and the overheads. You will be responsible for getting close to 2,000 products out the door each shift.
 
You will spend over 70% of your time on the floor making sure operations are going as scheduled and the rest of your time on meetings, administration and working directly with your Supervisors, reviewing issues as well as developing and mentoring them.
 
More specifically, you will:

• Assess, guide, manage and prioritize as needed all aspects of the shop floor operations.
• Direct the shop floor operations in a manner that promotes high morale, teamwork, pride, productivity, and quality.
• Adhere to production schedules to meet customer requirements.
• Comply with all company directed policies and procedures developed per the quality system (Business Operating Procedures and Department Instructions).
• Comply with Corporate, State and Federal health, safety and environmental regulations.
• Liaise with all supporting departments to resolve problems, including the release of product for shipment.
• Communicate with Supervisors by continually updating them on information affecting the efficient and safe operation of the shop floor.
• Lead the department meetings, support and promote continual improvement projects and oversee initiation and/or execution of engineering changes.
• Adhere to and promote employee relations and observe the rules, regulations and directions of the Employee Guidelines established by management.
• Document all activities as required.
• Adhere to all company guidelines for Emergency Evacuation to ensure employee safety.
• Take on additional responsibility deemed necessary by management.

Note: this description is intended to give you a general overview of the position and is not an exhaustive listing of duties and responsibilities.

What's in It for You

Visible impact -- we moved into a new, bigger space in Chicago and, while things are going well, there are still opportunities to make a good thing even better. For example, you will lead lean manufacturing initiatives to help improve productivity, reduce scrap, control costs, improve quality, and achieve other important objectives.

Career development -- if you've only worked production before, this is an opportunity to learn the whole picture including materials management, engineering and maintenance. You will also hone your ability to respond quickly, problem-solve and improve the bottom line. We hire with an eye to the future, and history shows that strong performers can move up in our organization. Depending on your background, success in this role could lead to management opportunities in materials, engineering, or operations at this facility or at one of our 13 other plants.

Excellent compensation -- in addition to a competitive salary and bonus incentive program, we offer comprehensive benefits. Our benefits include comprehensive and affordable medical, dental, prescription, and vision insurance programs; a 401(k) plan with company match; flexible spending accounts; tuition assistance; in-house training; company-paid employee life insurance and short-term disability insurance; voluntary employee life insurance and long-term disability insurance; voluntary spousal/ dependent life insurance; paid holidays; and paid vacations.

Value-driven company -- Dakkota CEO Andra Rush has created companies that do more than generate profit: they impact the local community and economy by providing training and putting Americans to work. Rush was honored by President Obama in his State of the Union address in January 2014, along with GM CEO Mary Barra, for demonstrating the "strength of our work ethic and the scope of our dreams."

Building community, creating jobs -- at Dakkota we strive to enhance the communities where we live and work by being environmentally and socially responsible and ensuring fair and equitable employment. We provide multiple opportunities for employees to make a positive impact on their community by devoting volunteer hours and resources to local charities, as you can see in the pictures here. We're always looking for new ways to make a difference. Our employees have supported organizations like the United Way, Salvation Army, and Autism Speaks, as well as local food banks and schools.

Great environment -- you will find a collaborative culture at Dakkota in which people enjoy working together toward common goals. In fact, we have vision and culture committees to help clarity and communicate those values. We are also strongly committed to diversity and have been awarded the Michigan Minority Supplier Development Console (MMSDC) Supplier of the Year Award the last three years. We also celebrate with birth announcements, seasonal picnics and parties, employee service awards, and more.

Keys to Success

This is a role in which there are many opportunities to make your mark. Your success will depend on your ability to:

• Manage your shift as if it were your own business. 
• Reduce the cost per unit.
• Significantly reduce our scrap margin, which is high.
• Make sure the work being done on the production floor is standardized and that each worker is following our job elements sheets.
• Implement key Improvements for the business: head reduction and Continuous Process Improvement, for example. 
• Reach your targets in safety, hourly production rates, and scrap dollar amounts.

On the whole, a collaborative and motivating approach will work well, but your success here will depend on your ability to hold people accountable. 

Your goal always should be a lean, orderly environment. In addition, you should help your team be proactive whenever possible, providing not just quick fixes, but also recognizing trends, digging into root causes, and coming up with true solutions.

In addition, in order to be an outstanding Operations Superintendent, you will:

• Bring a strong sense of urgency to our fast-paced, high volume environment.
• Pay close attention to details while also grasping the big picture and how the details fit into it.
• Manage multiple activities and priorities effectively.
• Remain flexible and adaptable as priorities change.

About Us

Dakkota Integrated Systems was formed in 2001 to create a minority contract supplier that could thrive in a fast-paced, cost-competitive environment to support automotive original equipment manufacturers. We have excelled at delivering quality, process control and innovative solutions for warranty and sustainability concerns to address our customers’ needs.

Outstanding customer service and agility have propelled Dakkota from one facility with one customer to 13 facilities with GM, Ford, Chrysler, and many other customers in 13 years, earning launch and supplier partner awards along the way. Dakkota was among the first automotive suppliers to be awarded complete interior integration programs for General Motors. We dedicate resources to each new program and co-locate with our customers for a fully integrated approach.

Our in-house capabilities include:

• Extensive use of proven engineering disciplines: DFMEA, GD&T, FEA, VE/VA, and PFMEA
• Development of assembly tooling and fixtures
• Packaging development and validation for complete systems, including customer-directed components

We are a team of more than 1400, from diverse backgrounds and disciplines, with a passion for our customers and their products. Our mission is clear: provide innovative solutions, quality parts and flawless execution.

Our vision and culture are firmly based on our high regard for our customers and solid respect for our employees. Dakkota strives to be considered to be one of the best places to work in North America, to maintain our reputation for best-in-class customer service, and to be known as a company that is "built to last."