Job DescriptionAbout UsWe invite you to help us shape the future of agriculture. At Syngenta, we believe every employee has a role to play in safely feeding the world and taking care of our planet. To support that challenge, Syngenta Seeds is currently seeking an Operational Excellence & Transformation Lead, Site Operations in Pasco, Washington.
This role will lead the site operational-excellence and transformation agenda for vegetable seed processing, delivering measurable and sustainable gains in delivery, cost, capability, reliability, and employee engagement.
Accountabilities - Lead cross-functional improvement, digital, automation, capital, and reliability projects from opportunity identification through implementation, adoption, and verified benefits realization.
- Provide functional leadership for the maintenance department and own the site maintenance and reliability strategy as critical enablers of reliable, efficient operations.
- In partnership with site HSE and Quality leadership, strengthen processes, systems, equipment, and ways of working by working across Operations, Engineering, Supply Operations, and Finance.
Operational Excellence & Transformation:
- Translate site strategy into a prioritized operational-excellence and transformation roadmap and project portfolio; prioritize initiatives using delivery, cost, reliability, capability, and people data.
- Lead and implement transformation initiatives that improve processing flow, automation, digital tools, data visibility, systems, equipment, and operating practices; remove barriers and drive change adoption on the plant floor.
- Manage cross-functional projects from business case through implementation and benefits realization, including scope, schedule, budget, resources, risks, stakeholder alignment, communications, change adoption, and post-implementation review.
- Apply Lean, Six Sigma, visual management, standard work, and structured problem-solving methods to remove waste, improve process capability, and standardize successful improvements.
Maintenance & Reliability Leadership:
- Lead, coach, and develop the maintenance department, including maintenance technicians, contractors, and any supporting reliability resources; establish clear expectations, capability plans, and performance measures.
- Own the site maintenance strategy and execution, including preventive, predictive, corrective, and shutdown maintenance, to improve asset availability, reliability, and lifecycle performance.
- Establish and sustain maintenance planning, scheduling, work-order discipline, spare-parts management, and equipment-history practices in partnership with Operations.
- Monitor maintenance and reliability measures-including planned-versus-reactive work, schedule compliance, downtime, mean time between failures, maintenance cost, and critical-spares availability-and use trends to prioritize action.
- Manage maintenance operating budgets, contractor spend, and spare-parts investment; deliver sustainable cost, productivity, and reliability improvements.
- Partner with site HSE and Quality leadership to align operational-excellence, maintenance, and project work with site requirements and priorities.
Qualifications- A minimum of a Bachelor's degree, preferably in Engineering, Operations, Agriculture, Supply Chain, or a related technical field preferred. Equivalent relevant experience will be considered.
- Lean Six Sigma Green Belt certification required, with the ability and commitment to obtain Black Belt certification.
- A Minimum of 5 years of related experience in continuous improvement, transformation, operations, engineering, maintenance, reliability, and/or manufacturing/processing environments.
- A Minimum of 3 years of people-leadership experience or demonstrated supervisory experience, including contractor management.
- Experience leading cross-functional improvement or transformation projects outside normal day-to-day plant activities.
- Must be eligible to work in the United States without sponsorship support from Syngenta.
Preferred Qualifications- Experience with capital project development and execution.
- Ability to translate strategy into a prioritized operational-excellence and transformation roadmap.
- Ability to lead project teams, manage trade-offs, control scope, and deliver committed outcomes.
- Ability to create standard work and sustain improvements through effective management systems, visual controls, and coaching.
- Ability to plan and execute maintenance work safely and efficiently in coordination with production requirements.
- Ability to diagnose complex problems using data and structured root-cause methods.
- Ability to develop people and create ownership for operational excellence, equipment care, and operational standards.
- Strong influencing skills and resilience when leading change through ambiguity or competing demands.
- Ability to work independently while building strong partnerships across the site and broader organization.
Additional InformationWhat We Offer:- A culture that celebrates belonging and collaboration, promotes professional development and strives for a work-life balance that supports the team members. Offers flexible work options to support your work and personal needs.
- Full Benefit Package (Medical, Dental & Vision) that starts your first day.
- 401k plan with company match, Profit Sharing & Retirement Savings Contribution.
- Paid Vacation, Paid Holidays, Maternity and Paternity Leave, Education Assistance, Wellness Programs, Corporate Discounts, among other benefits.
Syngenta has been ranked as a top employer by Science Journal. Learn more about our team and our mission here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVCN_51GbNI
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