Summary:  

The Associate Manager, Kitroom is responsible for leading the loan kit operation in order to meet customer service and quality requirements. They will take responsibility for ensuring the loan kit operational metrics are delivered on time every time. This encompasses the entire operational process related to that specific area, ensuring a “Best in Class” organisation is created and maintained through implementing solutions to further develop, maintain and improve customer satisfaction, reduce cost and optimise inventory. A key component of this role will also be to lead, coach and develop the team as well as importing and exporting best in class talent. The Associate Manager will be expected to act as a deputy for the Manager of their department, leading by example and assisting in the overall running of the team. This will include helping to manage the daily workload (including capacity planning and creating action plans), assisting in ensuring that processes are in place and being followed, that opportunities are identified for improvement and acted upon and that engagement is part of the day to day culture. The Associate Manager would be expected to participate in regional projects, which may include integration work from Mergers & Acquisitions.  

The Associate Manager is expected to continuously drive process improvement within the Kit room processes using lean six sigma tools. The Associate Manager will directly manage and develop employees up to and inclusive of Supervisors. 

What you will do: 

• Support the Customer Logistics strategy. This will require the provision of a detailed operational review of all processes, procedures, methods and tools to determine adequacy to meet the performance objectives of the department. 

• May be required to devise the Loan Kit strategy for the country/ region. This will require the provision of a detailed operational review of all processes, procedures, methods and tools to determine adequacy to meet the performance objectives of the department. 

• Leading & motivating the workforce. This may include indirect management of third-party employees within the region that support Stryker business 

• Take responsibility for and work in collaboration with other stakeholders to achieve departmental and divisional KPIs and objectives such as Kit service level, efficiency, inventory, quality & any relevant financial performance metrics. 

• Manage effective communications with the team to deliver operational targets, resolve issues and complete team briefings effectively 

• Complete all activities related to capacity planning including creation and presentation of business cases to upper management. This may include holiday planning, sickness/ absence processes etc.  

• Complete all people management processes including management of Performance Improvement plans, individual development plans, annual performance review process, feedback and coaching, interviews/ talent selection, Return to Works.  

• Complete and remain up-to-date on all Stryker approved leadership training programs  

• Accurately monitor and use relevant production KPI's to ensure maximum efficiency and quality compliance 

• Utilise team members effectively to deliver agreed targets to required quality and output 

• Create an environment of development and cultivate talent in the department 

• Ensure all team members are trained and capable to undertake required tasks. Oversee and sign-off all relevant induction training for new members of the team. Maintain training records and relevant curriculum within Stryker Learning Management System (SLMS) 

• To operate in a safe working manner and be responsible for H+S within designated areas, and ensure all prescribed PPE is used correctly by each team member 

• Collaborate and liaise with all internal and external stakeholders (this could include sales, customer service, warehousing, transportation, supply chain, asset team). Ensure the customer satisfaction in terms of inventory and the right cost effectiveness  

• Provide input or support key supplier review process (for suppliers of kit process equipment or services) 

• Maintain supplies of departmental consumables. May also support the team with processing purchase orders in Enterprise Resource Program (or equivalent), monitoring stock and demand of disposable products (washing and packaging material) for operational areas. 

• Take responsibility for identifying areas of improvement and assisting in the implementation of actions relating to these. 

• Lead and implement projects within the team and cross-functionally, to further improve the department, resulting in increased customer satisfaction/ efficiencies, lower costs and optimized inventory levels   

• Lead implementation of the Q12 engagement impact plan for the team and monitor progress against the plan. 

• Build and maintain relationships with other Enabling Functions while driving to leverage opportunities across the areas. 

• Liaise with and visit customers in order to partner with them to develop& execute innovative kit operational improvements.  

• Management and execution of the operational processes related to any business acquisition/ integrations related to your area of responsibility  

• Ensure all Compliance, Quality and financial standards reporting policies are implemented and applied in your area. This may include leading changes to existing procedures, work instructions and trainings.  
• Oversee QMS documentation and QMS documentation re-alignment. This would also include driving any change management that stems from QMS re-alignments (training/ re-training). 

• Oversee implementation of local process improvements including Just-do-It actions, Lean 6S, enhancements or local rollouts of South Africa/EEMEA process changes.  

• Lead the daily Managed Daily Improvements (MDI) process and daily/ weekly metric reviews (productivity, quality, etc.) for the department and reporting to upper management when needed  

• Benchmarking with other Stryker sites to identify operational best practices and lead execution of needed changes locally. 

• Support management team with creating annual budgets or updating quarterly budget projections 

What you need:

Required:

• Equivalent of University Degree/Diploma or equivalent desirable experience. 
• English speaking (Professional Working Proficiency in English communication)  Minimum of 5 years’ experience leading teams and (or) projects (for internal candidates- minimum of 2 years as supervisor) 
• Experience of working within a team. 
• Experience of working to tight deadlines. 
• Excellent communication skills  
• Can demonstrate a high level of problem-solving skills 
• Must be IT literate and efficient in an administrative environment. Well versed in Microsoft Office tools 
• Knowledge of Operations management processes & general logistics  
• Experience in general, operations or logistics including a customer facing role. 
• Experience in people and project management. 
• Lean Six Sigma Qualification or have professional experience in leading lean projects 

Preferred:

• Project / People Management qualifications an advantage 
• Experience from the Medical Device, Pharmaceutical,  healthcare or other regulated industry  
• Experience with business process analysis 
• Previous experience using Enterprise Resource Program systems (ERP) in similar role 

Competencies & Behaviors  

Ability to communicate in a highly effective manner and work both independently and as part of a team on assignments. Must be IT literate and efficient in an administrative environment. They must have the ability to work on their own initiative, prioritizing and organising workload. 

Competencies 

• Customer oriented- Strong customer focus 
• Engagement- Drive self-engagement and other’s team members’ engagement 
• Delegator- Delegate tasks to other members of the team and ensure on time completion 
• Stakeholder Management- Manage expectations of multiple stakeholders 
• Decision Making/Judgement – Selects effective approaches to solving issues, based on available information and business objectives and escalates appropriately
• Relationship Builder/ collaborator – Builds and maintains relationships within the team and across the wider organisation
• Excellent communication skills
• Proactive - Has a pro-active and independent personality, ability to manage their own workload and prioritise appropriately
• Strong internal drive and motivation to make a difference and add value to an organisation
• Attention to Detail - being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks
• Dependability - being reliable, responsible, dependable, and fulfilling obligations
• Independence - developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done
• Initiative - a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges
• Innovation - creativity and alternative thinking to develop new ideas for and answers to work-related problems
• Integrity - being honest and ethical. Promote and disseminate Compliance Culture within the Company (compliance and ethical behavior) 
• Decision Making/Judgement – Selects effective approaches to solving issues, based on available information and business objectives 
• Strategic activity – Understands and considers customers, regulatory and legislative issues when making decisions 
• Planning/Organisation – Understands what is needed to accomplish project objectives and establish appropriate goals and priority. Demonstrate clear evidence of objective measurement of their achievements
• Relationship Builder – Builds and maintains relationships with key internal stakeholders and with key clients/customer groups that support and improve effectiveness 
• Innovation & Creativity – Proactively develops and champions new ideas
• Team Management - Ability to recruit, develop and engage high performing teams
• Excellent communication skills
• Proactive - A self-starter who can define priorities and manage the complexities of multiple projects. Has a pro-active and independent personality, ability to manage their own workload and prioritise appropriately 
• Strong internal drive and motivation to make a difference and add value to an organisation 
• Demonstrates the Stryker Leadership expectations of a Leader of People