Description

The Operational Excellence Manager helps identify and shepherd new improvement opportunities of large impact/size across the organization while boosting the probability of success for impact and capturing/realizing value of initiatives for a large site scope or across a subset of the organization. Works closely with the Operational Excellence Department, executive and corporate leaders, site GMs and leaders, product owners, business optimization teams, SMEs, etc. to frame the problem, scope the work, shape the solution, challenge the status quo, ask questions to drive innovative thinking, and capture value. The Manager deeply understands transformation methodologies including Lean, Agile, Operational Excellence elements, or other data-focused methodologies, Agile values, lives the Freeport Edge behaviors, fosters a high-performance culture in all they do and coaches and develops site/corporate leaders and business optimization teams. They are seen as a visionary, an architect, a coach and a catalyst for change.

• Works closely with corporate and site VPs/GMs/other leaders, initiative product owners and teams to help problem solve the work, ask questions, guide the direction and create the quarterly plans; helps define the vision for the operating structure of the business optimization teams and top priority initiatives
• Connects with other Operational Excellence leaders, corporate leaders, site leaders and product owners to share best practices across sites and functions, and is committed to coaching and developing these groups
• Collaborates with leadership to set an ambitious and clear vision; communicates ‘the story’ effectively to any audience and ensures the Freeport Edge culture is embodied in all formal and informal interactions and communications utilizing the Operational Excellence elements
• Shepherds new initiatives, innovative solutions, and new ways of working. Leverages the Operational Excellence Department, MIS, FMS and other organizational resources and service offerings to help solve and drive value across initiatives
• Learns, uses and teaches techniques and ways of working that increase collaboration, value/impact capture, predictability, user experience, transparency and promote a culture of experimentation and innovation; guides individuals and teams toward the most appropriate technique
• Proactively and inclusively engages with teams to discuss and address issues with team dynamics, scope, sustainability as a routine problem-solving item; has a strong and broad following – is seen as a though leader across the organization
• Understands and manages expectations of sponsors and other key stakeholders in partnership with Product Owners, Scrum Masters, Operational Excellence leaders, business optimization team members, etc.
• Coaches Operational Excellence team members to drive business optimization quality standards across teams using the Operational Excellence standard content 
• Perform other duties as requested

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications:

• High School diploma or GED AND twelve (12) years of experience in Operations, Operations Support, Engineering, Project Management, Professional Business settings including working on Business Optimization initiatives, OR
• Bachelor’s Degree AND eight (8) years of experience in Operations, Operations Support, Engineering, Project Management, Professional Business settings including working on Business Optimization initiatives OR
• Master’s Degree AND six (6) years of experience in Operations, Operations Support, Engineering, Project Management, Professional Business settings including working on Business Optimization initiatives
• Ability to work effectively with people at all levels of the organization, including most senior executives
• Strong top-down communication skills with ability to deliver complex messages / trade-offs and tell a compelling story
• Ability to influence diverse groups of stakeholders at all levels, directly and indirectly – strong leadership skills 
• Excellent problem solver with ability to lead the team to push the solution and drive progress
• Challenger mindset and passion to challenge status quo to find new solutions and drive out of the box ideas – loves and embraces change – known as a change agent
• Believes in and consistently demonstrates a non-hierarchical culture of collaboration, transparency and trust across the team
• Not afraid to ‘roll up the sleeves’ and seeks to go outside comfort zone to learn – pushes the team to do the same 
• Learns new skills quickly and knows how to navigate the organization to find experts in specific domain
• Unbiased facilitator; able to create new workshop models and is able to engage people at all levels 
• Was a participant (team member, SME, stakeholder) in prior business optimization teams

Preferred Qualifications:

• 5 years Leadership/Management experience in an active mining operation 
• Experience in a Mine Planning/Engineering role in an open pit operation
• Project Management Experience

Criteria/Conditions:

• Position requires up to 50% travel.
• Must live in Arizona or New Mexico
• Personal protective equipment is required when performing work in a mine, outdoor, manufacturing or plant environment, including hard hat, hearing protection, safety glasses, safety footwear, and as needed, respirator, rubber steel-toe boots, protective clothing, gloves and any other protective equipment as required.