What are the responsibilities and job description for the Cost Improvement Specialist position at AISIN?
Job Title: Cost Improvement Specialist
Company: AISIN World Corp. of America
Department: Strategic Cost & Profit Management, VA/VE SSA
Location: Northville, MI
Position Summary
This position will function to support cost improvement initiatives across internal teams and supplier partners. The role will be focused on identifying, developing, and executing cost-saving opportunities throughout the product lifecycle.
Position Responsibilities
The incumbent is expected to perform the following functions that the company has determined are essential to this position:
- Manage the VA (Value Analysis) / SSA (Smart Standard Activity) Activity, both internally and externally:
- Gather data from the Customers/suppliers to disseminate targets.
- Collect customer scorecards and report real-time status to Executives. Develop and help maintain supplier scorecards working with purchasing team.
- Work with AISIN Japan to summarize and roll-up concepts applicable to North America (NA) and work with the NA Design, Sales and Purchasing group to submit.
- Collaborate with NA Design and Manufacturing groups to collect ideas and track submissions by Sales to the customers.
- Collaborate with Purchasing and Manufacturing groups to collect ideas and track submissions by suppliers.
- Monitor payments from customers to ensure proper receipt and match the submissions.
- Monitor payments to suppliers to ensure proper receipt and match the submissions.
- Work with Purchasing to develop and manage the VA system for the AISIN supply base in NA.
- Identify weaknesses within the current process and develop Kaizen items to improve.
- Other tasks and duties as assigned.
Required Skills and Abilities
Essential Skills and Experience:
- Ability to manage and oversee projects working cross functionally across various departments.
- Proficient in Microsoft Office.
- Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.
- Excellent collaboration, organizational, and teamwork skills.
- Review and interpret technical specifications and 2D drawings.
Beneficial Skills and Experience
- Bi-lingual in Japanese and English.
Education/Training/Certifications
- Bachelors degree preferred
Qualifications:
Travel Requirements
- Approximately 10 - 20 %.
- Must be willing and available to travel to such locations and with such frequency as is necessary and desirable to meet business needs.
Work Environment Requirements
With reasonable accommodation:
- Must be able to operate a personal computer, telephone, and other office equipment.
- Must perform job duties onsite, when necessary, except those duties that are customarily or by their nature performed offsite (for example, offsite customer visits).
- Must be able to work effectively in a fast-paced environment.
- Must be able to work on multiple assignments at once, and complete assignments within deadline and budget (if applicable) with satisfactory quality.
- Must be able to operate as an effective team member.
- Must be committed to a high standard of safety and be willing and able to comply with all safety laws and all company safety policies.
Attendance/Work Hour Requirements
- Must maintain an acceptable attendance record.
- Must be willing and available to work weekends and holidays as necessary and desirable to meet business needs.