Footwear Manufacturing Excellence Engineer

Key Purpose of the Job: We are seeking a highly skilled Product Costing Engineer to join our team. The successful candidate will work closely with our manufacturing partners to optimize material usage, improve production processes, and ensure accurate costing. This role requires a hands-on approach and a keen eye for detail to drive cost-saving initiatives and enhance overall efficiency.• Material Usage Optimization: Engineers can work with factories to improve material consumption, reducing costs. They can also conduct audits to ensure the e-patterns we are using are the right sizes provided. • Process Improvements: By being close to the manufacturing site, engineers can identify and implement process improvements that streamline production, reduce waste, and lower labor costs. • Complexity Prescription and Cost Analysis: On-site engineers can verify the complexity assigned to products and conduct cost assessments as needed, ensuring accurate costing and identifying potential cost-saving opportunities. • Time Studies and SMV Alignment: Engineers can conduct time studies to measure and analyze the time required for specific tasks, optimizing labor efficiency. Aligning Standard Minute Values (SMV) to VF standards ensures consistency and cost-effectiveness in production processKey Area of Responsibility:1. Drive business impact• Organize, plan and deliver “Coaching for Results” based on the lean principles throughout the supply chain, including sourcing and vendor factories.• Review and develop best practice and continuous improvement to the creation, adoption, and benefits of fact based SMV’s through the GSD tool and VF applications. • Provide strategic lean leadership and tactical support and partner with key stakeholders.• Identify improvement opportunities with quantifiable business benefits. Recommend the best methods of space, manpower, materials, and equipment utilization in production facilities.• Develop Business Case Metrics, Scorecards, Methodologies and Tools to build and track Manufacturing Excellence progress.• Manage material yield validation and lead yield improvement solution.• Lead the analysis of re-engineering at vendor’s manufacturing processes.• Collect and maintain relevant data, reports, and process to improve the productivity and profitability to the Brand for the initiation and implementation of projects that optimize costs, efficiency and quality.2. Engage and cultivate Lean principles • Design and implement lean processes and systems while following the PDCA cycle.• Drive planning, leading, and facilitating effective kaizen events.• Collaborate and drive benchmarking and best practices across vendor factories.