Retail Business Services, LLC, is the services company of Ahold Delhaize USA, currently providing services to five East Coast grocery brands, including Food Lion, The GIANT Company, Giant Food, Hannaford and Stop & Shop. Retail Business Services leverages the scale of the local brands to drive synergies and provides industry-leading expertise, insights and analytics to local brands to support their strategies with services including Information Technology, Merchandising, Marketing & Sourcing Services, Private Brand Products, Pharmacy Services, Not for Resale, Store Services, Financial Services, Legal Services, Communications, Supply Chain and People Systems and Services. Retail Business Services operates across seven campuses in the Greater Charlotte, Harrisburg, D.C., Portland, Boston and Chicago Areas. For more information, visit www.retailbusinessservices.com. To stay updated with the latest news, follow Retail Business Services on LinkedIn (@Retail-Business-Services) and Twitter (@RBServicesNews).

Position Title: Specialist III Continuous Improvement
Position Location: N. Kingstown, RI

Position Summary:
Responsible for leading the drive to get ‘Better Every Day’ by applying a Continuous Improvement methodology (i.e. Lean Six Sigma) to evaluate, recommend and implement cost effective solutions and integrated supply chain systems and processes across Ahold Delhaize. Align team on all supply chain concepts, best practices, and analytical methodologies. Provide expertise for Continuous Improvement initiatives that align to specific organizational KPI targets; play an integral role in business units to achieve/exceed productivity goals by analyzing operational metrics, observing process execution and conducting business process assessments in functional areas across supply chain distribution. Collaborate with internal and external partners to guide, provide expertise, and recommend sustainable solutions that highlight cost and other wholesome impacts across all Ahold Delhaize banners to support their unique business strategies.

Principle Duties and Responsibilities:
1. Process Improvement Development: Develop and ensure integrity of continuous improvement projects for regions of the supply chain network and drive consistency of best practice process standardization across campus operations to enable achievement of CI targets.
• Develop and lead process improvements and innovation across supply chain distribution & transportation operations. This includes partnering with internal leaders and associates (geographic distribution services leads and transportation operations leads) to identify best practices as well as with external partners (3rd party, industry, etc.) utilizing data analysis to support decisions.
• Role is accountabable to drive consistency of best practice process standardization across campus operations where there is opportunity for improvement. Integrate as applicable the continuous improvement work from the C&S governance process and any other strategic partner into the RBS continuous improvement agenda to ensure that we get ‘Better Every Day’ across our entire operating network. Facilitate continuous improvement conversations at all levels throughout the organization and meet with impacted departments concerning goals, priorities and technical concerns.
• Monitor operational metrics, identify & research trends and anomalies to identify process improvement and cost savings opportunities across the distribution.
2. Process Improvement Implementation: Develop plans for implementation as appropriate to the specific opportunities.
• Provide oversight, facilitate, lead and/or co-lead teams to implement identified process improvements across distribution operations and transportation.
• Leverage project management skills to drive the creation/execution of improvement plans.
• Develop plans for implementation as appropriate to the specific opportunities at each site.
• Maintain an ongoing portfolio of projects and assessments to track and plan the continuous improvement agenda. This will include leading and coordinating efforts on testing and implementation by developing workplans with appropriate resources across supply chain network.
3. Team Oversight and Management: Mentor, coach and cross train team members, stretch them beyond their comfort zone, in order to provide advancement.
• Direct, motivate and develop staff maximizing their individual contribution, professional growth and their ability to function effectively. Build and lead a highly "solution" oriented team that is proactive in anticipating business needs and outcomes providing the business with viable solutions. Mentor, coach and cross train team members, stretch them beyond their comfort zone, in order to provide advancement.
• Collaborate and ensure alignment with internal and external partners including campus leadership and 3rd party vendors on continuous improvement methodology implementation and execution. Effectively communicate and coordinate continuous improvement efforts across geographies. Track, monitor, and report on progress against plans and opportunities.
4. Performance Monitoring and Tracking: Develop methodology and process on performance monitoring in order to track and report KPI scorecards across different geographies and operations
• Develop a methodology and process to monitor, track and report KPI scorecards across different geographies and operations.Based on reviews identify and prioritize opportunities for improvement. Balanced scorecard should include financial, productivity, service, sanitation and safety metrics. Provide supply chain leadership with the reporting and analysis needed to lead change across the supply chain campus operations network.
5. Best Practices Insight: Monitor and review industry best practices and evaluate for applicability to RBS Supply Chain
• Monitor and review industry best practices and evaluate for applicability to RBS supply chain. Co-chair the working group focused on process and systems innovation across geographic functions to achieve customer-centric efficiency and effectiveness targets.
6. Travel
Job requires ~ 25 - 40% travel.