Customer Service Manager

Baljit Virdee

** ******* ***** ******, *******, Ontario L7C 3R7 Phone: 905-***-****

E-mail: ******.******@*****.*** http://ca.linkedin.com/in/virdeebaljit

Senior Operations/Plant Manager - Personal Profile

• A high-energy individual with exceptional work ethic, positive attitude, and passion for learning and inspiring others with his leadership skills.

• I am result-oriented, approachable people person keen for new experience, responsibility and accountability. As a self-starter, hands-on fast learner with over 15 years of progressive leadership roles in a complex business and manufacturing environment, I seek an Operations/Plant Management role in an organization with strong growth strategies, vision and commitment to its people and community. In this role I will lead group of high performing teams to achieve their goals and objectives through leadership, mentoring, positive attitude, enthusiasm, hard work, and creativity. I will also build outstanding solutions to the organization’s vision and objectives.

Key Competencies:

Leadership Skills – Achieving extraordinary business results through people. Outstanding and proven hands-on management and leadership skills. Coaching, developing, and inspiring others to achieve their best.

Interpersonal Skills - Superior communication and interpersonal skills. Skilled at creating a culture that achieves superior results quickly and efficiently. Build and maintain lasting relationships with other departments, cross-functional teams, and key business partners through personal and media-assisted interactions. Foster and promote culture of openness and motivation.

Organizational and Planning Skills - Logical, systematic and orderly procedures to meet objectives.

Business Acumen: Understanding general business and financial concepts, and using both general and specific knowledge to be effective.

Lean Manufacturing/Six Sigma Processes – Champion and driver of all aspects of Lean Manufacturing principles and tools - 6S, 8 wastes, Value Stream/Process Mapping, Kanban, Pull and Flow systems, Standard Work, and error proofing.

Process re-engineering and Improvements – Strong technical/problem solving mindset. Experienced in Continuous Improvement tools to drive down cost and improve customer satisfaction through use of Kaizen events, and brainstorming team activities. Always finds a better way of completing a process.

Customer Focus – Strong sense of urgency and able to multi-task. Known to go beyond core areas of responsibility to meet customer commitments in a complex changing environment.

Project Management - Strategic project and planning skills. Demonstrated abilities to tackle numerous projects at once in a fast paced deadline driven environment.

Computer Proficient - Excellent computer skills, proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Project. Ability to learn new programs quickly. Sound knowledge of Visual Manufacturing ERP system.

Key Professional Responsibilities:

• Managing and monitoring Key Business Metrics: Safety & Health, Customer Satisfaction, Inventory, Profitability, and implement programs to continuously improve them.

• Managing other business processes: General Administration, Engineering, Quality Control, Plant Maintenance and Facilities, Customer Service, Production, Purchasing, and Environmental compliance.

• Planning and organizing: Provided direction to the planning, manufacturing and logistics operations to ensure the most effective use of resources and return on assets while ensuring that proper equipment and procedures are in place to meet design, production, delivery, and quality requirements.

• Overall business unit leadership: Provided leadership to meet customer requirements for quality, cost, and delivery.

• Organizational Strategy and Direction: Assisted in plans that were in alignment with overall company's key objectives that aims to drive operational excellence throughout.

• Lean and Continuous Improvement: Championed and drove LEAN efforts and CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT process in all manufacturing departments.

• Cost containment and resource utilization: Defined and implemented plans and processes, which minimize manufacturing costs through effective utilization of, people resources, equipment, facilities, materials, and capital.

• Accountability: Established group and individual accountabilities throughout assigned departments for problem solving and cost reduction while encouraging use of new techniques and focus on fact based problem solving.

• Budgets: Developed and maintained annual capital budget and its execution. Established and adhered to departmental budgets. Managing spending against monthly budget in relation to changes in production volume.

• Organizational Development: Determined organizational structure, development needs, and implemented programs to achieve organizational goals and objectives. Ensured that the various departments are adequately staffed and trained.

Professional Experience

Millard Refrigerated Services

A privately owned company, providing nation’s premier refrigeration and distribution services to major retail, food service and food distribution companies.

Assistant General Manager – September 2011 - Present

• Facility leader providing business leadership to all departments - Warehouse Operations, Office Administration, HR, Purchasing, Engineering/Plant Maintenance/Facilities, and Customer Service

• Establish new key business metrics of Safety and Health, Customer satisfaction/service, Efficiency, and Profitability

• Change management and leadership - establish new standards of excellence in employee engagement and implementation of new planning processes to achieve performance improvements through hands-on leadership and involvement

• Establish individual accountabilities throughout assigned departments for problem solving while implementing use of new techniques and focus on fact based problem solving and continuous improvement

• Leadership role in ensuring all corporate programs are effectively implemented and sustained throughput the facility

Victaulic/Gamma Foundries

A privately owned global company, a world leader in grooved and plain-end mechanical pipe joining systems.

Plant Manager (Canadian Operations) – Victaulic - August 2010-March 2011

• Provided solid manufacturing leadership in the plant and overall operations with focus on operation balance with 9 direct staff and over 250 hourly employees in four diverse manufacturing business units including Foundries, Machining and Assembly cells, and Fabrication

• Achieved yearly targets of organization’s key metrics of safety and health, customer satisfaction, inventory and profitability.

• Prepared and focused on local Operational metrics, P&L, and sales growth

• Directed manufacturing operations, engineering, procurement, and quality to assure cost, quality and service objectives are achieved

Major Accomplishments

• Alignment of resources to run multi-facility diverse manufacturing operations to drive down cost and improve efficiencies by minimum 5%

• Leadership competency of leading and managing change – restructure and implementation of planning processes to achieve performance improvements

• Established group and individual accountabilities throughout assigned departments for problem solving and cost reduction while encouraging use of new techniques and focus on fact based problem solving

• Established new standards of excellence in manufacturing operations in terms of leadership, support and teamwork

• Enhanced company wide Health and Safety program by implementing new incident reporting and investigation process, weekly hazard elimination program and monthly workplace inspection schedule

Vice-President – Foundry Operations – Victaulic/Gamma Foundries- October 2002-August 2010

• Oversee operations of three non-ferrous sand casting foundries in single shift operation. Responsible for all facility/equipment issues, oversee Safety, Health & Environmental issues, and all engineering projects.

• Responsible for financial management of the foundry operations including sourcing, inventory management, budgeting, capital expenditure and cost controls.

Major accomplishments

• 2008–2009 - PROJECT LEADER – Plant consolidation – Combined two foundries into a single operation eliminating fixed and other variable costs in excess of $700K annually while maintaining same production levels to increase profitability

• 2005-2009 - PROJECT LEADER – Environmental compliance – Successfully achieved specific sector compliance for the foundries dealing with Ministry of the Environment and local Public Liaison Committee. This resulted in cost avoidance of $2 million for equipment that was no longer needed to meet new government regulations

• 2004–2007 - PROJECT LEADER – Lean Enterprise Implementation Team – Implemented new Lean Manufacturing and continuous improvement tools in all manufacturing departments

• 2002-2003 - CHAIRPERSON – Led the Systems Integration Team for amalgamation of two manufacturing systems – Consolidated two ERP systems into one eliminating duplication of manufacturing and business processes

Production Manager - Gamma Foundries - September 2000-October 2002

• Directed all aspects of the plant operation to ensure cohesive interactions of all departments to maximize efficiency, quality, safety, and profitability

Major accomplishments

• Sales/profit growth – Grew sales from $14 million to $32 million and expanded operations from a one shift operation to a three shift operation

• A key member of the decision making team for addition of machine shop to the foundry operations

QA Manager – Gamma Foundries - September 1995-September 2000

• Oversee all plant quality assurance activities

Major accomplishments

• 1995 – 1997 - Successfully achieved ISO 9000 certificate

• 1997 - 1998 - TEAM MEMBER – Company wide implementation of Visual Manufacturing (ERP) software

Prior to September 1995

Various Positions held with two organizations - QC/QA Supervisor/ Product Development Chemist

Education & Professional Development

York University - Schulich Executive Education Centre - 2011

• Certificate in Six Sigma Green Belt and Lean Operational Excellence

Victaulic Leadership Training – Strategic Leadership Development – 2009 - 2010

• Cornell University – Ithaca college campus, NY, DeSales University, PA

University of British Columbia

• B.Sc. (Majors) program in Chemistry

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