Philip, could you tell us a little about what you do at Outokumpu?
I am the Vice President of the Production Excellence Program, also known as OK1. My work consists of steering manufacturing improvements across many sites and countries, communication at all levels in the organization, project management of a world class manufacturing program, I also support the sharing of experiences and information across our manufacturing units, as well as program coordination across the plants to ensure a consistent approach. It also involves the development and management of an operational management competence improvement program.
The purpose of my work is to implement a company wide program– the Production Excellence Program – to develop world class manufacturing within Outokumpu.

I am based in Sheffield, UK, but responsible for the OK1 Program in the UK, the USA and Germany and involved with the overall steering and coordination of the OK1 program, as well as the training and education to support the OK1 program and operational competence improvement

What was your motivation for applying?
I saw that the OK1 role would provide me with a great deal of variety in my role in seeing many different people and production facilities within the company. The thing I enjoy about the Outokumpu Group is that it has a very clear direction and very high ambition levels. This is something that gives you a great sense of satisfaction

Could you tell us something about your responsibilities?
I am responsible for facilitating progress in the OK1 program in our UK and US Operations and our stock and processing facilities around Europe. This means that I co-steer the OK1 process with my two fellow coordinators in Sweden and Finland. The OK1 program aims to provide 100M Euros of benefit to Outokumpu by attacking losses and waste in the production process. Currently we are exceeding our targets. To make this happen, I am also responsible for the development of the education and training programs to support the OK1 program – in particular the Production Excellence Change Agent training (or PECAT). I report to the new Supply Chain EVP Jamie Allan. It is a new organization with a very challenging remit for the next 3 years.

What are your formal and personal qualifications for this job?
I have an Honor Degree in Electronic Engineering and a Masters Degree in Business Administration (MBA). My career has been very varied, having started work in the IT field then moving to HR Management, then Operation and General Management. This very wide experience allows me to have a good knowledge base to deal with a variety of topics and complex situations.

I would like to think that I am a people focused Leader and Manager. I have the opportunity to work with people from all levels of our organizations and with varying degrees of knowledge about the program so communication and good interpersonal skills are vital. I feel comfortable with this style as I think people are our biggest asset (a bit of a cliché but it is true). People engagement and motivation is an area that I hope is my strength but I still have to work hard to do this well.
I have lived in Sweden earlier in my career. I have visited all of Outokumpu’s major plants and this year alone I have visited the USA, Finland, Sweden, Holland, Belgium, France, Germany and Japan.

Are there any special possibilities and advantages with your job?
I enjoy that fact that OK1 is fundamentally a people process. I see a great deal of pride in our people when they are able to contribute and make improvements. I meet a wide variety of people from all parts of the organization and passion and commitment is there to be seen.

As OK1 is fundamentally a people process, there are days where my job can be very tough and challenging and many more days where it is very rewarding. This type of corporate role is a great platform to move into a variety of roles in the future. OK1 has become a single language and way of working in a multinational company.

And, finally, what would you tell a possible future colleague about Outokumpu and this job?
Outokumpu is a company with very clear ambitions and has very clear ethics and values. The roles in the company offer excellent scope for personal growth. Presuming that you perform well in your role then your career development opportunities will open up. And Outokumpu is large enough to provide the variety and benefits of a multi-national. It is also small enough for you to be recognized and feel part of a community.