Senior Manager, North American Apprenticeships and Document Control

Overview

Do you want to join a team that's changing the world? Do you have a strong background as a Senior Manager, North American Apprenticeships and Document Control? Then we're looking for you! Check out the job description and apply now! Put your skills to meaningful use, gain unique experience, and work with world-class team members with diverse backgrounds and expertise who share the same vision. Join the PECNA team today!

Responsibilities

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Meet the Recruiter: Eric Laffey
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Panasonic Video Our Mission: Create Technologies That Move Us

Summary:

Join us at Panasonic Energy as we expand to De Soto, Kansas, where we're building the world's largest lithium-ion battery factory. This is an exciting opportunity to grow your career while contributing to the future of electric vehicles. As part of our team, you'll help push the limits of battery technology, enhancing performance and efficiency in sustainable transportation.

Our state-of-the-art facility, just outside the Kansas City Metro, will be a hub for innovation in green energy solutions. If you're passionate about sustainability and eager to contribute to the electric vehicle revolution, we invite you to be part of our dynamic team. Join us and make a meaningful impact on the future of energy and transportation.

Job Summary:

Panasonic is seeking a highly skilled and motivated Senior Manager, North American Apprenticeships who develops apprenticeship programs for all North American manufacturing sites.

Essential Duties:

Apprenticeship Program Development and Alignment:

• Manage a team of 4-10 instructors, providing guidance, coaching, and performance evaluations.
• Coordinate up to 350 apprentices per year per site (up to 700 total per year), providing support with new-employee orientation, college enrollment, on-the-job training tracking, and placement within Operations work centers.
• Develop and execute a North American apprenticeship strategy that supports business needs and workforce development priorities.
• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and provincial apprenticeship regulations and funding opportunities.
• Monitor program performance, track key metrics, and provide reports to leadership on the effectiveness of apprenticeship programs.
• Collaborate with partners to develop customized programs and initiatives that address specific workforce development needs, skills gaps, and operational challenges.
• Develop and manage an Apprenticeship Review Board and State Boards of Education to modify programs to fit customer needs, discuss progress, and communicate status updates.
• Ensure program needs are met for apprentices, instructors, and the overall site.
• Develop paths for PECNA goals while coordinating with executive sponsors and other stakeholders.
• Ensure alignment between company objectives and program outcomes, leveraging available grants, incentives, and apprenticeship initiatives to maximize impact.
• Conduct a needs assessment to identify areas for improvement in workforce development, skills training, and operational efficiency to conduct an analysis of current partnerships while evaluating their effectiveness, alignment with PECNA goals, and potential for growth.

Document Control and Learning Management System Implementation:

• Manage a team of 5-20 technical writers, providing guidance, coaching, and performance evaluations.
• Implement an electronic Quality Management System to enhance accessibility, security, and version control, including the integration of a Learning Management System (LMS) to align training and documentation.
• Ensure all process documentation including SOPs, MPIs, and standard work aligns with industry regulations and company policies.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to document best practices and process workflows.
• Identify inefficiencies in document creation, approval, and archiving processes, and implement solutions for improvement, and work with cross-functional teams to enhance clarity and usability.
• Develop training materials and conduct workshops to educate employees on document standardization best practices.
• Establish audit trails for document modifications and approvals.
• Support internal and external audits by maintaining accurate records and ensuring adherence to documentation policies.
• Ensure training programs meet industry regulations and generate reports to track learning outcomes and compliance.
• Partner with department heads to align the LMS with business goals and employee development needs.

Community Relationships:

• Research and understand all aspects of grants, partnerships, and incentive programs to benefit the apprenticeship programs.
• Assess, adjust, and solidify community college partnerships to ensure continued success.
• Align company objectives with the priorities and goals of key associations, organizations, and government entities.

• Initiate discussions with identified partners to explore collaboration opportunities, share best practices, and establish mutually beneficial relationships.
• Create open communication channels and cultivate trust through transparent and mutually beneficial interactions.
• Plan for pipeline building from talent acquisition, community college courses, apprenticeship programs, area colleges, university connections, community education programs, etc.
• Collaborate with area high schools and State Departments of Labor to develop pre-apprenticeships that feed into PECNA apprenticeships.

• Identify relevant associations, industry groups, educational institutions, and government agencies that offer grants, programs, apprenticeship initiatives, and incentives aligned with our strategic goals.
• Prioritize partners that bring complementary expertise, technology, or resources to enhance PECNA's competitive advantage and community goals.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Requirements: To ensure the health and safety in the workplace and for the protection of our employees', wearing PPE is a possibility and includes equipment such as a full Tyvek suit, safety shoes, gloves, safety glasses, face mask, and a full hazmat suit that includes a respirator.

The foregoing description is not intended and should not be construed to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, skills and efforts or work conditions associated with the job. It is intended to be an accurate reflection of the general nature and level of the job.

Qualifications

Requirements - Required and/or Preferred:

Education:

• Basic/Required: Bachelor's degree in a relevant field (e.g. Education, Adult Learning, Training and Development).
• Preferred: Master's degree in a relevant field (e.g. Education, Adult Learning, Training and Development).

Essential Qualifications:

• Minimum of 6 years of experience in education or training development.
• Minimum 2 years of experience working in a system administrator capacity for an electronic Quality Management System.
• Minimum 2 years of manufacturing experience.
• Must have working-level knowledge of the English language including reading, writing, and speaking.
• Superb written and spoken communication.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, including Access, Outlook, PowerPoint, Excel, and Word.
• Expertise in traditional and modern training methods (mentoring, coaching, on-the-job or in classroom training, e-learning, workshops, simulations, etc.).
• Excellent communication and leadership skills.
• Ability to plan, multi-task and manage time effectively.
• Works effectively in cross-functional teams and with other work groups while sharing information that others need to do their job.

Preferred Qualifications:

• 10+ years' experience in education, apprenticeships, or training development.
• Demonstrated comfort in multi-national environments.
• Experience in a start-up environment.
• Alignment to Panasonic's seven (7) core principles (contribution to society, fairness and honesty, cooperation and team spirit, untiring effort for improvement, courtesy and humility, adaptability, gratitude).
• Hoshin planning and implementation from the ground up, demonstrating the ability to develop and execute strategic plans with a bottom-up approach.

Preferred License(s):

• State-recognized teaching license.

Preferred Certification(s):

• Training Within Industry (TWI) certification for "Train the Trainer" specializing in Job Safety, Job Instruction, Job Relations and/or Job Methods, showcasing proficiency in safety protocols and efficient work methods.

Travel: Up to 25%

Physical Demands:

Physical Activities: (Percentage of time (equaling 100%) during the normal workday the employee is required to)

• Sit: 40%
• Walk: 30%
• Stand: 20%
• Lift: 10%

Required Lifting and Carrying: (Required frequency is: Not required (0%), Occasional (1-33%), Frequent (34-66%, Continuous (67-100%)

• Up to 10 lbs.: Occasional
• Up to 20 lbs.: Occasional
• Up to 35 lbs.: Occasional
• Team-lift only (over 35 lbs.): Not Required

Benefits & Perks - What's In It For You:

Panasonic Energy prioritizes total well-being and offers comprehensive benefits options to support physical, emotional, financial, social, and environmental health:

• Highly inclusive and class-leading healthcare options to include family planning, mental health, and pet insurance
• Employee assistance programs that support total well-being with complimentary session offered each and every month
• Company-matched and fully vested 401K retirement program that starts immediately from date of enrollment
• Annual bonus program, High5 employee recognition and awards platform, quarterly and annual employee recognition
• Simplified access to self-guided and representative-supported short and long-term financial wellness and retirement planning
• Educational Assistance & Reimbursement Program
• Diversity, equity, and inclusion programs and associated employee resource groups that promote representation and belonging
• Leadership, career, and mentorship development programs opportunities at all levels across the organization
• Collaborative and motivating culture routed in continuous personal and professional growth and much more.

Where You'll Be:

For our onsite roles, Panasonic Energy is committed to fostering an ideal working environment that goes beyond the conventional. We understand the significance of moments that matter in your onsite experience, and we prioritize creating a workspace that not only promotes productivity but also ensures a fulfilling and positive work atmosphere. Join us at Panasonic Energy, where your onsite presence is valued, and we strive to make each moment count in your professional journey.

Who We Are:

Meet Panasonic Energy! At Panasonic Energy, you'll do work that matters as we are dedicated to transforming the world through the acceleration of sustainable energy. By producing safe, high-quality lithium-ion batteries, you become part of a team that plays a crucial role in creating technologies that move us.

This is an exciting time to join us as we expand our operations to De Soto, Kansas and build the world's largest lithium-ion battery factory. We will provide you with the opportunity to experience career growth in more ways than one.

As an innovative thinker, you'll thrive here, as we continually push the boundaries of lithium-ion battery technology and production capabilities to enhance efficiency and performance in EVs.

Being part of Panasonic Energy means positively contributing to society, aligning with our commitment to building a better world through sustainable energy solutions.

We care about what you care about, fostering an environment where your contributions make a meaningful impact on the future of energy and transportation. Join us and be part of a team that values your work, encourages innovation, and actively contributes to a positive societal impact.

In addition to an environment that is as innovative as our products, we offer competitive salaries and benefits.

We Take Opportunity Seriously:

At Panasonic Energy, we are committed to a workplace that genuinely fosters inclusion and belonging. Fairness and Honesty have been part of our core values for more than 100 years and we are proud of our diverse culture as an equal opportunity employer.

We understand that your career search may look different than others and embrace the professional, personal, educational, and volunteer opportunities through which people gain experience. If you are actively looking or starting to explore new opportunities, submit your application!

Supplemental Information:

Pre-employment drug testing is required.

Panasonic Energy of North America is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to: race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, genetic information, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. All qualified individuals are required to perform the essential functions of the job with or without reasonable accommodation.

Due to the high volume of responses, we will only be able to respond to candidates of interest. All candidates must have valid authorization to work in the U.S. without restriction.

Thank you for your interest in Panasonic Energy of North America.

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