Jonathan Clayton

Working closely with JLR’s Tier1 supply base across Asia Pacific Region driving sustainable quality improvements through continuous improvement identification and implementation through lean methodology. Delivering training and supporting improvement mindsets at manufacturing site level to deliver quality and delivery improvement to JLR OEM manufacturing supply chain. Design and implement strategy and resource model for newly created Supplier Development capability within the region. Creating and implementing regional strategy, ensuring alignment to global business strategy and deployment to achieve business targets. Liaising globally to ensure process and procedure adherence as well as developing regional specific processes. Creating a working environment that delivers development and mentorship while ensuring seamless integration for regional team within the global business and end to end delivery from new product introduction to mass production.

Achievements:

• Development and deployment of resource structure across the region delivering stability and improved engagement across supply base.
• Stabilisation of critical tier 1 (T1) supplier sites for both quality and delivery through robust work stream identification, lean manufacturing training delivery and support, driving management system and continuous improvement activities.
• Introduction of regional training, development and engagement programme focussed on lean manufacturing, continuous improvement and sustainability
• Regional stability within first 6 months in post to deliver best performing supply base region across JLR T1 suppliers.

Supervise, guide, and motivate a team of four managers and four senior engineers within a joint venture organisation in China. Perform various duties, including administering departmental budget, quality concern management, warranty investigation, supplier management at site level, cross functional work stream lead for international projects and developing strategy to deliver quality improvements delivering a better end product to the customer. Liaise and confer with stakeholder and board members, ensuring timely delivery of status and information, also strategy input and delivery. Foster and sustain enduring working relationships across both CJLR and JLR maximising output as well as developing robust systems of work.

Achievements:

• Significantly achieved 20% year on year quality improvement to incoming parts by devising, creating, and implementing a quality improvement strategy.
• Cooperated with global cross functional work group led delivering team resolution to global quality concerns.
• Recognised as an essential participant of onsite STA representation and presentation to CJLR board members for high severity supplier parts quality concerns within Joint Venture (JV) business.
• Utilised and applied best practice development to JLR trading division resulting in significant improvement to speed of vendor recoveries to the business.
• Deliver active functional support and assistance to complex projects across Asia Pacific region, close collaborating with supplier partners to deliver against requirement, deliver robust quality operating systems, and quality output for New Product Introduction project (NPI).
• Assisted with process improvement by identifying operational issues, suggesting potential solutions and supporting implementation.
• Built collaborative relationships with key company leaders to solve challenges and elevate service based on customer feedback.
• Engaged in urgent or escalated issues with customers or co-workers to provide appropriate direction and resolution.

Oversaw and inspired highly skilled team of seven engineers and 13 associates in the JLR manufacturing plant, managing all incoming quality concerns within the plant and management of containment, root cause analysis and permanent corrective action implementation. Piloted the development and implementation of quality improvement strategy for the plant and cross functional work streams to deliver better quality product. Executed supplier management and development project for 20 local suppliers.

Achievements:

• Ensured the seamless running of processes by rolling out supplier quality improvement strategy.
• Achieved bottom-line results by saving departmental cost approx. £60K per year.
• Steered the development and deployment of cost recovery process returning >£50K per year.
• Guaranteed the effective delivery against quality improvement sufficiency plans, resulting in achieving approx. 10% improvement better than target.
• Succeeded in improving overall vehicle quality completing over 20 various projects by engaging with cross functional work group lead across the plant.
• Updated quality control standards, methods and procedures to meet compliance requirements.
• Followed quality standards and procedures to minimize errors and maximize customer satisfaction.

Tackled and overcame challenges leading complex problem solving across the powertrain and chassis commodities with cross functional teams, including product engineering, supplier and core product development team. Led the delivery of robust problem investigation and permanent corrective action implementation, whilst also being responsible for third party service provider contract and coordination of departmental budget.

Achievements:

• Played an integral role in successfully creating departmental budget management account, delivering return of expenditure through cost recovery of over £1M.
• Held the credit for reduction of supplier liable Chassis and Powertrain aging warranty concern by over 20%.
• Regarded as an integral and main point of contact for JLR SPQ departments in Brazil and China and India.
• Commended by senior management for managing third party service provider delivering reduction in quality escapes through implementation of quality management system.
• Advised customers and other project stakeholders on relevant technical concerns and feasible solutions.
• Reviewed plans, documents and related materials to assess projected actions and advise on changes.
• Calculated labor and material needs, making necessary orders and purchases.
• Applied development best practices in daily tasks for efficiency and accuracy.

Organised and scheduled shift of six associates, covering immediate response and containment to all quality issues found within manufacturing facility covering 15000 component parts and 360 global suppliers, supplier engagement and problem solving related to each issue. Monitored 32 supplier manufacturing sites related to chassis commodity. Headed more than 10 major projects from inception to completion within timely and budgetary constraints, comprising largest one involving 2,500 vehicles.

Achievements:

• Decreased open issues by >50% for individual shift.
• Conceptualised, formulated, and executed succession and training plans for team members.
• Cultivated and maintained robust relations with cross functional teams, including site-based STA engineers and managers in order to achieve quick resolution to a quality concern.
• Prepared variety of different written communications, reports and documents.
• Exceeded goals through effective task prioritization and great work ethic.
• Identified issues, analyzed information and provided solutions to problems.
• Collaborated with team members to achieve target results.

Administered and coordinated all the aspects of daily activities of site covering three shift production and up to 250 staff daily. Ensuring all aspects of health and safety (H&S), production planning, budget management and project management, including strategy planning and regional growth.

Achievements:

• Structured, streamlined, and executed quality management system (QMS) leading to 40% improvement in output quality and 100% reduction of customer complaints.
• Displayed project leadership acumen to ensure the delivery and management of over 500 projects throughout a period of new product introduction, ensuring contract completed and agreed.
• Negotiated and secured additional contracts at new customer sites, resulting in attaining new business.
• Negotiated, implemented and managed third party service contracts ensuring contingencies in place to ensure 100% coverage across the North West
• Improved group level business audit scores by 27% and led plant to best performing of the group.
• Oversaw and managed five separate locations simultaneously ensuring contracts, staffing and work instructions achieved to the highest possible standards.
• Developed processes to save on costs and prevent losses.
• Enhanced regional plant performance by implementing proven management processes to increase revenue.
• Shift Manager Jun 2014-Nov 2014

Led and advised 15 to 50 personnel in both UK and overseas operations. Ensured the engagement of third-party contract for projects and inspections of large sites for Health, Safety and Explosive Regulations compliance. Initiated adequate system of internal control by producing training requirements for staff to ensure operation of newly introduced equipment and procedures.

Achievements:

• Leveraged astute capabilities during the maintenance and management of equipment with value £5M.
• Prepared and delivered courses of instruction to overseas military and civil forces to increase efficiency.
• Utilised subject matter expertise during re-structuring and implementing working practices and procedures within the business area and complying to PRINCE2 methodologies.
• Second in command over a team of 18 people deployed as an Improvised Explosive Device Neutralise team deployed to Operational Theatres.
• Management of logistic and supply chain demand planning including delivery of significant engineering change project enabling cost saving of £1Mil+
• Additional Experience: (Sep 2003 to Oct 2009)
• Team Leader / Quality Manager / Operations Manager / Communications Instructor / Armoured Vehicle Mechanic,