Agile Business Analyst / Proxy Product Owner (manufacturing industry)

Department: IT / Smart Factory Projects

Job purpose: To bridge the gap between manufacturing business lines and IT development teams. The role involves analyzing discrete production processes (assembly, machining, logistics) to deliver data-driven decision tools and software solutions in an Agile framework.

Responsibilities: 

• Analyze and Map discrete manufacturing value streams, identifying bottlenecks in material flow, WIP (Work in Progress) tracking, and station changeovers.
• Translate complex manufacturing requirements into clear User Stories and Functional Specifications for developers (e.g., "As a line operator, I want to scan a part serial number to retrieve its routing").
• Design analytical dashboards using Python and MySQL to monitor discrete KPIs such as Shift Output, Scrap Rates, and First Pass Yield (FPY).
• Facilitate Agile ceremonies (Sprints) with a focus on delivering incremental value to the shop floor, ensuring software updates do not disrupt production shifts.
• Validate solutions through acceptance testing directly on the production floor, ensuring usability for operators handling discrete units.

Decision Making & Authority: 

• Prioritize the product backlog based on the ROI for the manufacturing plant (e.g., prioritizing features that reduce line stoppages).
• Determine the "Definition of Done" for software features related to critical production steps. 

Requirements & Skills: 

• Strong knowledge of Discrete Manufacturing processes (BOM tracking, serialized production, Kanban, Just-in-Time).
• Certified in Agile/Scrum with experience applying it in an industrial context.
• Proficiency in Python (Pandas for data analysis) and SQL.
• Ability to model complex discrete flows and identify optimization opportunities ("Design Thinking")