Global Process Deployment Manager, Cargill, Türkiye
Can you share an overview of your role and key responsibilities as the Global Process Deployment Manager at Cargill?
Sure, in my role as a Process Deployment Manager, I coordinate project implementation strategies by managing resource allocation, timelines, and cross-functional inputs, ensuring alignment at every decision point. I oversee project scope, market timing, costs, quality, stakeholder expectations, and change management to ensure seamless deployment.
My responsibilities include collaborating with project managers, business owners, excellence teams, and operations teams to ensure that new project releases are correctly installed and configured. I develop and maintain comprehensive deployment plans, schedules, and procedures, ensuring organizational readiness for each release. Additionally, I focus on continuous enhancements, optimizations, stabilization, and value realization, formulating integrated project plans to support these goals.
With over 15 years of experience in supply chain, finance, and project management, how has your career evolved, and what major milestones have you achieved?
My career began with a solid foundation in food engineering, leading me to a successful three-year as a production engineer where I mastered the intricacies of production processes, work centers, and flows. My proactive approach and dedication soon led me to manage both production and material planning processes, leveraging excel to meticulously plan finished goods, raw materials, packaging, and resources in alignment with sales budgets and forecasts. This experience laid the groundwork for my expertise in supply chain management and operational planning. My career took a significant leap forward when I joined Sütaş, Turkey's leading dairy company, as a demand and supply planning specialist. Here, I sharpened my skills, becoming a superuser in production planning and material master data management, and contributing to the implementation of MRP. My leadership abilities were recognized, leading to my promotion to an executive role where I managed a team of professionals and participated in strategic projects including cost reduction and new product development. Further enhancing my profile, I worked as a Senior Cost Controller and Reporting Analyst at Cargill, overseeing costing operations and participating implementation projects. My current role as a Process Deployment Manager has seen me managing global projects that impact multiple countries, showcasing my ability to lead and implement complex projects successfully.
As milestones, I can say that the first one is that after learning all the production processes in a small food production factory, I moved to the supply chain department of the largest dairy company in Turkey. the second is that I passed from a regional giant company to Cargill, one of the few biggest global companies in the world.
What are some of the biggest challenges you face in process deployment within a global company like Cargill, and how do you address them?
New beginnings and changes can often be challenging and met with resistance, as people tend to feel uncomfortable stepping out of their safe spaces. When trying to implement systemic or logical improvements, it’s common to encounter apprehension because the unknown can be intimidating. However, a key aspect of our role is to communicate our objectives and plans clearly and in detail. By accurately explaining the process and what lies ahead, while assuring them of our support at every stage, we can alleviate their concerns and foster a smoother transition. This approach helps in gaining their buy-in and ensures a more successful implementation of changes.
In your experience, how important is cross-functional collaboration in ensuring the success of process deployment initiatives? Can you provide an example?
Process deployment initiatives inherently bring about change management. To ensure that every stakeholder is aware and aligned with the new processes and their requirements, it’s essential to keep them informed and involved at all times. Stakeholders need to understand how changes in their output can impact the inputs of others. This necessitates close cross-functional collaboration. Involving stakeholders throughout the process is crucial for fostering their understanding and belief in the changes being implemented.
What skills and qualities do you believe are essential for someone in your role, and how have you developed them over the course of your career?
A deployment manager is responsible for the successful implementation of releases into production environments. They work closely with development, QA, and operations teams to ensure that all aspects of the release process are coordinated and completed according to schedule.
There are a few key skills that you will need to master in order to be successful in this role.
First, you must be able to effectively communicate with all stakeholders involved in a project. This includes developers, QA engineers, ops teams, and business users. You need to be able to understand the requirements of each team and communicate them clearly to everyone involved.
Second, you must be organized and detail-oriented. A successful project depends on careful planning and execution. You will need to create detailed plans for each project and track the progress of each task.
Third, you must be able to handle stress well. The project process can be unpredictable and there will often be last-minute changes or problems that arise. You need to be able to stay calm under pressure and make quick decisions when necessary.
Fourth, you must have strong problem-solving skills. When something goes wrong during a project, it is up to the deployment manager to find a solution. You need to be able to troubleshoot problems quickly and efficiently.
Finally, you must be able to learn from your mistakes. No matter how well you plan or how experienced you are, there will always be things that go wrong during a project. It is important that you learn from these mistakes so that you can avoid them in future projects.
How do you stay updated with the latest trends and advancements in supply chain and project management, and how do you apply this knowledge to your work?
Nowadays, keeping up with developments is much easier thanks to new technologies. I am a member of several platforms that allow me to stay informed about the latest advancements in our field. By leveraging these platforms, I can quickly and practically implement any new developments into our business. Keeping our work up-to-date is crucial for maintaining our competitive edge and ensuring continuous improvement.
Looking ahead, what are your goals for the future in your current role at Cargill, and what do you hope to achieve in the long term?
As a Business Deployment Manager at Cargill, my vision for the future is rooted in driving operational excellence, fostering innovation, and expanding our market reach. I aim to lead a team that thrives on challenges, embraces innovation, and is dedicated to delivering value to our customers and stakeholders.
In the short term, my goal is to streamline our operational processes, enhance efficiency, and explore new avenues for growth. I believe that by optimizing our operations and embracing new technologies, we can position Cargill as a leader in the industry.
Comentários