Michael Harris Email & Phone Number

Phoenix, Az, Us

Conway, Ar, Us

Independent consultant specializing in helping clients develop strategies and implement operational improvement programs by leveraging extensive experience in operations management and industrial engineering.• Provided insights to a workforce enablement AI platform developer on the mechanics and processes necessary for an effective workforce performance management program.• Advised a technology and software investment firm on the background and current landscape of labor management and workforce management systems and programs.

Stamford, Ct, Us

Collaborative and cross-functional efforts led to a 39% increase in labor productivity, a 24% improvement in on-time performance, a 40% reduction in delivery cycle times, and an average $7 million yearly reduction in variable labor costs since 2021, while improving network capacity by 3x.• Coordinated the implementation of a Labor Management System across 12 sites, impacting 3,500 resources and delivering a significant EBIT boost over three years while upskilling operations management teams to improve workforce engagement proactively.• Partnered with Ops, HR, and Finance to improve operational efficiency by implementing a peak season labor strategy that reduced hiring needs by ~30% compared to previous years by leveraging overtime to handle demand spikes at a reduced total cost.• Partnered with HR, recruiting, and network leaders to run a weekly workforce planning operational cadence with the facility teams in each region, making informed analytical decisions on hiring plans and improving staffing plan adherence to +/-5% tolerance.

Stamford, Ct, Us

I continued building the team and expanded my remit to include the APEX team (internal platform for operational reporting dashboards, tools, and knowledge base). I collaborated with executives and global teams to drive the adoption of technology and robotics, budget development, and P&L planning. My team’s work guided capital planning, directing proper allocations across operations. • Led the system and training program implementation of a labor activity tracking platform and hardware across the network to boost operations productivity by 8% in the first year, providing real-time visibility into labor effectiveness.• Co-led the effort to develop and launch the Management Academy, training 100 new managers in two years with the best practices and capability building needed to effectively manage labor across a network with new automation, robotics, and technology, to achieve business results through the workforce.• Implemented a monthly team newsletter initiative to improve operations excellence team engagement and communication, resulting in increased team collaboration, knowledge sharing, and recognition.• Collaborated cross-functionally across a global Data Science and Business Intelligence team to rationalize dashboard analytics, reporting, and knowledge bases, improving end-user customer satisfaction and stickiness, through intuitive, real-time insights innovation, and enhanced visibility into KPIs and metrics.

Stamford, Ct, Us

Hire number one for the Workforce Optimization team within the Global E-commerce business unit tasked with building a strategy and high-performing, global team from the ground up. Focused on improving the control of variable labor spend across a network of sortation centers, cross-border processing facilities, and fulfillment operations by leading the execution of continuous improvement initiatives and projects designed to enhance labor forecasting and planning, workforce systems, workforce reporting platforms, and frontline operations management training. Focused on collaborating cross-functionally across global teams to educate leaders, share learnings, solicit feedback, and drive sustainable adoption of efforts related to the overall labor strategy.• Co-authored the network Labor Strategy, providing a labor market overview, training and development investment goals and benchmarks, business impact/ROI, and details on optimizing variable labor costs across a network with $110MM+ in annual labor spend.• Authored the transformational Workforce Management Strategy, leading to a $7MM reduction in labor spending in the first year through improvements in labor planning/forecasting, workforce systems, management upskilling, and enhanced workforce platforms/reporting.• Engineered and deployed automated controls and improve technologies for workforce planning and demand forecasting processes, enhancing the update process, providing improved accuracy, and decreasing manual refresh efforts.

Chicago, Illinois, Us

Served as overall strategy and quality lead on transformational programs across various clients and industries. Worked closely with executive business stakeholders to design and execute diverse strategies focused on transforming workforces through diagnosing and implementing sustainable programs that increase employee engagement, frontline management effectiveness, resource utilization, and workforce productivity. Focused on developing “next generation of leaders” through career advisor/mentor roles and leading internal initiatives around training and knowledge management. Contributed as subject matter specialist in pursuit of new business with new and existing clients. Led efforts to standardize broadened offerings across industries.• Partnered with a leading travel website’s executive team to evaluate the effectiveness of their data center operations through a quick hit assessment of people, process, and technology leading to the identification of opportunity to reduce annual labor spend by 30% while improving service levels.• Led a large cross-functional team during the implementation of a strategic workforce management program for a Fortune 50 pharmaceutical distribution company resulting in a significant reduction in overtime and a 11% increase in throughput.• Engaged with a large grocery wholesaler looking to remove significant labor costs from its supply chain to identify opportunities to remove $70M of annual labor spend through execution of a strategic roadmap focused on removing waste, improving processes & systems, and empowering frontline management.

Chicago, Illinois, Us

Partnered with client stakeholders and led teams of industrial engineers on workforce productivity and resource utilization improvement projects in both union and non-union environments. Oversaw all aspects of day-to-day project timeline, resource development, and budget, as well as relationships with client operations team and leadership. Served as “Career Advisor” to engineers, guiding their development as consultants and planning career paths. Pursued business development opportunities with both existing and new clients.• Led team tasked with assessing seasonal merchandise reset process for big-box home improvement retailer across multiple stores and several U.S. metro areas resulting in identification of $4M in annual labor savings through improved layouts, processes, and workforce management strategy. • Oversaw the implementation of a robust workforce management solution, including a new Labor Management System, for a foodservice client’s 1M+ sq. ft. distribution center resulting in a 30% reduction in annual labor hours while maintaining previous throughput levels. • Represented clients successfully in over 20 union audits and two arbitrations, serving as subject matter expert for workforce management programs in both the U.S. and Canada.

Chicago, Illinois, Us

Served as lead onsite engineer on various types of productivity assessment, process improvement, engineered labor standard development, and update projects in both union and non-union environments. Oversaw onsite team and schedule to ensure studies conducted followed proper methodology and met all quality expectations. Collaborated with client’s frontline management team to foster change management culture related to new processes and expectations. Worked closely with leadership team to identify opportunities for additional work and improved methodologies.

Atlanta, Ga, Us

Led all aspects of planning and cost auditing of six delivery centers in Metro Detroit Southwest division. Collaborated with leadership, site teams, and support functions to develop long- and short-range operational plans. Completed yearly work measurement and time study on all operations to adjust operating plans and develop new targets in line with organizational goals. Analyzed production and cost reports, and followed up on service and cost exceptions to keep centers in line with business plans. Worked on implementation of new, corporate-designed, web-based payroll system that consolidated multiple systems into one.

Atlanta, Ga, Us

Served as lead operations supervisor, reporting directly to shift manager and overseeing 110 hourly employees and 17 part-time management employees. Achieved daily safety, service, and production targets as well as improved employee engagement through recognition and training. Controlled variable cost by maintaining proper staffing and exceeding production targets. Developed hourly and management employees through coaching and counseling. Created and implemented recognition program for hourly employees designed to reduce amount of service failures. Achieved 54% reduction in service failures over 90-day period, improving service failure frequency to one failure per 3,900 packages (on plan of one per 2,500).

Atlanta, Ga, Us

Atlanta, Ga, Us

Atlanta, Ga, Us

Atlanta, Ga, Us

Archbold, Oh, Us

Senior design capstone project to design an ergonomic picking solution for current order selection material handling equipment when picking heavy and bulky items within the distribution environment.

Bsme, Mechanical Engineering

Nominated

Education record