RAJ THOMAS

Winner of the “Hastings Deering Employee Excellence” award. Delivered three major digital implementation projects for Hastings Deering, with completions on target for cost, scope, and time, by closely managing the risks and dependencies.

• Project managed the project, 'Standard Package for Resource Industry,' to improve quoting velocity and build velocity by standardizing the offer to market, without compromising on the customer experience of Hastings Deering.
• Led a multidisciplinary project team of 20, ensuring the successful implementation of the Dynamics 365 CRM tool, and completed it within timeframes and quality standards.
• Developed detailed project plans, timelines, and milestones for each transformation project, with a clear communication plan and governance to support.
• Defined project scope, objectives, and deliverables in collaboration with stakeholders.
• Developed and implemented a transition to support processes across the departments that ensured sustainable change that is swift and sticky, ensuring customer satisfaction past GoLive.

Winner of 'Sales Support Person of the Year.' Led development and deployment of Demand Planning process for New Equipment Sales in the context of Hastings Deering's Integrated Business Planning initiative.

• Implemented a digital solution incorporating One Forecast for efficient demand planning, under budget, and on time.
• Conducted monthly demand reviews within the IBP cycle to align a 24-month rolling demand plan with stakeholder agreement based on market insights, customer inputs, and risk analysis.
• Developed scorecards and KPIs to evaluate process efficiency, conducting root cause analysis and implementing corrective actions to enhance forecast accuracy.

Spearheaded Project ClockSpeed with over 30 professionals from BHP, Caterpillar, and Hastings Deering to integrate an end-to-end parts supply chain, improving fleet availability, and setting a new performance standard in the mining industry.

• Delivered a digital solution through vendor E2Open on time and within budget.
• Utilized methodologies of PMBOK and Agile to go from a problem statement to an executable solution in the long-term supply chain and production planning space.
• Conducted monthly SIOP demand reviews with mining clients to build consensus on demand planning.

DIFOT was uplifted to 92% from the baseline of 67%.

• Collaborated across functions to achieve DIFOT for customers, with thorough production plans to clear bottlenecks, maintain ERP system data integrity, and manage subcontractor relationships.

Negotiated strategic deals with freight forwarders and shipping companies, which improved the bottom line of the company.

• Spearheaded end-to-end Supply Chain operations, including production scheduling and planning for tractor assembly based on dealer orders and capacity constraints.
• Managed procurement with international tractor OEMs and local vendors.

• Key contributor to establishing new business models in a joint venture with Mahindra Tractors and Mitsubishi Agricultural Machinery, Japan.

Led the VALUE MANAGEMENT initiative titled 'Recycling of Export Frames from the USA,' resulting in savings of $0.7 million AUD.

• Executed daily planning leveraging real-time data on customer needs and distribution network availability.
• Optimized workflows to synchronize engine and transmission machine shop timelines with diverse tractor assembly plan requirements across multiple locations.

Boosted shift production capacity from 423 units to 504 units through line balancing and layout changes.

• Excellent man-management skills and handled a shop-floor team of more than 100 operators that resulted in productivity enhancements.
• Well-versed in quality systems (ISO/TS) and manufacturing concepts like TPM, TQM, TPS, JIT, Lean Manufacturing, 7 QC Tools, Kaizen, and Poke-yoke, etc.