Emerging Leadership Program Participant

Job Description

Emerge Program Associate – Operations / Technology | WIDIA

The Tone:
This is an early-career leadership development program within WIDIA, a brand of Kennametal, an industrial technology leader that delivers productivity through materials science, tooling, and wear-resistant solutions. The EMERGE program is designed to build emerging leaders within Kennametal through diverse experiences, expanding their perspectives and accelerating career development. This role is crucial for developing future talent who will drive performance and integration among business functions.

The TL;DR
• Role: Early Career
• Type: Full-time
• Location: Relocation/Travel Required

• Team: Program participant rotating through various functional teams
• Mission: Building emerging leaders within Kennametal through diverse experiences to expand perspectives, develop functional expertise, and accelerate career development.
• Tech Stack: SAP Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)

What You’ll Actually Do
• Participate in a 2-year immersive leadership development program featuring diverse functional rotations within Operations, Technology, or Commercial business tracks.
• Develop functional expertise through hands-on assignments that may include materials management, manufacturing process improvement, product engineering, or advanced manufacturing solutions.
• Drive performance and integration among business functions by developing leadership, professional, and technical skills necessary for various roles across the organization.
• Engage in a formalized mentorship program, corporate onboarding activities, and ongoing learning journeys to enhance technical and leadership acumen.
• Contribute to projects involving lean and continuous improvement, data analytics, process development, or supply chain management across different corporate and plant locations.

The Must-Haves
• Background: Entry-Level, completing final academic year with a Bachelor’s Degree in STEM, Operational Excellence, Supply Chain, Business, or a related field of study.
• Experience: No prior professional experience is required, as this is an early-career development program.
• Skills: Strong organization, facilitation, leadership, project management, and communication skills, coupled with a strong analytical approach to problem-solving.
• Bonus: Candidates with a minimum overall GPA of 3.2 are preferred.