Operation Management Program – Early Career Development

Job Description

Development Program- Operations Management 2027 | HNI Corporation

The Tone:
This is a two-year rotational Early Career Development Program at HNI Corporation, located in Muscatine, IA. HNI is a global family of brands for the workplace, dedicated to enhancing spaces where people live, work, and gather, and is a manufacturer of workplace furnishings and building products. This role is crucial for individuals early in their career to build solid, hands-on foundational skills within a lean manufacturing organization, contributing directly to implementing solutions and exceeding customer expectations.

The TL;DR
• Role: Development Program
• Type: Full-time
• Location: In-person, Muscatine, IA

• Team: Cross-functional teams
• Mission: To gain a holistic understanding of the business and culture, build hands-on foundational skills in operations management, and contribute to customer satisfaction.
• Tech Stack:

What You’ll Actually Do
• Leadership: Provide leadership to department members to achieve daily customer satisfaction by delivering safety, quality, delivery, cost, and culture goals.
• Coordination: Coordinate with support groups on all aspects of capacity, including the flow of materials, layout of work area, and operational readiness of equipment/processes.
• Participation: Participate in activities as appropriate to ensure the success of the organization.
• Continuous Improvement: Support Continuous Improvement initiatives by participating in and allowing direct reports to participate on Rapid Continuous Improvement Events, project teams, and focus groups.

The Must-Haves
• Background: Entry-Level, Four-year degree in Supply Chain, Engineering, Operations, Organizational/Business Management, or applicable discipline.
• Experience: Previous (related) experience working in lean manufacturing is strongly preferred/desired. The program includes a two-year group leader role, one 10-month off-shift rotation (2nd/3rd shift), and one elective rotation.
• Skills: Minimum 2.8 GPA; self-starter who thrives on problem-solving and embraces change; strong leadership characteristics and active in college activities; ability to work in a cross-functional team environment; dedicated team-player with strong communication, interpersonal, and time-management skills.
• Bonus: High academic achievement in their education pursuits.