Six Sigma: Job Description, Roles and Responsibilities

What does a typical work day look like in the life of an average Six Sigma professional?

Answering this question requires an understanding of what makes Six Sigma methodology unique. First, Six Sigma teams and professionals are largely drawn from the ranks of company employees. Second, the Six Sigma process is structured so that different employees play different roles and each role has different responsibilities.

What Are the Duties of a Six Sigma Professional?

The daily duties of Six Sigma practitioners typically depend on the roles they play in the project as determined by their belt ranking. Six Sigma uses the belt ranking system the same way martial arts does, giving employees belt color designations depending on their level of training and experience.

Green Belt Duties – While trained and certified in Six Sigma methodology, a Green belt does not usually practice the methodology full time. Green Belts can expect anywhere from 10-50% of their work time will be spent on Six Sigma projects, depending on their organization.

Green Belts typically lead data collection efforts and validate the measurement system on their project teams. They also help improve team function and dynamics by using facilitation skills and leading brainstorming sessions.

As ambassadors of promoting Six Sigma throughout the organization, they:

• Use graphs to show process improvement in highly visible and easily understood visual forms
• Create a communication plan to convey accurate information about the project to leadership and other stakeholders
• Promote data-driven solutions rather than subjective conjecture.

Read more about Six Sigma Green Belt Certification

Black Belt Duties – Six Sigma Black Belts act as leaders in the quality process. They must understand how a team works and be able to influence, motivate and get along with others. They are strong change advocates who pursue organizational change without upsetting employees.

Black Belts must be able to communicate effectively in their roles as trainers, coaches, and mentors.  During the course of a working day, Black Belts will find themselves communicating to employees at all levels of the organization and must be able to speak the language of front-line workers, as well as C-level executives.

Black Belts ensure their quality improvement projects are connected to business objectives. They spend time staying on top of the organization’s strategy to ensure that the projects they lead increase the company’s competitive advantage and financial performance.

Read more about Six Sigma Black Belt Certification

Master Black Belt (MBB) Duties – The MBB provides day-to-day leadership for the entire organization’s Six Sigma process. The MBB acts as connector between Six Sigma projects and executive leadership by keeping leadership involved in quality improvement efforts and securing continued commitment and resources. MBBs are constant and enthusiastic advocates of Six Sigma quality improvement.

With a view of the big picture, Master Black Belts are ideally qualified to identify Six Sigma projects, create project teams, help ensure project success and quantify a project’s impact.

MBBs also have an eye for spotting new talent and are able to select and certify quality candidates to become Black Belts.

Read more about the role of Master Black Belts

The duties and responsibilities of Six Sigma practitioners vary according to their education, experience, and belt ranking. One element, though, remains common through all levels of Six Sigma professionals – dedication to constantly improving the quality of an organization’s products and services.