In most instances, Six Sigma black belts are denoted as change agents. Undoubtedly, people with Six Sigma black belts hold leadership positions within organizations. Professionals with black belts take part in Six Sigma project teams as full-time members. They are often responsible for project implementation, Design for Six Sigma, and DMAIC within the organization. 

Black belts are seen as highly-skilled professionals in the usage of Six Sigma tools and techniques. They are also experts in change management and facilitation. Black belts are subject matter experts and so they can contribute a great share in improving customer satisfaction and business productivity. 

Training:

Black belts would have completed four weeks of Six Sigma training. Also, to become black belts they would have demonstrated their expertise in Six Sigma via the completion of an examination and project completion.

Black belts are responsible for coaching green belts in Six Sigma projects. They get support and training from Master black belts. It is expected that black belts can get the opportunity to become master black belts or other prominent business roles after they complete the black belt assignment. The assignment can last for at least 18 months to three years.

Key Responsibilities of Six Sigma Black Belts:

An individual taking the Six Sigma black belt role mainly focuses on the translation of the high-level business goal into a Six Sigma strategy. A black belt holder will lead the development of Six Sigma skills within the organization for other black belts, green belts and other employees. Shortly called SSBB, Black Belt holds the responsibility of ensuring the sustainability, value and quality of Six Sigma projects.

When talking about the Six Sigma black belt roles and responsibilities, you should know that there can be one or more BBs in an organization. They work together for the success of the Six Sigma effort or the organization as a whole. They lead activity and coordinate key cross-division value streams. Examples of value streams include research, cycle time, and customer service. They also make sure that a culture that values challenge, creativity, and openness develops within the organization.

Benefits of Six Sigma Black Belt Training:

Do you play a responsible role in your organization? Do you think whether to take black belt training yourself or provide this training to one of your employees? Are you wondering whether this training would be worthwhile? Here are some of the benefits of this training:

• The course improves communication skills in trainees
• Improves stakeholder management
• The course provides the opportunity to associate with other black belts to spot the issues that they are solving. In turn, the trainee can get better learning opportunities
• Supports progression in career
• Creates an ongoing improvement culture
• Creates service-oriented mindset
• Provides the ability to solve more complex issues
• Improves leadership capabilities
• The course provides the possibility to deliver an improvement project 

Core Competencies of Certified Six Sigma Black Belt Holder:

Most organizations these days show interest to hire candidates, who have undergone the training to become certified Six Sigma Black Belt holders. The reason is that organizations know about the following core competencies of a Certified Six Sigma Black Belt Holder:

1. Black belts have complete knowledge of all aspects of the DMAIC model as per Six Sigma Principles.

2. Black belts possess the fundamental knowledge of lean enterprise concepts.

3. They can spot activities and elements that do not add any value to the organization or the project. So, they can avoid those unnecessary things.

4. They will be in a position to use the right tools for successful project implementation.

5. They have an advanced understanding of project definition and the roles and responsibilities of teams as a whole.

6. Black belts have a complete understanding of the Measure Phase of DMAIC including data collection plans, process mapping, visual display of baseline performance and understanding of variation.

7. They possess an advanced understanding of the Analyze phase of project implementation that encompasses the evaluation of root causes, analysis of cause and effect and display of visual data.

8. They possess knowledge of the improvement phase that includes implementation planning, solution selection and brainstorming.

9. Black belts also have knowledge of the Control Phase of the DMAIC Model. They know how to assess the outcomes of the process improvement, documenting the process and statistical process control overview.

Value of Six Sigma Black Belts to Six Sigma Organizations:

Many organizations these days are aware of Six Sigma black belt responsibilities. So, they are aware of the fact that black belts can bring value to the organization in many ways.

Holders of Six Sigma Black Belt certification are knowledgeable in different techniques to improve employee buy-in, streamline business processes, increase revenue and bring down costs. All this expertise leads to a better foundation. People with Six Sigma Black Belt can do the following for their organization:

1. They define projects for Green and yellow belt holders.

2. They can guide and mentor yellow and green belt holders toward project completion.

3. BBs use statistical analysis software for the generation of valuable statistical conclusions, showcase relationships, evaluate measurement systems, apply statistical process control, design experiments and test hypotheses.

To overlook more advanced Six Sigma projects and function as a change agent and leader for projects.

Black belt holders also forerun improvement efforts at the organizational level.

The right use of the Six Sigma methodology can influence varied elements of an organization right from the improvement of the quality of goods and services to employees spending more time on the final product outcome.

As you wish to know about the key Six Sigma black belt role, you should know that these professionals can save nearly $230K per project for their employers. They can complete nearly four to six projects per year. In short, when they have Six Sigma black belt holders, organizations can expect a better return on investment.

Key Roles Played By Six Sigma Black Belt Holders:

1. One of the key Six Sigma black belt roles and responsibilities is to function as a change agent.

2. SSBBs support the employment of statistical tools

3. The key role played by Six Sigma Black belts is to function as coaches to others.

4. They take the role of critical problem solvers

5. One of the important responsibilities of Six Sigma Black Belt holders is to evaluate the root cause of the issue.

6. Mentoring other members of Six Sigma is yet another role played by SSBB.

7. They function as forerunners of strategic projects.

8. SSBBs demonstrate bottom-line outcomes into hard cash savings.

9. They engage in improvement projects

10. Black belts function as project leaders/managers

11. Six Sigma Black Belts function as Six Sigma Experts

Skills of Six Sigma Black Belts:

To deliver Six Sigma black belt responsibilities rightly, professionals working in this position should have certain skills. Here is the list of skills they should develop:

1. Result-oriented leadership

2. Project management skills

3. Customer Advocacy

4. Presentation Skills

5. Leadership skills

6. Problem-solving skills

7. Coaching skills

8. Fact/data-driven skills

9. Expertise in techniques, tools and DMAIC Six Sigma methodology

10. Analytical Skills

Deliverables of Six Sigma Black Belts:

Professionals working in the Six Sigma black belt role will deliver the following responsibilities among team members:

1. Shares the best practices

2. Mentors green belts

3. Ensures the best Six Sigma project results

4. Structures the Six Sigma projects and teams

5. Helps teams get rid of barriers at the project level.

6. Guides the project management resources

7. Ensures effective Project execution

8. Frames the Six Sigma roll-out plan and strategy for the given area/process

Among the many Six Sigma black belt roles and responsibilities, these professionals are responsible for taking process improvements to further levels in any business. Further, they have the right training on improving outcomes for the organization with the help of Six Sigma tools and statistical analysis. This is why candidates with this certification get lucrative opportunities that range from functioning as business analysts to process improvement experts.

List of Six Sigma Black Belt Responsibilities:

Now, you have an idea of the key Six Sigma black belt responsibilities. But from the list here, you can get a quick revision of what you already know about the Six Sigma black belt role:

1. BBs act as subject-matter experts to other green and black belt holders in an organization.

2. They mostly deliver their duties as shared resources. So, they work with teams working on different projects at the same time.

3. At times, they function as individual contributors. However, they mostly forerun the efforts of other black and green belt holders.

4. They would have completed Six Sigma training and would have illustrated their skills via the successful completion of projects. 

5. They engage in Six Sigma projects as full-time employees.

6. BBs take part in discussions as and when they are required

7. They maintain official reports and records of team actions

8. BBs function as a point of contact in many organizations

9. They enable reports and meetings

10. They pay attention to problem-solving and data analysis

11. BBs are involved in barrier removal and so they resolve issues as they come up.