Lean Manufacturing / Process Improvement Manager

Multi-site Lean Manufacturing / Continuous Improvement leadership role focused on operational excellence, behavioural safety and sustainable performance gains.
With excellent benefits, £60-80k salary, flexible / Hybrid working.
About the Role
We are seeking an experienced Lean Manufacturing / Process Improvement manager to take responsibility for total cost reduction activity across four U.K. manufacturing sites.
This role is for a hands-on leader, for someone who brings energy and ideas then translating that into practical change. Recognising that the departmental teams themselves often have the best ideas and know the processes better than anyone, you need to engage with their ability and knowledge, then work with them to deliver measurable improvements in safety, quality, cost and delivery.
Working together with site leadership teams, you will maintain support and commitment to a culture of operational excellence and engagement across the multiple locations.
The business’s culture is already one of creating the right behaviours and values so you’ll be pushing at an already open door.Alongside planned £ multi-million investments there is a lot of resource, support and commitment from all levels to improve.
Working within a regulated industry, the challenge to make changes that are adopted will perhaps be your toughest challenge, but you’ll have technical expertise to support you.
Achieving those improvements and savings keeps this high value production here in the UK, obviously helps achieve the industry benchmark for customer service and maintains an atmosphere of success and progress; which creates a virtuous spiral!
Key Responsibilities
·Lead the development and delivery of the lean manufacturing and process improvement roadmap across the sites.
·Promote a strong safety-first culture and ensure all improvement activity supports safe operations.
·Identify, prioritise and manage improvement projects that advance safety, reduce waste, improve flow, increase productivity and enhance customer experience.
·Coach, mentor and support all teams in lean tools and methodologies including 5S, value stream mapping, standard work, CI, visual management, root cause analysis, SMED, Kaizen and problem-solving routines.
·Lead and facilitate cross-site sharing of best practice.
·Support change management activity, ensuring improvements are understood, adopted and become embedded by operational teams.
·Build continuous improvement capability at all levels, from first line teams to senior leadership.
·Contribute to capital, automation and layout improvement projects where they support operational excellence objectives.
About You
·Proven experience in lean manufacturing, continuous improvement, operational excellence or process improvement within a manufacturing environment.
·Ideally exposure to working within a regulated sector, especially with a highly engineered product.
·Track record of delivering projects that make a measurable improvement in safety, productivity, quality, cost, lead time, waste reduction and service performance.
·Confident communicator, facilitator and coach with the ability to influence and engage teams at all levels.
·Strong analytical skills, with the ability to turn operational data into clear improvement targets.
·Lean Six Sigma Green Belt, Black Belt or equivalent qualification would be advantageous but is not essential where strong practical experience can be demonstrated.
·Manufacturing or Engineering first degree level qualifications too would certainly help your understanding and credibility.
What We Offer
·A visible, influential lead role with the opportunity to define our continuous improvement strategy.
·Class and industry leading remuneration.
·Flexible working.
·Supportive leadership environment with an established commitment to Op-Ex.
·Opportunities for professional development, training and career progression.
·Travel across UK and US sites, with flexibility depending on business needs
Only candidates based in UK and eligible to work in UK are allowed