Operational Excellence Manager
Kaizen Talent Solutions · Coventry, England ·
On behalf of a prestigious, heritage-rich British manufacturing business with centuries of engineering excellence, we are seeking a hands-on, high-impact Operational Excellence Manager. Following recently being acquired, the organisation is embarking on a comprehensive site-wide Lean transformation across its flagship West Midlands manufacturing facility.
Employing several hundred site team members, the operation encompasses end-to-end capabilities from sheet-metal fabrication through to advanced assembly and testing. This role offers an exceptional opportunity to shape the operation of a traditional manufacturing hub.
You will lead the Continuous Improvement and Lean agenda, balancing traditional craftsmanship with modern automation, improving flow, and driving a sustainable culture of Lean excellence. KEY RESPONSIBILITIES Value Stream Transformation: Lead end-to-end Lean transformation across the site to optimise flow, reduce lead times, and enhance internal SQDC performance.
Site Kaizen & CI Culture: Plan, facilitate, and execute site-wide Kaizen events (5S, waste reduction, SMED, TPM) and act as a hands-on coach. Tiered Visual Management: Standardise and audit daily visual management cadences to drive data-driven accountability across all shifts.
Line Balancing & SOPs: Conduct takt time/cycle time analyses to balance multi-station assembly lines and collaborate with Production Engineering to update SOPs. Quality & Scrap Reduction: Partner with Quality teams to eliminate root-cause defects using structured methodologies (8D, 5 Whys, Fishbone) to maximise first-time-through yield.
Line-Side Logistics & Kanban: Work closely with supply chain to optimise point-of-use material feeds, implementing pull systems, Kanban, and kitting strategies. NPI & Capital Alignment: Support the operational rollout of Next Generation product launches while aligning Lean initiatives with the site's capital equipment roadmap.
CANDIDATE PROFILE We are seeking a Gemba-focused, hands-on leader who has experienced "what good looks like" in a World-Class Manufacturing environment and possesses the passion and agility to apply those principles to a traditional manufacturing operation.
Proven Track Record: Extensive experience delivering measurable Lean / CI transformations in complex, high-mix industrial manufact...