Job Description
Continuous Improvement Lead | Mansfield | £40,000-£45,000 | Permanent
The Opportunity If you're the kind of person who sees a process and instantly thinks, "I can make that better," this role is right up your street. You'll be the driving force behind operational excellence across a busy manufacturing environment, supporting production teams, improving performance, strengthening health & safety standards, and leading continuous improvement initiatives that deliver real, measurable impact. This is a hands-on, highly visible role where you'll work closely with shop-floor teams, supervisors, and senior leadership. You'll influence how work is planned, how performance is measured, and how improvements are embedded across the operation. If you thrive in fast-paced environments and enjoy balancing strategic thinking with practical, sleeves-rolled-up involvement, this is a fantastic opportunity to shape how production operates.
Continuous Improvement Lead Key Responsibilities
* Team Support & Coordination: Work closely with production teams across multiple workstations to maintain flow, resolve issues, and support day-to-day operations.
* Performance Monitoring: Track output, operational standards, and performance against plan, ensuring issues are identified and addressed quickly.
* Continuous Improvement Leadership: Lead CI initiatives focused on productivity, quality, waste reduction, and process optimisation.
* Problem Solving: Troubleshoot machinery, material, and operational challenges to minimise downtime and maintain efficiency.
* Equipment & Maintenance Oversight: Ensure machinery is maintained, safe, and operating effectively.
* Health & Safety Leadership: Promote and enforce H&S procedures, including pre-start checks, near-miss reporting, and safe working practices.
* Training & Development: Deliver operational and health & safety training to production teams.
* Fire Officer Duties: Act as designated Fire Officer for assigned areas.
* Operational Planning: Support production planning and operational decision-making alongside senior management.
* Absence & Record Management: Monitor attendance and maintain accurate operational records.
* Communication: Maintain clear, consistent communication between management and production teams.
* Data & KPI Analysis: Review operational KPIs to identify trends, inefficiencies, and improvement opportunities.
Ideal Continuous Improvement Lead
* Qualified: Lean Six Sigma Green Belt (minimum).
* Experienced: 5+ years in Continuous Improvement, Operational Excellence, or similar roles within manufacturing or production.
* Proven: Demonstrable track record of delivering measurable improvements across productivity, quality, waste, or process efficiency.
* Technically Strong: Solid understanding of manufacturing processes, CI methodologies, and root cause analysis.
* Influential: Able to engage teams, challenge the status quo, and drive positive cultural change.
* Balanced: Comfortable switching between strategic improvement projects and hands-on shop-floor involvement.
* Resilient & Pragmatic: A proactive problem-solver who thrives in fast-paced, evolving environments.
* Great Communicator: Strong stakeholder engagement and organisational skills.
Location Mansfield (Full-time on-site due to the nature of the role).
Salary Up to £45,000 depending on experience.
About Ford & Stanley Group
Ford & Stanley Talent