Senior Manufacturing Efficiency Consultant (Contract)
On-site | Hands-on | Operational delivery
We are seeking an experienced, hands-on manufacturing efficiency consultant to work directly on site at a live manufacturing operation. This is not a desk-based advisory assignment and it is not about producing reports for sign-off. The focus is on engaging with real, day-to-day operational issues and turning them into clear, deliverable improvement actions.
There is significant value to unlock across productivity, waste, flow and operational performance. Success in this role requires focus, structure and a strong analytical mindset to identify the right opportunities and drive them through to impact within the contract period.
The role
You will spend the majority of your time on the factory floor, working closely with operations, engineering and site leadership teams. Your remit is to understand how the operation truly functions, diagnose root causes of underperformance, and help shape practical, workable solutions that can be implemented quickly and sustained.
This is a delivery-focused contract, suited to someone comfortable taking ownership, prioritising effectively, and making progress without heavy oversight.
Key responsibilities
* Work on site to observe, understand and assess live operational challenges
* Analyse production, workflow, downtime, waste and performance data to identify root causes
* Translate complex, messy operational issues into clear improvement opportunities
* Support and drive initiatives focused on productivity, throughput, waste reduction and efficiency
* Engage constructively with frontline teams, supervisors and engineers to build trust and momentum
* Support site leadership in focusing effort on the highest-impact actions
Required experience and skills
* Strong background in manufacturing or operations, ideally within food, FMCG or other process-driven environments
* Proven experience working hands-on in factories and engaging with frontline teams
* Structured, analytical thinker able to bring clarity to ambiguous, real-world problems
* Experience in continuous improvement, operational performance, productivity or waste reduction
* Confident communicator with the credibility to challenge constructively on the shop floor
* Self-starter with the ability to prioritise, execute and deliver tangible results within a contract timeframe
Why this contract
This assignment suits a consultant who values action over theory and impact over documentation. You will be judged on what improves on the ground, not the size of the slide deck.
If you enjoy working close to operations, diagnosing real problems, and leaving a site measurably better than you found it, this contract will play to your strengths