Company Description
At Valeo Foods UK we bring together a family of much-loved UK food brands supported by the scale and ambition of a global investment partner. From Kettle’s bold crunch to Rowse’s natural sweetness, through to Matthew Walker and Barratt Sweets, our portfolio blends heritage, craft and category‑leading innovation.
Alongside our branded portfolio, we are also one of the UK’s largest suppliers of private label products, partnering with major retailers to deliver quality and category expertise that meets the needs of millions of households every week.
As a business, we’re on a journey of transformation. We’re strengthening our operations, driving quality and investing in our people. It’s an exciting, fast‑moving environment where heritage meets new thinking, and where every colleague contributes to shaping the future of food across the UK.
Join us and play your part in building the next chapter of some of Britain’s most loved brands.
Job Description
Valeo Foods UK is looking for a CI Lead for our manufacturing site in Gateshead.
The successful candidate will drive the Continuous Improvement culture alongside our CI Managers, responsible for the delivery and coaching of improvement activity within an area of responsibility often associated with Lean and Six Sigma methodologies.
You will work as a member of the operational team to resolve problems – preventing recurrence, engaging others in issues affecting them and supporting the improvement of performance.
Engage with team members in the identification of improvement opportunities and relevant countermeasures and controls.
Initiate and facilitate improvement activities through to confirmed resolution, reporting back to stakeholders on improvements made.
Provide local expertise in business improvement methods and basic tools to the team.
Ensure that site KPI’s are achieved and exceeded while maintaining and complying with Health and Safety, ethical and agreed technical standards.
Role Description
* Drive a Continuous Improvement culture with pace through the application of Lean / Continuous Improvement methodologies.
* Develop, configure, and optimise manufacturing processes from inception through to startup and certification.
* Develop best practices, routines, and innovative solutions to improve production rates and quality of output.
* Challenge and review existing processes to generate sustained and tangible improvements, utilising appropriate improvement methodologies and people engagement and empowerment in the change process.
* Handle multiple site projects, moving at varying pace, with clear and visible performance and financial data tracking.
* Respond to the level of maturity required for the Continuous Improvement journey when working with others, adopting a driver, facilitator or supporter stance depending on the given situation or level of understanding.
* Deliver appropriate training and coaching to others in Continuous Improvement methodologies within operations to achieve sustained improvement.
* Apply the right elements of Lean and other Continuous Improvement methodologies according to business needs, using the correct control measures required for sustained improvement.
Qualifications
* Proven ability to improve performance through change.
* Practical or working knowledge of Lean and/or Six Sigma.
* NVQ level 3 equivalent or above in manufacturing / operations (desirable).
* Training in CI methodology.
* Project management experience.
* Proven experience of leading CI within a Fast‑Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) environment.
* Train the Trainer qualification (desirable but not essential).
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